Legislative update
By Danny Carroll
State Senator
The first week of the 2018 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly is in the books, and pension reform is still a major priority for all of us in Frankfort. Along with passing a two-year budget and two-year road fund, pension reform must occur in order to put Kentucky’s poorly-funded pension systems on the right path to solvency. We have listened to feedback from our constituents and believe we are close to having another draft of a pension reform bill to release to the public. This is a complex issue and although we would have liked to have resolved this matter earlier in 2017, the process ultimately determines when legislation is ready to be released and voted upon.
On the very first day of session we were pleased to welcome the 100th Army Band from Fort Knox to kick things off with the playing of the National Anthem and My Old Kentucky Home. We also had some procedural measures to take care of – one of them being to officially swear Senator Jimmy Higdon (R-Lebanon) in as the new Senate President Pro Tempore.
This week’s Senate activity was mostly procedural as we adopted Senate rules for the 2018 Session, swore in new Senate leadership, and confirmed new committee chairmen and members. New Senate bills and resolutions were introduced, many of which were assigned to committees for a public hearing. Bills must be presented at a public committee meeting and passed with a majority vote before heading back to the Senate to be voted on by the entire Senate body. Once the Senate approves a Senate bill, it heads to the Kentucky House where the same process occurs. The Senate has to agree to any changes the House makes to the bill before it is submitted to the Governor for his approval and is finally signed into law.
Besides passing a budget and pension reform, the Senate majority has several priority bills that we would like to see passed this session. Three of those bills are constitutional amendments: Senate Bill (SB) 2, tort reform, aims to cut down on frivolous lawsuits; Senate Bill 3, known as Marsy’s Law, outlines a crime victim’s “bill of rights” that ensures equal representation in the judicial system; and Senate Bill 4 would move statewide constitutional office elections to even-numbered years to increase voter participation and save taxpayer dollars. Senate Bill 5 will help independent pharmacists remain competitive by regulating pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs).
We will also likely examine legislation to raise the cigarette tax as a revenue-raising measure and a way to discourage unhealthy habits among Kentuckians, who continue to lead the nation in cancer and youth smoking rates. Adoption and foster care, criminal justice reform, and judicial redistricting will also likely be issues that will once again be examined by the General Assembly, but our main focus and priority will continue to be a budget and pension reform.
Some of the legislation I will be filing this session includes: A joint resolution that would create statewide access to peer network training for special education programs within our schools; a bill that would increase the penalty for sex crimes against those who are unable to give consent due to an intellectual disability; a bill that would make it easier for Paducah Power to sell excess electricity generated, while also lowering the cost of electricity for residents in Bardwell, Kentucky; a bill that would make it optional for a teacher in Kentucky to obtain a Master’s Degree; a bill that would codify increases in KLEFPF funds paid to police officers, firefighters, and volunteer fire departments within the state and bring Fish and Wildlife officers into the fund; a DUI-E (Electronic) bill which would make it a violation to use any handheld electronic device while operating a motor vehicle; and a bill that would require every 911 Dispatcher in the state to be certified and to provide telephonic CPR instructions in situations involving the need for CPR.
If you have any questions or comments about these issues or any other public policy issue, please call me toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or email me at danny.carroll@lrc.ky.gov. You can also review the
Legislature’s work online at www.lrc.ky.gov.
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Note: Senator Danny Carroll (R-Paducah) represents the 2nd District encompassing Ballard, Carlisle, Marshall and McCracken counties. Senator Carroll serves as the chairman of the Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, as well as the co-chair of the Program Review and Investigations Committee. He also serves as a member of the Appropriations and Revenue Committee, the Education Committee, the Budget Review Subcommittee on Education, the Health and Welfare Committee, the Judiciary Committee, and the Medicaid Oversight Committee.