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Post by Jim Wilson on Jun 28, 2006 19:54:36 GMT -5
Robert Stivers, State Senator - District - 25 Clay - Knox - Lee - Magoffin - Morgan - Owsley - Wolfe Robert Stivers homepage
Tim Couch, State Representative, House District 90 Clay - Harlan - Leslie Tim Couch Homepage
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Post by Local News on Jun 7, 2007 8:58:13 GMT -5
I-66 bridge proposal discussed by legislative panelA proposed bridge over a protected portion of the Rockcastle River was the subject of testimony before a legislative panel. The proposed Interstate 66 would run through eastern and southern Kentucky, with the section between Somerset and London being a priority, Highway Commissioner Marc Williams said. Several alternative routes have been discussed, he told the Interim Joint Committee on Transportation, but one crossing the Rockcastle River near the current Kentucky 80 bridge is the most prudent plan. Between the current Kentucky 80 bridge and the backwater of Lake Cumberland, the Rockcastle River is part of the Kentucky Wild Rivers System, limiting construction in the area. Legislation passed in 1986 allowed the current bridge to be built, and language allowing for additional bridges would be necessary before construction could begin, Williams said. Such legislation did not make it into law during the 2007 Regular Session. Tom Fitzgerald with the Kentucky Resources Council told lawmakers that the approval process for the Transportation Cabinet's preferred alternative is not yet complete, including approval for the environmental impact on the route. In addition, he said, only two-tenths of 1 percent of all streams in Kentucky bear the Wild Rivers designation, suggesting another route could be less intrusive. Fitzgerald alluded to using or modifying the current Kentucky 80 bridge to minimize impact. Williams said told avoidance of Wild Rivers protected areas would not be feasible, but that the cabinet had selected the proposed route based on the best interests of the river as well as endangered species and the Daniel Boone National Forest. "I would disagree that it's premature," he said. "Now is the appropriate time." The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator and/or representative.Robert Stivers, State Senator - District - 25 Clay - Knox - Lee - Magoffin - Morgan - Owsley - Wolfe Robert Stivers homepage************************ Tim Couch, State Representative, House District 90 Clay - Harlan - Leslie Tim Couch Homepage
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Post by Local News on Jun 8, 2007 19:41:22 GMT -5
Barn preservation discussed by task forceRep. Robin Webb was concerned when she read a recent article about Kentucky barns being dismantled and sold as timber. Thinking about wood from old Kentucky dairy barns and the iconic black "Mail Pouch" tobacco barns that used to cover the rural landscape being sold out of state was unsettling to her, the co-chair of the state Land Stewardship and Conservation Task Force told officials from the Kentucky Heritage Council (KHC) today. "When I see that our barns are being boxed up and shipped to Seattle, that bothers me," said Webb. She was pleased to hear from KHC's planning coordinator Rachel Kennedy that not all unused barns are discarded. Two old barns are soon to become a dairy education facility and a wine-tasting room with the support of KHC's and other preservation groups, said Kennedy. "We really want to see the barns preserved in place and not shipped out of state," she added. Protecting and preserving cultural resources is part of the mandate of KHC, according to the agency's Executive Director Donna Neary. She said KHC is eager to work with the task force on fulfilling that mandate. "We have a staff of people who are passionate about preserving the cultural heritage of our state," said Neary. "And we want to know how we can help." The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator and/or representative.Robert Stivers, State Senator - District - 25 Clay - Knox - Lee - Magoffin - Morgan - Owsley - Wolfe Robert Stivers homepage************************ Tim Couch, State Representative, House District 90 Clay - Harlan - Leslie Tim Couch Homepage
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Post by Local News on Jul 10, 2007 6:20:23 GMT -5
FRANKFORT -- Sen. Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, explains an economic development bill designed to encourage producers of coal-based energy to locate in Kentucky during a Senate floor speech. Photo by Mike Sunseri, LRC Public Information.
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Post by Local News on Jul 14, 2007 10:09:46 GMT -5
Budget surplus estimated at $138 millionKentucky ended the 2007 fiscal year with an estimated budget surplus of $138 million, State Budget Director Brad Cowgill told members of the Appropriations and Revenue Committee today. June 30 was the final day of the 2007 fiscal year and the halfway point of the biennium covered by the budget lawmakers approved last year. "Our Medicaid expenses are largely under control as a result of reforms .... The tax law changes we have implemented over the course of the last two-and-a-half years have now been fairly well internalized into our revenue stream and have helped to stabilize that stream," Cowgill told lawmakers. "Things within our government are running relatively tight -- that is to say we have strived to achieve a higher level of efficiency so as to return greater value to the taxpayers. It now appears our general full-time employees of state government are down some 2 ,400 employees from the period of time when Gov. Fletcher was first inaugurated. Our public employee health insurance plan has now been fully self-funded and appears to be an unqualified success." The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator and/or representative.Robert Stivers, State Senator - District - 25 Clay - Knox - Lee - Magoffin - Morgan - Owsley - Wolfe Robert Stivers homepage************************ Tim Couch, State Representative, House District 90 Clay - Harlan - Leslie Tim Couch Homepage
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Post by Local News on Nov 17, 2007 12:34:18 GMT -5
Lawmakers hear views on climate changeSen. Dorsey Ridley, D-Henderson, listens to testimony about climate change during the November meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources in Frankfort. Photo by Bud Kraft, LRC Public Information.Two presenters at the meeting of the General Assembly's Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources said fears of global warming catastrophes are not based on leading scientific evidence. First to speak was Viscount Christopher Monckton of Brenchley, a former advisor to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher who said that a 70-year increase in solar activity, and not humans, is responsible for a gradual increase in global temperatures in recent decades. Monckton said the idea that the sun--not manmade emissions like carbon dioxide created by burning fossil fuels--is causing global warming is supported by a group he referred to as the International Symposium of Solar Physicists, and added that the increase is not unusual. "We're not dealing with a serious problem," Monckton told state lawmakers. "If you had exceptionally high solar activity for as long as 70 years, you would expect the temperature to go up." Both he and presenter James Taylor, from the Chicago-based Heartland Institute, discounted findings in a recent report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) that