STATEMENT – From House Speaker Greg Stumbo.
STATEMENT – From House Speaker Greg Stumbo:
“The 2009 Regular Session is widely considered to be one of the most successful in recent memory, and a key reason for that is because the House established clear rules at the outset – and then strictly followed them. This approach gave a fair and open hearing to important issues of the day, and allows the legislature to act in a prudent and thoughtful manner.
“Our rules, and the calendar we adopted, provided for the last two days of the legislative session to be dedicated to vetoes and not for considering legislation. Before we decide whether to suspend the rules, we will have to caucus, which we will do after the session re-convenes on Thursday. If it is the will of the caucus to have such a suspension, we will go forward accordingly.
“I am proud of the important work accomplished by the legislature, as shown by the following partial list of new laws:
BUDGET
HB 143/HB 144: Revised budget and corresponding revenue plan. Protects SEEK, critical health & human services; corrections; many local government agencies; and parks. Postsecondary schools cut just 2 percent.
ROADS
HB 330/HB 374: $3.7 billion road plan, preserved by freezing four pennies of the gasoline tax and federal stimulus money.
EDUCATION
SB 1: Removes CATS tests at our elementary and secondary schools, beginning this year. There will be a three-year phase-in to the new testing structure. The testing period will drop from the current 10 days to five once the new test is in place, and the tests will be given later in the year, with results due in 75 days. Writing portfolios will no longer be used for accountability purposes. Postsecondary schools are called upon to help revise standards so students are better prepared for college.
HB 383: To ensure student athletes’ health is protected, high school coaches will now have to complete a sports safety course, and must have at least one person completing the course to be on-site at every high school athletic practice and competition.
HB 322: Allows the Dept. of Education Commissioner to waive up to 10 days for school districts severely affected by last fall’s Hurricane Ike winds or January’s snow and ice storm. This does not apply to regular snow days. Schools could also meet longer each day to make up days missed.
JUSTICE
SB 4: Calls on Department of Corrections to develop an intensive, secured substance abuse recovery program for pretrial diversion in certain circumstances. Qualified substance abuse has to be recent and relevant to this program. This could potentially help thousands of addicts who otherwise would go to jail and save Kentucky millions of dollars.
HB 315: Makes it a Class A misdemeanor for sex offenders using social network sites that children can use; it also criminalizes the offense of phishing, which uses the internet to get an unsuspecting person to divulge personal information by impersonating a third party.
HB 372: Prohibits parole credit being granted to a person who has been convicted of a violent offense or is a sex offender. Also allows non-violent Class D felony offenders who are in prison or jail to have their cases reviewed by the Parole Board after serving 15 percent of sentence or two months of original sentence, whichever is longer.
GOVERNMENT
HB 117: Gives local governments 10 years instead of five to meet their actuarially required contributions to the retirement system. This will save local governments money now, during this difficult economy, while not harming the pension system.
HB 444: Sets up a pay-day lender database to better track the law limiting customers to two transactions at one time, for no more than $500 combined. Also limits new pay-day lenders in Kentucky for a decade, after July 1st.
SJR 67: Directs the Department for Energy Development and Independence to work with the Kentucky Geological Survey to study the value of potential oil and gas operations on state-owned and university-owned lands.
MILITARY
HB 541: Permits the Governor to authorize active duty pay for National Guard members injured during the 2009 winter storm.
HB 39: Exempts 17-year-olds who have enlisted in the military from the requirement to obtain an intermediate driver’s license.
HB 124; Gives students up 10 days in excused absences to visit a parent or legal guardian in the military who is stationed out of the country and on leave.
AGRICULTURE
HB 153: Establishes a Kentucky Milk Commission to help our declining dairy industry, which has been devastated in recent years. Kentucky has seen the number of dairy farms drop from 1,700 in 2003 to about 1,000 last year.
HB 344: Establishes a program to help farmers provide surplus or unmarketable products to food banks.
