Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Gov. Wallace Wilkinson signed the Kentucky Education Reform Act into law 25 years ago this week. A look at some of the people who made the law happen.
---
BOB STEPHENS
The former chief justice of the Kentucky Supreme Court wrote the opinion that declared Kentucky's public school system unconstitutional, prompting lawmakers to pass sweeping reforms. He died in 2002.
---
DON BLANDFORD
The former speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives used his political clout to push the bill through the legislature. He resigned in 1993 after he was indicted for accepting a bribe from a lobbyist.
---
JOE CLARKE
The House budget committee chairman was instrumental in coming up with a plan to pay for the school reforms. He succeeded Blandford as House Speaker, only to lose that position after disclosing he was being treated for alcoholism. Clarke took his own life in 2003.
---
WALLACE WILKINSON
The Democratic governor's term in office saw him sign the Kentucky Education Reform Act and the creation of the Kentucky lottery. But he was less successful in the business world after leaving office, filing for bankruptcy in 2001. He died a year later after a battle with cancer.
---
GREG STUMBO
As the House majority floor leader, Stumbo was the primary sponsor of the education bill and helped pass it despite Gov. Wilkinson's objections to an increase in the state sales tax. Stumbo would go on to serve two terms as Kentucky's attorney general before returning to his House seat and later ousting House Speaker Jody Richards.
---
BERT T. COMBS
The former governor was the lead attorney for the 66 school districts in the school funding lawsuit. Combs died in a flash flood while driving home from his law office one year after Wilkinson signed the law.
---
MIKE MOLONEY
The Senate budget chairman helped craft the financing portion of the law along with Joe Clarke, his counterpart in the House. He retired in 1996 after 24 years in the legislature and is now an attorney in Lexington.
---
ROGER NOE
The House Education Committee chairman helped craft many of the structural changes to the state's education system. But the law's increase in the state sales tax was not popular in his district. He lost his seat in the 1992 Democratic primary. He's now a professor at Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College.
---
JOHN "ECK" ROSE
JOE WRIGHT
In 1990, Rose was president of the state Senate and Wright was the majority leader and the two worked closely to round up votes for the bill to pass. Both are now farmers.
---
BARRETT BRADSHAW
RHONDA SHRIVER
Bradshaw and Shriver were two of the 22 public school students named as plaintiffs in the school funding lawsuit. Both testified in the trial and both grew up to be public school teachers. Bradshaw teaches in Campbell County and Shriver in Boone County.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