global warming is likely caused by manmade emissions that will lead to ever-increasing temperatures and natural disasters, like hurricanes and drought. "Even by the IPCC's own documents, you are not going to get all these disasters, and virtually none of them related to global warming," said Monckton. Taylor added in his presentation that scientists have found that the number of major hurricanes making landfall in the past 40 years has actually decreased, not increased. Monckton said he received much of his information on climate change from peer reviewed scientific journals, adding that the IPCC "does not peer review its documents." Taylor cited what he said are more than 19,000 scientists who he said have gone on record saying that humans are not responsible for global climate change. He also quoted research by what he said are hundreds of leading scientists who say the fear of global warming is "not based on real world evidence." Committee Co-Chairman Rep. Jim Gooch, D-Providence, said lawmakers need to hear from those on the other side of the global warming debate before deciding how to respond to the issue. "There are enormous costs to consider as we rush to reduce carbon emissions," he said, including what he said is possible damage to the economy and increased poverty. Rep. Brad Montell, R-Shelbyville, called Monckton's presentation "an absolutely splendid economic rebuttal of global warming." Yet some other lawmakers felt that other viewpoints--including the idea that humans are impacting global climate change--was underrepresented at the meeting. "We don't have the opportunity to hear from anybody who can give a rebuttal to this kind of presentation," Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton, told the committee. "I've heard as much (on the issue) that it's a hoax as it's the scientific truth." Gooch explained that he wanted to give those with a different voice on the issue a chance to be heard during the meeting. "I would favor a debate where both sides are heard, but we're not getting that from Hollywood," he said. Sarah Lynn Cunningham, a Sierra Club member and professional engineer who spoke briefly before the committee, did not debate most of the comments made by Monckton or Taylor. She instead spent a few minutes encouraging people to conserve energy to help both the environment and the economy. "There is no good reason to be wasteful of natural resources," she said. "Why do we waste energy? There is no good reason to do that." The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by ClayLive on Feb 16, 2008 9:04:46 GMT -5
Senate recognizes MackenzieEleven-year-old country gospel singer Mackenzie Morgan was in Frankfort Tuesday, Feb. 5 after being invited to sing for the Kentucky General Assembly in the Senate Chambers by Sen. Robert Stivers. Stivers invited Morgan to come to Frankfort and sing for House of the Senate after hearing her sing a few months ago. Morgan opened the Senate meetings with one of her favorites, “Anyway” by Martina McBride. After singing, Morgan received a standing ovation and was presented a special Citation for “Demonstrating tremendous dedication to the pursuit of excellence in the performing arts and for bringing honor and pride to her community and the entire commonwealth by her remarkable achievements at such a young age.” Stivers, Sen. Tom Jensen, and Sen. David L. Williams, President of the Senate, all claimed Morgan as their own since Corbin falls in all three of their counties, and they split Corbin among themselves. Morgan and her parents want to publicly thank Stivers, Jensen and Williams for their invitation for Morgan to sing and for the special honor given to Morgan that day. Morgan states, “Everyone was so nice to us. I felt like a queen!” The day turned out to be a wonderful field trip for Morgan since she is homeschooled. Senator Stivers wrote a letter to Morgan following her special day in Frankfort stating, “It was truly an honor to have you as my special guest to perform for the members of the General Assembly. To say that you were truly amazing would be an understatement. I have received so many positive compliments. Your song choice was perfect, and everyone loved your performance. It is always a pleasure to see such incredible talent displayed by someone of your age, and I commend you on the dedication you have demonstrated to your singing career.” Among her many accomplishments, Morgan was named the 2007 New Gospel Female Entertainer of the Year and the 2007 New Gospel Female Vocalist of the Year by the North America Country Music Association, International and is headed back to nationals the week of March 10 - 16, 2008. For more information on Morgan, visit www.Morganmorganmusic.com.
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Post by Local News on Feb 16, 2008 10:03:28 GMT -5
Governor’s proposal called 'sham' by StiversBy Ronnie Ellis and Brad Hicks, thetimestribune.comGov. Steve Beshear finally revealed his plan to allow casino gambling in Kentucky which includes one of five free standing casinos located in Laurel or Whitley counties. In a very specific, detailed plan, Beshear will propose 12 licenses for casinos – seven at existing horse tracks and five “free standing casinos.” If separate, enabling legislation is approved, those would be in either Boyd or Greenup counties; either Kenton or Campbell counties; in Daviess County; in Christian County; and finally, in either Laurel or Whitley counties. Reaction was muted in the Democratic controlled House as members said they wanted to read the 130-page enabling legislation, although not everybody was happy with all the specifics. Some in the Senate were unhappy with the way the actual ballot initiative would be worded. Sen. Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said the language is “somewhat a sham” because it is phrased in the most positive manner, asking voters if they are in favor of increasing funding for such things as education. The amendment as proposed by Beshear reads: “Are you in favor of increasing state financial support for elementary and secondary education, expanding health care for senior citizens, children and others, support for local governments, and combating drug and alcohol abuse and other important programs by permitting the General Assembly to authorize up to five casinos subject to approval of the voters in the city or county where the casino is located; and up to seven casinos licenses for existing horse racing associations, all of which will be subject to approval of a state agency created to oversee casino gambling?”“They’re trying to pull a quick trick on the public,” Stivers said of the way the amendment is worded. To reach the ballot this November, the amendment must garner 60 votes in the 100-member House and 23 votes in the 38-member Senate. The enabling legislation – laying out specifics of the commission, license fees, etc. – needs only a simple majority: 51 votes in the House and 20 in the Senate. The question voters would see, under Beshear’s proposal: “Are you in favor of increasing state financial support for elementary and secondary education, expanding health care for senior citizens, children and others, support for local governments, and combating drug and alcohol abuse and other important programs by permitting the General Assembly to authorize up to five casinos subject to approval of the voters in the city or county where the casino is located; and up to seven casinos licenses for existing horse racing associations, all of which will be subject to the approval of a state agency created to oversee casino gaming?”
