FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky House Democrats sent a letter to House Speaker David Osborne urging him to redirect state funds allocated for Capitol building renovation to preserve operations at Lee Specialty Clinic, which faces severe cuts due to recent budget reductions, according to Forward Kentucky.

The letter, sent by members of the House Democratic Caucus, asked Osborne to support redirecting $14 million in debt service funds for the Legislative Research Commission's Capitol Annex renovation toward Lee Specialty Clinic operations. The clinic serves adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and faces a $4.5 million funding reduction.

"While maintaining state facilities is important, no reasonable person can conclude that renovating government office space is more urgent than ensuring vulnerable Kentuckians have access to healthcare," the letter stated, noting that more than 1,000 patients could lose access to specialized care beginning July 15 due to the cuts.

The clinic, located in Louisville, provides medical, dental, therapy, behavioral and nutrition services to Kentucky residents with developmental disabilities. Funding comes from Medicare, Medicaid and the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

The cuts stem from the state budget bill passed by the Republican-controlled legislature in April. The budget imposed base funding reductions of 4 percent and 7 percent across state agencies, affecting programs without explicit legal mandates.

Democrats argued during budget debates that the broad cuts would harm vulnerable populations. The letter stated that because many government functions are required by federal law, state law, court order or constitutional obligation, agencies have limited flexibility when implementing reductions, disproportionately affecting discretionary programs like the specialty clinic.

The Democrats also asked Osborne to acknowledge Governor Andy Beshear's authority to manage executive branch resources to protect critical services from unintended consequences of legislative budget decisions.