By MICHAEL CRIMMINS
Glasgow News 1
The Barren County regional licensing office is still in the transportation budget. It was not one of the items stricken from the budget by Governor Andy Beshear’s line item vetoes yesterday.
The $7 billion transportation budget, which included funding “to support three additional regional offices located in Barren County, Bullitt County, and Oldham County,” was approved by the Kentucky General Assembly and sent to the governor’s desk on April 1, according to previous Glasgow News 1 reporting.
The proposed budget appropriates over $5 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year, roughly $16.1 million in 2026-27 and $15.7 million in 2027-28.
On April 13, Beshear line item vetoed the proposed budget, meaning only some provisions in the bill were vetoed. He vetoed items related to on-site work, highway construction contingency account, recycled asphalt products, highway district lettings, excess and surplus property inventory, and driver licensing level of service report.
The regular session is not officially over until April 15.
While the exact location of Barren County’s regional licensing office has not been confirmed, Barren County Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd previously said transportation cabinet officials have performed a site visit on the old health department building on West Washington Street in Glasgow.
Barren County State Representative Steve Riley and Senator David Givens voted in favor of the budget bill, according to the Legislative Research Commission.
Key Facts
• Funding for a Barren County regional driver licensing office remains in Kentucky’s transportation budget.
• The $7 billion transportation budget includes money for three new regional offices in Barren, Bullitt and Oldham counties, according to previous Glasgow News 1 reporting.
• The plan appropriates more than $5 million in 2025-26, roughly $16.1 million in 2026-27 and $15.7 million in 2027-28.
• Beshear’s veto targeted several provisions but did not remove funding for the regional licensing offices.
• The specific location of Barren County’s office has not been confirmed; officials previously reviewed the old health department building on West Washington Street in Glasgow.
• State Rep. Steve Riley and Sen. David Givens voted in favor of the transportation budget bill, according to the Legislative Research Commission.