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Post by Local News on Jun 23, 2008 19:56:59 GMT -5
House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, speaks on pension legislation during the opening of the 2008 Extraordinary Session. Photo by Bud Kraft, LRC Public Information.[/b]
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Post by Local News on Jun 23, 2008 19:58:10 GMT -5
Pension bill passes committee, moves to House floorA bill aimed at keeping the state pension system solvent passed the House State Government Committee this afternoon. House Bill 1, which is being considered in a special session that began today, now goes to the House floor where a vote is expected on the bill on Wednesday. Significant measures found in HB 1 include provisions that would increase the required retirement age for future public employees, limit cost of living raises for state retirees to 1.5 percent as of 2010 unless a larger increase is prefunded by state lawmakers and require the state to increase its contributions to the retirement system, committee Chairman Rep. Mike Cherry, D-Princeton told the committee. The state pension system currently has over $26 billion in unfunded future retirement obligations. Under HB 1, the state would gradually increase its contribution to Kentucky Employee Retirement System so that the state is able to fully contribute to the system by 2025. “If we start doing this, the actuarial required contribution payments will stop going up so high,” said Cherry, who said that a legislative subcommittee will be working over the next few months to determine the return that the state is receiving on pension system investments, among other retirement issues. State and local governments should eventually see savings of nearly $500 million as a result of changes in the bill, state officials say, although Cherry said some changes that are set to become effective on July 1 would save city and county governments and school districts between $50 million and $60 million in one-time savings this year alone. Rep. Brent Yonts, D-Greenville, said local governments and schools need to realize it is only one-time money. “The perception is that this is a money source for cities and I don’t think they realize it is for one year only,” said Yonts. Another major provision in the bill deals with employee contributions. State employees in nonhazardous positions hired as of Sept. 1 would pay an extra 1 percent of their wages to cover retiree health costs in addition to the 5 percent employees now pay for their retirement benefits. Hazardous duty employees, such as correctional officers and firefighters, who now pay 8 percent into the system would also pay 1 percent more to cover health costs. These new hires would also have to work longer to qualify for medical benefits under the state pension system. HB 1 also addresses the practice known a ‘double dipping’ where a retiree returns to work and collects not only a paycheck but a second retirement. Retirees would be able to return to work and draw their existing pension but not earn a second pension. This provision would affect current public employees as well as future hires. Speaker of the House Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, explained the importance of HB 1 on the House floor earlier in the day, saying that “failure to appropriately resolve the issue would shake the very financial foundation of our state.” The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers (left) and/or representative Tim Couch (right).
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Post by Local News on Jun 23, 2008 19:59:01 GMT -5
Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, asks representatives of the state Transportation Cabinet about planned road fund projects during a special meeting of the Senate Transportation Committee in Frankfort. Photo by Mike Sunseri, LRC Public Information.
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Post by Local News on Jun 24, 2008 16:20:42 GMT -5
Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear speaks on pension legislation during a joint session of the 2008 Extraordinary Session. Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville (top left) , House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green and House Clerk Jean Burgin listen. Photo by Bud Kraft, LRC Public Information.Click Here for the ClayLive.com Photo GalleryIMAGESHACK.US
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Post by Local News on Jun 27, 2008 17:59:42 GMT -5
LEGISLATIVE WEEK IN REVIEWIn just five days -- the minimum time required for legislation to pass both chambers -- the House and Senate this week approved legislation aimed at rescuing the state's fiscally beleaguered public employee retirement system from insolvency. The week-long special session was in some ways the final punctuation mark to this winter's 60-day regular session, which reached the constitutional deadline for adjournment April 15 without the passage of a public pension reform bill. Earlier this month, Gov. Steve Beshear announced his intent to call legislators back to Frankfort to bring the issue to final resolution before the end of the fiscal year June 30, if legislative leaders could reach final agreement on a pension fix ahead of time and the session could be brief. Chamber leaders reached that agreement after lengthy negotiations and the session -- limited solely to the topic of pension reform, to further speed things along -- was a go. There has been in recent months an increasingly felt urgency to address the retirement system's financial straits. Some 435,000 retirees and current employees are covered by the system, which officials have been warning faces financial collapse under the weight of massive unfunded liability of nearly $27 billion. By some estimates, the system could go broke in as little as 14 years if steps to right that actuarial imbalance are not taken soon. The legislation passed this week, and signed by the governor this afternoon, sets forth a payment schedule that will require the General Assembly to contribute an increasing percentage of the actuarial recommended contribution over time, up to 100 percent by 2025. This will be coupled with several changes to the benefits package offered future state hires, including a requirement that they work longer before becoming eligible to draw benefits. The bill imposes a so-called 'rule of 87,' meaning a non-hazardous employee's age and years of service added together would have to total 87 before he or she is eligible for full benefits. Additionally, the employee would have to be at least 57 years old. Currently, state employees can retire at any age with 27 years of service. Future state and local employees in hazardous positions and new state police hires must work 25 years—up from the current 20—to retire with full benefits. Teachers who are hired as of July 1 must have five more years of service credit if they wish to retire at age 55 with reduced benefits, but there is no change in their retirement age for full benefits. The plan would also require new employees to contribute 1 percent of their pay to help fund the retirement system's health insurance plan. While most changes to the plan affect only future hires, current retirees and workers face one important change: A specified cost-of-living adjustment limited in most cases to 1.5 percent annually. Cost-of-living increases have till now been tied to the consumer price index, and have been running in the 2 percent to 3 percent range in recent years. The 1.5 percent limit has been referred to as a 'floor.' Future Legislatures in inflationary times could vote to fund a larger increase. The bill also does away with so-called 'double dipping,' in which a state retiree can return to work and collect not only a paycheck but start a second pension plan. This prohibition will apply to all current and future employees and retirees in the state, county and state police retirement systems. In terms of immediate savings, counties and school districts will receive a one-time savings of approximately $55 million this year in their employer contributions because of changes made by the bill. Beshear has set up a special panel to work on other long-term proposals for the legislature to address next year. That panel is studying such issues as whether the state should offer future employees a 401K-type retirement plan rather than the current defined-benefits pension. The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Jul 10, 2008 8:44:10 GMT -5
