Senate Majority Leader Max Wise discusses pro-growth priorities ahead of 2025 legislative session 

When the 2025 session of the Kentucky General Assembly convenes in January, Senator Max Wise will assume the position of majority floor leader following the retirement of Senator Damon Thayer, who has been the Republican floor leader for 12 years.

Senate Majority Leader Wise sat down with The Bottom Line to discuss his new role, the legislature’s important progress in recent years, and the key priorities he plans to focus on. 

With a decade of legislative experience, Leader Wise highlighted his track record of tackling significant policies and his ability to communicate effectively and build relationships as he steps into this new role.

Continuing Tax Reform for Economic Competitiveness

Leader Wise underscored the legislature’s commitment to tax reform as a driver of growth and competitiveness and pointed to the economic announcements across the state as a byproduct of that work.

With Kentucky meeting the necessary triggers this year to further reduce the individual income tax, Leader Wise said he looks forward to having the conversations in the first week of session to continue the momentum of tax reform, noting the strong support from Kentuckians and Kentucky businesses for this work.

In addition to the efforts to lower the state income tax, Leader Wise applauded the work of Appropriations and Revenue Chairs Sen. Chris McDaniel and Rep. Jason Petrie for their leadership in establishing a strong Budget Reserve Trust Fund and ensuring pension obligations are met. He said he looks forward to working with the House to continue these efforts to support small businesses and help Kentucky thrive.

Addressing Workforce and Education Challenges

Focusing on efforts to address workforce shortages across Kentucky, Leader Wise highlighted the Workforce Attraction and Retention Task Force he co-chaired over the interim. The task force’s report identified barriers and opportunities to tackle labor force participation, such as instilling a sense of purpose in working, reducing barriers to work for different populations, and much more.

As a former chair of the Education Committee, Leader Wise emphasized the need to improve Kentucky’s workforce pipeline by expanding access to career and technical education, emphasizing trade skills, and filling skills gaps businesses are seeing. To achieve this, he spoke on the importance of stronger partnerships between schools, businesses, chambers of commerce, and local communities.

Housing Shortage

Leader Wise stressed the importance of addressing housing shortages to promote workforce and community growth, emphasized the impact of homeownership, and noted ongoing efforts from the legislature’s Housing Task Force to provide recommendations for improving housing affordability and availability.

Small Businesses Growth

Acknowledging the vital role small businesses play in Kentucky’s economy, from job creation to community support, he spoke on the need for the legislature to reduce barriers to starting a business.

Watch the full interview.

Stay tuned to The Bottom Line for more updates throughout the 2025 legislative session.