It is hard to believe 2017 is nearly upon us. After the whirlwind of Thanksgiving, Christmas is nearly here. Lights are on the trees and candles are in the windows and children are writing their lists to Santa. It is the season of giving and a perfect time for communities to come together to help those in need. Please take some time this holiday season to give back to your communities, whether that is by volunteering with your family at a soup kitchen or participating in a toy drive. The holidays are a great opportunity to instill in children the responsibility of giving and “the reason for the season.” A great time will likely be had by all, and those memories will be the gifts that keep on giving for the whole family. While we prepare for the holiday season, the Kentucky State Legislature is also gearing up for our 2017 Session and reflecting on the successes of our 2016 Session. We passed many of our priority bills this year including: protection for the unborn, unclogging the backlog of sexual assault test kits, strengthening penalties for drunk driving, and protecting religious freedom by not requiring clerks to sign a marriage license. We also passed a budget that included major funding increases for our state’s ailing pension systems. The biennial budget appropriates $973 million to the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System, an additional $186 million to the Kentucky Employee’s Retirement Systems, and $125 million in the form of a contribution to the “Permanent Fund,” which will be used accordingly after a mandated external audit of KTRS and KERS. We also passed a transportation budget and a road plan that addresses Kentucky’s important infrastructure needs. Some issues not taken up by House Democratic leadership in 2016 included: right-to-work, repealing of prevailing wage, medical review panels, moving of constitutional elections to even-numbered years, implementation of charter schools, and reform to allow teachers to set their own educational standards. Some of these issues will likely reemerge in 2017. In the upcoming session we will see a dynamic change in Frankfort. After landslide victories in November, the Republicans now hold the majority in the House for the first time in 95 years. With a Republican Governor and a Republican supermajority in the Senate and the House, we hope to finally move Kentucky forward with important legislation that has been long-neglected by the former Democratic House Majority. Our primary focus in the Senate will continue to be creating Kentucky jobs and strengthening Kentucky families. I appreciate the opportunity to serve as your state senator, and I wish you and your family a safe and Merry Christmas and a happy New Year. 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 e-mail me at danny.carroll@lrc.ky.gov<mailto:danny.carroll@lrc.ky.gov>. You can also review the legislature’s work online at www.lrc.ky.gov<http://www.lrc.ky.gov>.