Energy challenges persist in stateAt least one measure to limit U.S. carbon dioxide emissions which died recently in Congress but could be resurrected next year could be “disastrous” for Kentucky, one energy official told a state legislative committee today. Tim Mosher with Kentucky Power Company, one of several members of Kentucky’s regulated electric utility industry, said the Lieberman-Warner Climate Change Act that died in the U.S. Senate last month “could have been disastrous on this state” and that its restrictions went too far. “Yes, we need to address the fact that carbon dioxide is being emitted, but not to the level and parameters called for in the Lieberman-Warner bill,” Mosher told the Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. Kentucky now ranks 12th nationwide in production of carbon dioxide, created partly from coal-fired power plants that help produce thousands of megawatts of electricity statewide. A study on the climate change proposal reveals that Kentucky could have lost up to 23,750 jobs by 2020 had the Lieberman-Warner bill passed, Mosher said. The cost of the bill to each Kentucky household, according to the study, would have been between $3,400 and $6,169 by 2030, he said. Also, the study indicated that low-income families would have been required to spend about 25 percent of their income on energy under the bill. The Lieberman-Warner bill was projected to reduce U.S. greenhouse-gas emissions by as much as 19 percent below 2005 levels in 2020 and by as much as 63 percent below 2005 levels in 2050, according to a press release from Sen. Lieberman’s office. Mosher said he does expect Congress to pass some climate change bill by 2011 that orders carbon reduction beginning in 2015 or thereafter. And that will be a challenge to Kentucky, which, at the same time, will have to generate more power—up to 7,000 new megawatts by 2025 to be exact—in order to meet increasing energy demands that Mosher believes will be met by coal. “Coal-based generation is needed with carbon capture technology,” Mosher said, referring to scientific methods that allow carbon dioxide to be captured and stored, possibly for other uses like recovering oil from underground. He said the Kentucky General Assembly can help the industry as it faces future restrictions by encouraging Congress to pass a bill based on “good sound sense.” When asked by Rep. Don Pasley, D-Winchester, if the General Assembly can do other things to prepare for possible federal carbon restrictions, Mosher recommended consumer incentives. “You could take a much harder look at …(whether) there incentives we could offer customers for them to conserve electricity,” Mosher said. When asked by other lawmakers, Mosher said that renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power are not good substitutes for coal as a primary energy source without some kind of backup. Committee Co-Chair Jim Gooch, D-Providence, agreed. “We have this (electricity transmission) grid out there so that there has to be base load generation. If the wind is not blowing or the sun’s not shining, some of these renewable are not reliable,” he said. The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Jul 11, 2008 7:21:14 GMT -5
College transition programs helpingPartnerships between local school districts and universities are having a positive effect on graduation rates and college readiness, educators told lawmakers today. Morehead State University President Wayne Andrews detailed several school initiatives for members of the Subcommittee on Elementary and Postsecondary Education. "Too many high school students show up on our doorstep with math deficiencies," he said. "It's nobody's fault; it's everyone's responsibility." MSU educates 70 percent of all teachers in its 22-county area, Andrews said, so a key focus is making sure teachers are prepared to enter the classroom. Among the programs being tried is one that focuses the education department on teaching skills while content areas are taught within their own departments. Among the goals, Andrews said, is that teachers would be better able to prepare their students for college coursework in that content area. "We're committed to producing top-notch P-12 classroom teachers," he said. Forty percent of the university's entering students have to take remedial coursework in one subject or another, Andrews said. "Parents are frustrated because they're borrowing money to pay for these classes, which don't count toward a degree," he said. Sen. Jack Westwood, R-Crescent Spring, said the college dropout rate could be a result of a less-rigorous high school curriculum. "I suspect part of the problem is that so many high school students are not prepared adequately," he said. Estill County Superintendent Bert Hensley added that even for students academically prepared for college, the financial burden comes as a shock. Too many parents, he said, are not aware of the rising costs of a college education, and fail to plan ahead. Tim Bobrowski, principal of Breathitt County's Sebastian Middle School, said he aims to take his students on field trips to at least one college campus each year, giving them a first-hand look at the goals they can achieve. The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Jul 19, 2008 7:30:30 GMT -5
Lawmakers hear pitches on electric cars, wind turbinesA legislative panel is requesting the Gov. Steve Beshear consider regulatory changes that would allow three-wheeled electric vehicles on Kentucky roads. Members of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee voted yesterday to send the request to Beshear in a letter after hearing testimony about the possibility of an electric car manufacturing plant in Kentucky. “It’s a tremendous opportunity for the state of Kentucky,” said Sen. Gary Tapp, R-Waddy. “The more we can start participating in this alternative-type transportation, it has to reduce our dependence on foreign oil. That will ultimately result in lower prices at the pump.” Larry Cottingham, general manager of the ZAP Electric Autos dealership in Shepherdsville, told lawmakers that his “primary initiative” is to make it possible for Kentuckians to drive the batter-powered cars. “Once we do that we hope to move forward and negotiate with ZAP to bring the manufacturing of future models to Kentucky.” Three-wheeled vehicles are technically considered motorcycles by Kentucky statutes. Since closed-cabins aren’t currently allowed on motorcycles on Kentucky roads, government action is needed before Kentuckians could drive the ZAP vehicles, Cottingham said. If made street legal in Kentucky, the ZAP cars would only be allowed on secondary roads, not major highways. The cars have a range of 25 to 40 miles before they need recharging, and are suitable for roads with speed limits up for 45 miles per hour, Cottingham said. Cottingham touted the environmental benefits of electric cars, as well as the cost benefits of using electricity instead of gasoline. “By 2010 we hope to have 100,000 electric vehicles sold per year in the U.S.,” Cottingham said. “If we can do that, one billion tons of CO2 (carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas) will be eliminated. … Electric cars in place of gas can reduce emissions by over 98 percent.” While the discussion of electric cars focused on the possibility of manufacturing in Kentucky, lawmakers also heard testimony about turbines that produce electricity from wind power that are already being made in Morgantown. Jim Fugitte, CEO of Wind Energy Corporation, said the first wind turbine produced by his company’s manufacturing plant in Morgantown is currently being installed at an HEB supermarket in Texas. “We have a five-year forward contract with HEB. If they install 600 of our turbines, that’s about $16 million in revenue for the company out of its first customer,” he said. Wind Energy will also make turbines for a Cleveland hospital and for the National Tropical Botanical Gardens in Hawaii. “Customers are lined up for this kind of solution,” he said. In response to a question from Rep. Larry Clark, D-Louisville, Fugitte said the climate in Kentucky makes it unlikely his company’s wind turbines would be used here. His customers are primarily in the Great Lakes area, Texas, California, and Hawaii, he said. However, Kentucky can expect job growth by being part of the wind turbine manufacturing industry, Fugitte said. “There are about eight-and-a-half million jobs in the U.S. today in the renewable energy and energy efficiency industry.” That number could go up to 40 million by 2030, Fugitte said. “It is rapidly growing and we are just at the pioneering stage.” Sen. Brett Guthrie, R-Bowling Green, said that he envisions villages in faraway countries – far from power grids – getting power for the first time from wind turbines like those made in Kentucky. “We’re going to serve the world from Morgantown,” Fugitte said. The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Jul 19, 2008 8:01:35 GMT -5
