FRANKFORT, Ky.
(AP) - Heading into a tough election year, Gov. Andy Beshear asserted Wednesday evening that Kentucky's future is "brighter than it has ever been" while touting a record of economic development and resilience to make his case.
The Democratic governor, delivering his fourth annual State of the Commonwealth address, cited record economic gains during his tenure and hailed the state's ability to , flooding and a global pandemic that repeatedly turned his job into crisis management.
Beshear confronted the headwinds of in the legislature, urging lawmakers to pump more money into education, raise pay for public school teachers and achieve his goal of universal access to pre-kindergarten learning.
The governor used the statewide television address, on the second day of this year's legislative session, to urge lawmakers to legalize access to medical cannabis.

He already to allow Kentuckians with certain debilitating conditions to legally possess medical marijuana, provided the cannabis is purchased legally in other states.
But he said legislative action is still needed.
"Treating people right ... dictates that this session and that this General Assembly finally legalize medical cannabis," the governor said.
Beshear, whose term has been marked by policy disputes with lawmakers, also called for additional funding and other changes to shore up the state