Senator Steve West

Stephen Ashley West is a Republican serving in the Kentucky State Senate representing District 27, which includes Bourbon, Fayette , Fleming, Harrison, Mason, Nicholas, Robertson, and Rowan Counties.

Steve West was born on April 28, 1970, in Paris, Kentucky, and was raised in Grant County on his family's multigenerational farm. Outside of his legislative work, he has worked as a cattle farmer, real estate attorney, and real estate agent. He is self-employed and owns Kentucky Prime Realty. West is a Christian and is affiliated with Leesburg Christian Church. He is married to Cindy and has three children: Mahayla, Caleb, and Eli.

Education

West earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communications from Eastern Kentucky University in 1993 and a Juris Doctor from the Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University in 1996. He attended Grant County High School and is a member of the Kentucky Bar Association.

Political Experience

West was elected to the Kentucky Senate in a special election on March 3, 2015, and assumed office on March 23, 2015. He currently serves as Chair of the Senate Education Committee and Co-Chair of the Senate Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee. He is a member of several legislative committees including the Natural Resources & Energy Committee and the Education Assessment & Accountability Review Subcommittee.

West has focused on infrastructure, education, and economic development in his district. Notable legislative achievements include securing a $39 million investment for the Kentucky Horse Park and sponsoring Senate Bill 156, which established a statewide reading research center, and Senate Bill 9 , which supports evidence-based early literacy instruction. He has also co-sponsored bills supporting Kentucky's signature industries, including legislation that legalized sports betting and phased out property taxes on aging bourbon barrels. West is a member of several caucuses, including the Equine Caucus, Bourbon Trail Caucus, and Pro-Life Caucus.