Natural gas markets also costly, lawmakers hearAs gasoline prices rise and fall at local gas stations, a natural gas industry official told the legislative Special Subcommittee on Energy today that the price of that fuel could rise significantly this winter. The potential rise in cost—which could increase 90 percent this winter to around $13-$14 per unit over last winter’s average $7.15 unit cost, according to American Gas Association official Chris McGill—is “an extraordinary increase in unit cost,” said McGill, “remembering that the commodity price for natural gas is about 70 to 80 percent of the consumer bill.” The cost of all energy commodities are higher today, said McGill, including liquefied natural gas which was imported to the U.S. at record levels in 2007 and has been in strong demand in Asia and elsewhere. But competition for supply is only part of the price equation. Other factors include the storage of natural gas at historically high prices, supply disruptions and more domestic demand including the increased use of natural gas for electricity generation, he explained. Ten years ago, only 3.5 trillion cubic feet (TFC) of natural gas was used for power generation in the U.S., he said. In 2007, the amount used to generate power nearly doubled to 6.5 TCF, McGill said. “And that’s part of what is reflected in the price of gas today,” he told lawmakers, adding that residential, industrial and small business gas usage comprised most demand in the U.S. a decade ago. “Today, the market is about 1/3 electricity generation, about 1/3 industrial consumption and about 1/3 residential and small commercial consumption. And that has changed the market in terms of market pricing.” The lack of a national energy strategy is also affecting the energy markets, said McGill, who was quick to point out Kentucky’s successful passage of energy legislation in recent years. House Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook, said the need for a national policy is “the issue” for the American people because “it is busting their pocketbooks across this nation every day.” “We’ve got to look at all the alternatives we have if we are serious about reducing our dependence on foreign oil which is growing now to almost 70 percent,” Adkins said. “We’ve got to keep that money in this country … and we can do that in this nation. We have the technology to do it and we’ve got to move forward.” Sen. Charlie Borders, R-Russell, also encouraged more national attention to the country’s energy needs. “Just conversation may be the driving force here…because people polled across this nation in the 70 to 75 percent range are saying we need to do something,” Borders said. “The fact is we’ve got to keep preaching in spite of those doomsayers who would see it get worse and worse and worse. We’ve got to everyday do everything we can and bring common sense into the equation.” A report from Department of Financial Incentives Commissioner Donna Duncan on progress made under the state’s 2007 Energy Act was also presented to the committee. Duncan said the department has received around 40 requests from potential applicants for approval of coal-related, biomass, or renewable projects since the law’s passage, with three coal and one biomass project possibly receiving preliminary approval in coming months. The 2007 Energy Act, also known as House Bill 1 sponsored by Adkins, provides financial incentives to companies that use coal, biomass, or renewables like solar and wind to create alternative forms of energy in the state, among other provisions. The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Jul 31, 2008 12:20:12 GMT -5
Lawmakers updated on ICARE, long-term care programUpdates on a popular health insurance program for small businesses and a new program to help Kentuckians in long-term care receive Medicaid were given to state lawmakers today. Insurance Commissioner Sharon Clark spoke to the first meeting of the Interim Joint Committee on Banking and Insurance since taking her new job on July 16. The ICARE program has been steadily growing since it was first passed by the General Assembly in 2006, she said. More than 20 companies each month have signed up for the program, which grants small businesses funds to help pay for health insurance for their employees. In order to qualify for the pilot program, the businesses must employ 25 or fewer people and not currently offer health insurance. The small businesses may also qualify if they have an employee with a high cost condition. Of the 3,451 employees using the program, just 6 percent are enrolled through the former option. The popularity comes with a price, though. Even without new enrollees, program expenses will exceed appropriated funds by $350,000 by the end of Fiscal Year 2010, when the pilot program lapses, lawmakers were told. That will require the Department of Insurance to transfer money from other areas of its budget. "This is a critically important program to the people of Kentucky," said committee co-chair Rep. Tommy Thompson, D-Owensboro. "Without ICARE, a lot of people face financial ruin or default to Medicaid." Thompson sponsored a bill to make the program permanent and expand its reach to businesses with up to 50 workers, but it was not passed into law. "Unfortunately, even if we had, we probably wouldn't have had the money" to pay for it, he said. Lawmakers also received a status report on the Long-Term Care Partnership Program, created by the legislature this year with House Bill 259. Under the program, which is still being developed, Kentuckians in long-term care can more easily get Medicaid coverage without falling into poverty when they buy long-term care insurance through the program. Under current law, expensive long-term care can quickly exhaust a person's assets before they are eligible for Medicaid coverage. The toughest part, Clark said, will be to train insurance agents on how the program will operate so they can explain all the options to their policyholders. Administrative regulations are being written and state officials are working with the federal government to write guidelines, she added. The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Aug 23, 2008 15:04:44 GMT -5
State lawmakers receive good news on labor frontA drop in workplace injury claims filed in recent years could lead to lower workers’ compensation premiums in Kentucky’s voluntary workers’ comp market. Natasha Moore, an actuary with the National Council on Compensation Insurance which works with the state Department of Insurance, told the Interim Joint Committee on Labor and Industry yesterday that NCCI has recommended a 5.1 percent decrease in voluntary “pure premiums” for indemnity—or wage replacement—and medical benefits for industrial workers’, such as those in manufacturing and office and clerical work based on premiums and losses in 2005 and 2006. Moore credited a decline in claims and stabilized indemnity claim costs for the decrease. An overall 10 percent decrease in voluntary pure premiums for coverage of coal miners was also recommended by NCCI. The proposal for both coal and other industries is now being reviewed by the Department for approval, which workers’ compensation insurers can use to figure their rates. “Obviously, it has some impacts,” Commissioner of Insurance Sharon Clark said of NCCI’s filing. “And one of those things is that a decrease in workers’ compensation could be a boost to increasing economic development opportunities in the state.” Moore credited the drop in claims across most industries to increased competition, government regulation and, in some cases, an aging workforce. “In order for companies to become more efficient, they have to limit accidents