MEET JASON PETRIE

Raised on a small family farm in Clifty, Kentucky, Jason Petrie learned the values of hard work, faith, and service from an early age alongside his parents and older brother. 

Jason is a proud 1989 graduate of Todd County Central High School. He earned a bachelor's degree in Economics and Philosophy from Berea College in 1993, a master's degree in Humanities from Western Kentucky University in 1995, and a Juris Doctor from The Ohio State University in 1998. Since then, he has spent more than 27 years practicing law in state and federal courtrooms across Kentucky.

Jason was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives in 2016 and began serving in 2017 as part of the first Republican majority to control the House since 1920. He previously chaired the House Judiciary Committee and now serves as Chairman of the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee, where he leads the House's work on state budgets and tax policy.

Jason approaches budgeting with a simple philosophy: government should fund its needs before its wants, live within its means, and avoid placing unsustainable obligations on future Kentuckians. He applied this approach in 2022 in drafting and filing the state budget bills prior to the Governor's recommendation, and thereby established the General Assembly as the budget lead to policy making.

As Appropriations and Revenue Committee Chairman, Jason has helped build the largest Budget Reserve Trust Fund in Kentucky history and has worked to protect it for future emergencies, economic downturns and opportunities for one-time investments throughout the Commonwealth. He has also led efforts to incrementally reduce Kentucky’s individual income tax, lowering the rate most recently to 3.5% in 2026, with the long-term goal of eliminating the tax while maintaining the Commonwealth’s financial stability.

Jason is married to his high school sweetheart, Denise. Together, they have raised three children, all of whom call Kentucky home. Jason and Denise are active members of Dripping Spring Baptist Church, and their faith, family, and community remain central to Jason's life and public service.