“The 2009 Regular Session is widely considered to be one of the most successful in recent memory, and a key reason for that is because the House established clear rules at the outset – and then strictly followed them. This approach gave a fair and open hearing to important issues of the day, and allows the legislature to act in a prudent and thoughtful manner.
“Our rules, and the calendar we adopted, provided for the last two days of the legislative session to be dedicated to vetoes and not for considering legislation. Before we decide whether to suspend the rules, we will have to caucus, which we will do after the session re-convenes on Thursday. If it is the will of the caucus to have such a suspension, we will go forward accordingly.
“I am proud of the important work accomplished by the legislature, as shown by the following partial list of new laws:
BUDGET
HB 143/HB 144: Revised budget and corresponding revenue plan. Protects SEEK, critical health & human services; corrections; many local government agencies; and parks. Postsecondary schools cut just 2 percent.
ROADS
HB 330/HB 374: $3.7 billion road plan, preserved by freezing four pennies of the gasoline tax and federal stimulus money.
EDUCATION
SB 1: Removes CATS tests at our elementary and secondary schools, beginning this year. There will be a three-year phase-in to the new testing structure. The testing period will drop from the current 10 days to five once the new test is in place, and the tests will be given later in the year, with results due in 75 days. Writing portfolios will no longer be used for accountability purposes. Postsecondary schools are called upon to help revise standards so students are better prepared for college.
HB 383: To ensure student athletes’ health is protected, high school coaches will now have to complete a sports safety course, and must have at least one person completing the course to be on-site at every high school athletic practice and competition.
HB 322: Allows the Dept. of Education Commissioner to waive up to 10 days for school districts severely affected by last fall’s Hurricane Ike winds or January’s snow and ice storm. This does not apply to regular snow days. Schools could also meet longer each day to make up days missed.
JUSTICE
SB 4: Calls on Department of Corrections to develop an intensive, secured substance abuse recovery program for pretrial diversion in certain circumstances. Qualified substance abuse has to be recent and relevant to this program. This could potentially help thousands of addicts who otherwise would go to jail and save Kentucky millions of dollars.
HB 315: Makes it a Class A misdemeanor for sex offenders using social network sites that children can use; it also criminalizes the offense of phishing, which uses the internet to get an unsuspecting person to divulge personal information by impersonating a third party.
HB 372: Prohibits parole credit being granted to a person who has been convicted of a violent offense or is a sex offender. Also allows non-violent Class D felony offenders who are in prison or jail to have their cases reviewed by the Parole Board after serving 15 percent of sentence or two months of original sentence, whichever is longer.
GOVERNMENT
HB 117: Gives local governments 10 years instead of five to meet their actuarially required contributions to the retirement system. This will save local governments money now, during this difficult economy, while not harming the pension system.
HB 444: Sets up a pay-day lender database to better track the law limiting customers to two transactions at one time, for no more than $500 combined. Also limits new pay-day lenders in Kentucky for a decade, after July 1st.
SJR 67: Directs the Department for Energy Development and Independence to work with the Kentucky Geological Survey to study the value of potential oil and gas operations on state-owned and university-owned lands.
MILITARY
HB 541: Permits the Governor to authorize active duty pay for National Guard members injured during the 2009 winter storm.
HB 39: Exempts 17-year-olds who have enlisted in the military from the requirement to obtain an intermediate driver’s license.
HB 124; Gives students up 10 days in excused absences to visit a parent or legal guardian in the military who is stationed out of the country and on leave.
AGRICULTURE
HB 153: Establishes a Kentucky Milk Commission to help our declining dairy industry, which has been devastated in recent years. Kentucky has seen the number of dairy farms drop from 1,700 in 2003 to about 1,000 last year.
HB 344: Establishes a program to help farmers provide surplus or unmarketable products to food banks.
Labels: General information, Kentucky politics, Public Service
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