on the job,” Moore told the committee. “We also attribute it to OSHA (U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and demographics. We have a higher percentage of workers’ who are between the ages of 45 and 64 and they have fewer claims.” What is not decreasing, however, are the cost of medical claims which NCCI reports has been on the rise since 1992. The average cost per medical case in 2006 was nearly $36,000, about $2,000 more than the year before, while the average per-case indemnity cost has remained steady since 2003. Moore said her agency expects the medical share of workers’ comp costs to increase going forward. In response to a question by Sen. Ray Jones, D-Pikeville, about what is driving medical costs, Moore focused on physicians, hospitals and the prescription drug market. “You have the physician fee schedule that is kind of in the middle of other states,” she said. “The share of hospitals is reasonable… We have found the prescription drug share in Kentucky is greater than in other states,” said Moore. The committee also learned from Jon E. Stewart from Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance (KEMI)—the state’s largest workers’ comp insurer—that KEMI has approve an overall rate reduction of 6.7 percent for new and renewed policies. Stewart said the KEMI is expected to finish this year with $140 million in premiums, approximately $10 million which he said will go back to the company’s policy holders. “That is good news for our employers,” said Committee Co-Chair Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Louisville. Lawmakers received more good news during a presentation from representatives of AIK Comp, a self-insured workers’ compensation fund that is being rehabilitated by the Department after facing a $40 million fund deficit in 2004. As of June 30, the fund had about $29.5 million in assets and $39.1 million in liabilities, according to a Department handout. The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Aug 26, 2008 20:48:15 GMT -5
Lawmakers hear testimony on state's banking strengthKentucky banks are in a strong position despite national trends, state lawmakers heard this week. "The banking industry remains sound," said Charles Vice, the new commissioner of the Department of Financial Institutions, told members of the Interim Joint Committee on Banking and Insurance. "That's not to say there are no issues out there." Vice noted that while some banks have failed in other states, none have gone out of business in Kentucky recently. State banks are feeling the effects of the broader market problems in other ways, Vice said. Kentucky banks' mortgage loans in various categories — prime vs. subprime, fixed rate vs. adjustable rate —roughly mirror national averages, and so their lending practices have tightened up as they have elsewhere. During the leadup to the housing crisis, he said, "some banks out there forgot that there is a strong correlation between risk and return," leading to too many mortgage loans to unqualified borrowers. Although the resetting of subprime ARM rates have largely been blamed for the housing crisis, James Chessen, Chief Economist for the American Bankers Association, noted that one-third of those loans were already delinquent before rates reset. As a result, Vice said, "we really need banks to use this slowdown to improve risk management practices." Chessen pointed out that on average, Kentucky banks were doing better in terms of earnings and reserves than the national average. Part of that could be because of the state's housing market. Kentucky real estate prices never rose as quickly as other states', according to Chessen. However, over the last two years the state has seen the same steady growth, in the 2-4 percent range, as it did the previous five years, while markets in larger cities and growing states have dropped dramatically. Ballard Cassady, Executive Director of the Kentucky Bankers Association, also noted that when banks elsewhere go under, FDIC insurance premiums for other banks, including the successful banks, increase. "You're paying for someone else's problems," he said. The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Oct 8, 2008 15:20:08 GMT -5
Lawmakers look into alternative vehicle optionsSome new vehicles being rolled out across the nation can’t drive in Kentucky because they don’t neatly fit into the state’s vehicle regulation categories. Dan Glass, the state’s Commissioner of Vehicle Regulation, talked to members of the Interim Joint Committee on Transportation about the possibility of new laws allowing more fuel-efficient vehicles on state roads. Many vehicles, including the ZAP, cannot be classified as a car, a motorcycle, or any other legally-defined vehicle, Glass said, causing problems in licensing them and allowing them on state roads. “Low-speed vehicles” are defined by the federal government as any four-wheeled vehicle that has a top speed of 20-25 miles per hour as well as other requirements, such as turn signals, a windshield, headlights, seatbelts, and a VIN number. Motorcycles, meanwhile, exclude anything with a closed cab. ZAP vehicles, which have three wheels, electric power, and will be manufactured in Simpson County, do not meet either definition. Gov. Steve Beshear announced this summer that regulations would soon be in place that allow the vehicles on some roads. The ZAP cars top out at 40 miles per hour, which makes them infeasible on some roads. “For any of these to be legitimately on the road, we need legislation or regulation that allows them,” said committee co-chair Rep. Hubert Collins, D-Wittensville. He also noted driver’s licensing issues, since motorcycles and cars have different requirements. Legislators also discussed rising concerns about hybrid vehicles, especially the danger they can present to blind pedestrians because of their quietness. Pamela Roark Glisson, with the National Federation of the Blind of Kentucky, noted that hybrids must be 40 percent closer before pedestrians can hear them. “We don’t want to stifle advancement in technology or conserving of energy… but people who are blind want to be able to move about our communities without the fear of being mowed down by one of these quiet weapons,” she said. She said manufacturers should consider devices on their vehicles so that pedestrians would be more aware. Rep. Jimmie Lee, D-Elizabethtown, noted that Chevrolet has addressed the issue with its all-electric Volt, which is being prepared for manufacture. “It can’t be too obnoxious, but we’ve been used to hearing these sounds for a long time now,” he said. Robert Strassburger with the Alliance of Automotive Manufacturers noted that his group is investigating steps to measure how much sound cars produce so it can be replicated without becoming noisy to the public. “We also need to know the minimum noise needed for someone to detect the vehicle and detect it in time.” He noted the irony of automakers working for years to make vehicles more quiet and energy efficient, only to have accomplished the task too well. Before delving into the agenda, lawmakers took a moment of silence for committee member Rep. Larry Belcher, who died in an auto accident last night. The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Oct 10, 2008 8:33:42 GMT -5
Online videos provide General Assembly info to KentuckiansOnline videos that provide Kentuckians with information about the legislative branch of state government are now available on the Kentucky Legislature Home Page. “Inside the Kentucky General Assembly” is a video that focuses on the organization of the State Legislature, the process by which bills become laws, and ways that citizens can stay in touch with legislative action. The video can be viewed at www.lrc.ky.gov/orgadm.htm. “History of the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission” focuses on the evolvement of the General Assembly into an independent and co-equal branch of government, as well as the development of the legislative staff arm into a premier service agency. The video can be viewed at www.lrc.ky.gov/org_adm/lrc/aboutlrc.htm. “Adding online videos to the Kentucky Legislature Home Page gives us another way to use the Web to strengthen the connection between Kentuckians and the General Assembly,” said Legislative Research Commission Director Robert Sherman. “Citizens have already been using the Kentucky Legislature Home Page to view and track legislation, see how legislators have voted on bills, and get information about upcoming meetings and legislative agendas. The online videos provide another convenient way for people across the state to find the information they need about their state legislature.” The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Nov 10, 2008 17:11:30 GMT -5
