LAWMAKERS CALL ON GOVERNOR TO FIX SENIOR MEAL PROGRAM SHORTFALL

LAWMAKERS CALL ON GOVERNOR TO 

FIX SENIOR MEAL PROGRAM SHORTFALL

Administration still lacks plan to remedy problems caused by its own budget blunders

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 13, 2025) — More than a month after the Department for Aging and Independent Living announced a federal funding shortfall that forced area development districts (ADDs) across Kentucky to reduce senior meal services, the Beshear administration still has no plan to fix the problem.

During the 2022 budget cycle, federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds totaling $36.2 million were provided to expand the senior meals program over a three-year period following the pandemic. Those funds have now expired. When preparing the 2024 executive branch budget, the Beshear administration knew that it required $14.5 million per year using that one-time federal funding to expand the program. Despite that knowledge, it requested only $10 million from the general fund for each of the next two fiscal years to replace the loss of those one-time federal funds. This was a failure to properly anticipate the future needs of the program and the reduced request has been insufficient to sustain services as federal dollars ran out.

Testimony before the Legislative Oversight and Investigations Committee (LOIC) confirmed that Kentucky’s ADDs had warned state officials of the need for $14.5 million to meet growing program demand. That warning never reached the General Assembly, which approved exactly what the Cabinet requested. Lawmakers said the administration’s failure to disclose the actual funding need directly resulted in thousands of seniors in Kentucky going back on a wait list. 

After receiving no response to legislative inquiries, LOIC members demanded answers during Thursday’s hearing. Administration officials confirmed that no plan has been developed to restore funding, even as local providers continue to scale back services for older Kentuckians who rely on them.

“Do you know what the Governor’s plan is to deal with this?” asked Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Paducah. “I do not know the specifics of any plan at this time,” an administration representative replied, confirming that more than a month after the issue came to light, there is still no clear strategy to ensure Kentucky seniors are fed.

“In August, you were pushing ADDs to provide more meals to grow their numbers, and then in September, we don’t have any money. Help me understand that,” Carroll added. “There are seniors calling my office who don’t have food to eat, and we’re sitting up here doing this.”

Lawmakers were frustrated that the administration has been aware of the shortfall since before September 8, when the Department for Aging and Independent Living sent a memo to ADDs citing “reduced federal funding and other recent federal policy changes” as the reason for fewer available dollars.

Sen. Greg Elkins, R-Winchester, and co-chair of LOIC, emphasized the urgency of immediate action. 

“This is a 24-hour-a-day problem, and it’s going to require 24-hour-a-day work until there’s an answer. Either find a solution or fix it immediately. This cannot wait.”

Members of the committee argued that the administration is fully aware of the shortfall, understands its impact, and has the resources to act, but has chosen not to. They said the continued inaction reflects a lack of focus and leadership. Instead of providing immediate relief, the problem has been allowed to linger for more than a month.

Sen. Phillip Wheeler, R-Pikeville, said the administration’s handling of the issue represents a serious failure of leadership and accountability. 

“It seemed the cabinet was kind of blaming the legislature for some of this, which doesn’t make sense since we gave the Governor and the cabinet every dollar they asked for,” Wheeler said, reflecting on his discussion with ADDs in his district. “When the people administering the program tell you how much they need and you ask for less, that’s inexcusable. Either it’s incompetence or heartlessness, and I’d like to think it’s the former.”
Conflicting explanations from the administration have raised further questions. The September 8 memo blamed federal funding and policy changes, while a September 19 statement from the Governor’s office instead cited a projected $300 million state budget shortfall, even though that forecast was issued more than a week later by the Consensus Forecasting Group. No budget reduction order from the Beshear administration was ever filed, a step typically taken in response to a budget shortfall. And Cabinet officials testified in committee that no actual cuts have been made to the state general funding of the program,

“This is on the Governor and the cabinet,” Wheeler added. “They need to take responsibility and either get this fixed or find the money somewhere. The thought that older people have to worry about whether they’re going to eat is of great concern to me, especially around the holidays.”

With the holidays approaching, lawmakers said the Governor’s attention must be on ensuring no senior in Kentucky goes hungry. Every day the administration delays action, more seniors are left without the meals the legislature fully funded and intended for them to receive.