While it’s rare that Kentucky lawmakers reopen budget talks in a non-budget year, both Republican Senate President Robert Stivers and the University of Kentucky are hoping 2015 will be an exception.
Stivers and UK President Eli Capilouto are lobbying the General Assembly to fund half of a proposed $265M dollar cancer research facility. Speaking with cn|2, Capilouto said UK is asking for a commitment of $12M from the state over the next 20 years.
"We can make death a beggar in Kentucky and that's why we need a research building. We're out of space. We've had incredible successes over the last ten years," he said.
If funded, the building would house research efforts dealing with two big killers in Kentucky: lung and breast cancer.
House Appropriations and Revenue Committee chair Rep. Rick Rand has said reopening the budget often opens the door for other requests, but he did not rule out the idea.