Driver's license renewals could use more scrutiny, some lawmakers sayState agencies are working to make the driver's licensing process more secure, officials told members of the Interim Joint Committee on Transportation. "The driver's license is used for a lot more than driving a car," said Dan Glass, the state's Commissioner of Motor Vehicle Regulation. Voters also use them for identification, making them more than a simple road safety device. The Transportation Cabinet works with 120 circuit clerks and the Kentucky State Police to issue secure driver's licenses, Glass said. Immigration documents for all non-U.S. citizens are verified before licenses can be issued, said Cindy VanHoose, Director of the Division of Driver Licensing. About 14,000 documents were processed last year, she said. In addition, there is a fraud unit to make sure documents are authentic. Social Security numbers are verified for license applicants, Glass said, even though the numbers are not used on the applicants' licenses and the system does not share the Social Security number with others under federal law. Sen. Bob Leeper, I-Paducah, noted that there is no periodic vision screening when Kentuckians renew their license, although new licensees are screened. "We are licensing people today who can't see," Leeper said, noting he has sponsored unsuccessful legislation in that area in the past. Adam Whitlock, who heads the KSP Driver Testing Branch, noted that federal CDL licensing procedures require vision screening for renewals, and that some applicants have lost their licenses and jobs because they did not meet the requirements of 20/40 vision for each eye independently. A review board exists to suspend licenses for medical reasons, VanHoose said. It requires an affidavit signed by family members or others concerned about the driver's ability to drive safely. Rep. Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, noted that as a licensed pilot, he is required to take a biennial health screening. Such health screenings for drivers could reduce insurance costs across Kentucky, he said. KSP Commissioner Rodney Brewer remarked that some states require older drivers to take the driving skills test as well. Committee chair Rep. Hubert Collins, D-Wittensville, said future meetings would delve more deeply into license issuance and how to make the process more secure. The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Nov 10, 2008 17:17:55 GMT -5
Lawmakers review recommended Penal Code changesRecommended changes to the state penal code—including an increase in the dollar amount of what constitutes felony theft— and the state’s drug laws proposed by committees of the Kentucky Criminal Justice Council were shared with a legislative subcommittee today. The proposals, which are intended to reduce the state’s growing prison population, could lead to legislative changes in the next regular legislative session beginning in January. However, they must first be approved by the Council later this month and delivered to Governor Steve Beshear by Dec. 1. Some of the recommendations shared today with the legislative Subcommittee on the Penal Code and Controlled Substances Act by the Council’s Penal Code Committee Chairman Chris Cohron included applying a statute of limitations on certain Class D and C felonies (with an exemption for sex offenses), increasing the threshold for felony theft from $300 to a larger amount, grading thefts based on severity of the crime, making DUI a felony after a third rather than a fourth offense and improving aid to county jails, among others. Cohron said reimbursing counties for the 30 to 60 days that inmates spend in jail awaiting sentencing would help. Another way to impact the jail system, said Justice and Public Safety Cabinet Secretary J. Michael Brown, is to waive pre-sentence investigations upon agreement of the parties. “It would help us meet our already statutorily imposed guidelines of moving inmates within 45 days, rather than having them sit in the jail post-conviction and wait,” said Brown. Rep. Joe Fischer, R-Ft. Thomas, who asked if the committees’ recommendations were in line with laws in other states, said “I agree that these do seem to be good common sense recommendations.” The subcommittee then heard recommendations for changes to the state’s drug law statutes. Drug cases, explained Cohron, are a major drain on the justice system. “The biggest issue we’re dealing with are all these drug cases,” he said. “If we can get to them quickly before they reoffend, that can save them…before they get disenfranchised from society.” One change to the state drug laws that were recommended include passing a “drugged driver” law (proposed in previous legislative sessions) that would make driving under the influence of a controlled substance without a prescription a “per se” or clear offense. Other proposals could change laws that determine proximity to public and private places by drug offenders, and alter some penalties. “I’m not going to hold out that this is a comprehensive review of the penal code top to bottom,” Brown told Subcommittee Co-Chair Sen. Gerald Neal, D-Louisville, and the rest of the subcommittee. “(But) we can at least show the public that we are addressing the issues.” Neal, who proposed the resolution that created the Subcommittee on the Penal Code and Controlled Substance Act this year, said as of now, many areas of the penal code are “piecemealed.” “Certainly, there are some very key aspects of the system that need to be addressed, some of which are reflected in the report you are making today,” Neal told Brown, Cohron and others. “The greatest concern from where I’m sitting, in terms of this subcommittee, is I think we’ll miss the point if we’re just a repository of wishes from individuals. We need to look at things in a comprehensive way and look at which parts of the system promote… rationality, at the same time… carrying out what justice requires.” The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Nov 18, 2008 17:06:45 GMT -5
Chief Justice discusses projected $38 million shortfall facing courts in 2011State lawmakers considered the possible effect of a projected $37.8 million shortfall in state court funding in 2011, including less money for personnel and court programs. “This looming deficit means we must greatly reduce expenditures, or increase appropriations, or face significant reductions in services to the people of the Commonwealth when citizen demands on the Justice system are greater than they have ever been in the history of the Commonwealth,” Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton told the Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary. Since about 88 percent of the budget of the courts is personnel costs, Minton said the Court of Justice has eliminated 73 positions--mostly through retirements or other attrition. Only those jobs deemed “critical” will be filled, he said, including positions in drug court, pretrial services and court designated worker programs. “As we see it, the continued vitality of statewide services like these have a significant impact on the reduction of inmate populations in county jails and state corrections facilities,” said Minton. Other cost savings have come from what Minton called the Court of Justice’s enthusiasm to “do a new thing.” What are new are a felony mediation program that allows cases to be settled more quickly, an e-pay system that lets individuals pay court costs and fees by credit and debit card in at least 27 counties so far and an e-warrants program--now in five counties--that expedites the signing or recall of warrants by judges. Rep. Robin Webb, D-Grayson, the first Vice Chair on the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee, explained that a nearly $38 million deficit will be hard to overcome. She said it also makes the chance to expand drug court—which she supports--“bleak.” But Minton, a former drug court judge, spoke strongly in favor of the expansion. “I think it is one of the tools that we have where if we do it effectively, it does have ramifications beyond us. We collect more child support, we (collect) more taxes, we keep more people out of jail if we effectively do what drug court does,” said Minton. “You’ll find in me a great supporter of drug court.” A high rate of new cases in the court system concerned some lawmakers. With new trial court cases increasing at a rate of about 40,000 per year, Sen. Dan Seum, R-Louisville, said perhaps law enforcement needs to focus more on violent crime. “It’s been my concern that the system’s been somewhat upside down, that we haven’t prioritized violent crime,” said Seum. “With all these unfunded mandates, we’re breeding a lot of contempt out there. A lot of people realize that they don’t have to adhere to the law anymore because the court system’s full.” Action taken by the Court of Justice to implement its current budget, passed during the 2008 Regular Session, has included enhanced pay for deputy court clerks, an increase in civil filing fees, steps to collect uncollected court costs and discouraging diversion programs that generate revenue outside the state court system, said Minton. He said he looks forward to working with the General Assembly in the future. “As our presence here today should demonstrate, this Court of Justice is committed to promoting and enhancing constructive relationships between the Court of Justice and the General Assembly,” he said. “And I hope (this) is evidence of that commitment to you.” The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Nov 22, 2008 10:08:47 GMT -5
Lawmakers hear testimony on possibility of nuclear powerStivers questions impact of extra power on state’s energy gridRobert StiversExamining the use of nuclear power to generate electricity in Kentucky—part of a seven-point energy strategy unveiled by the Governor’s Office yesterday—drew both interest and concern from some members of the General Assembly’s Energy subcommittee today. Rep. Tanya Pullin said she was shocked to find that the governor’s plan cites her hometown of South Shore as one of four possible locations for a nuclear power plant, and asked that the citizens of the community be consulted before any such plans go forward. Pullin, D-South Shore, was assured by Energy and Environment Cabinet Secretary Len Peters that the four sites were only “notional” based on resources such as water availability. “We were looking at those only as notional sites so that you can find locations for nuclear plants, whether there would be any there or in the western part of the state.” Peters also said his agency will not proceed with any plans for nuclear power plants in South Shore or other communities until there is plenty of discussion on the issue of nuclear energy with stakeholders. “I think it’s probably going to be a year-long conversation we are going to have to have about nuclear,” said Peters. But Peters did say that a conversation is necessary, since Kentucky will need a more substantial mix of energy generation sources to meet the energy plan’s goal of reducing the state’s 1990 levels of greenhouse gas emissions by 20 percent by 2025. Most states surrounding Kentucky already use some form of nuclear power as part of their energy portfolio, Peters said. “It’s going to be part of the national solution—coal’s going to be part of the national solution,” he said. “We have to start that conversation.” Peters also assured Rep. Tom Riner, D-Louisville, that nuclear utilities or any electrical utility will not move into a community “where they are not wanted.” “That’s fundamental. The electric utilities have faced that issue—in Marble Hill (in Indiana) and elsewhere—for some time… They aren’t even going to propose a plant in (those communities),” Peters said. “If the community is not supportive of it, I can assure you the administration will not be supportive of moving into that particular community.” Sen. Charlie Borders, R-Russell, said he is among those who would like to learn more about nuclear power before steps are taken to bring it on line in Kentucky. “I, for one, would hope I would be receptive to nuclear power once I understand all the pluses and minuses,” said Borders. “(But) my concern is if a nuclear power plant were the best thing to ever happen for certain locations in the state, you’ll never have the option of even considering that once you scare the people to death before we get an education.” Rep. Keith Hall, D-Phelps, said he is glad that the energy plan is being discussed and complimented Peters on his open-mindedness on using different types of energy to meet the state’s future needs. “I am very encouraged that we’re at least having this discussion,” said Hall. The energy mix that Peters spoke about, which also includes renewable energy and alternative fuels, would not only lower emissions but meet an estimated 40 percent increase in the state’s energy needs, and electricity needs, by 2025. Sen. Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, asked if the state’s energy grid will be able to handle a 40-percent increase in electricity generation since, he said, the grid is already maxed out. “It doesn’t matter if you produce it if you can’t deliver it,” said Stivers. Peters said the state has not addressed that issue, but that “we believe we are going to see major (mostly federal) enhancements in the electricity grid over the next 20 years.” If improvements aren’t made, he said, “not only are we not going to meet Kentucky’s electricity needs, we aren’t going to be able to meet any electricity needs in that regard.” Other strategies in the energy plan including improving energy efficiency in buildings and transport fleets, increasing renewable energy sources, increasing production of biofuels, developing a coal-to-liquids industry to replace gasoline and other petroleum-based liquids, improving natural gas production, and more aggressively pursuing carbon capture/sequestration projects related to coal-generated electricity. Gov. Steve Beshear announced as part of the plan’s unveiling that it will not only reduce emissions and help meet energy demands, but will create around 40,000 energy-related jobs in Kentucky. The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Nov 24, 2008 17:44:24 GMT -5
Lawmakers hear pension study group recommendationsChanges on issues ranging from health care management to the investment experience of board members could solidify the future of state pension funds, members of a study group told a legislative panel today. The Kentucky Public Pension Working Group, chaired by Finance and Administration Secretary Jonathan Miller, presented its findings to the Interim Joint Committee on State Government. The idea of the group, Miller said, was not to present a single comprehensive plan, but several possible suggestions for improving the long-term viability of the system. The panel was divided into six subcommittees, each presenting its own section of the report. Among the recommendations announced last week by Gov. Beshear was the need for more investment experience by members of the boards that oversee the various pension plans that benefit state and local employees as well as teachers. Under the proposal, certain appointees to the Kentucky Retirement Systems and Kentucky Teachers Retirement Systems boards of trustees would be required to have at least 10 years experience dealing with investments or other financial matters. The panel also submitted recommendations to deal with the state health insurance fund. Effective disease management and wellness programs could tackle Kentucky’s status as an overall unhealthy state, the report said, and could reduce costs both short-term and long-term. Medicare Advantage plans, Employer Group Waiver Plans, and other programs could also help reduce government costs while maintaining the quality of benefits, while using the state’s ability to buy drugs in bulk could reduce prescription costs. One subcommittee focused on the potential move from the current defined benefit pension plan to a defined contribution plan, where employees could make their own investment decisions through a 401(k) or similar plan. Such a move would not reduce the current unfunded liability, the report said, and would reduce the amount going into the current fund to cover future needs. Employees already have access to 401(k) plans through the Kentucky Public Employees’ Deferred Compensation Authority, the report noted, with 23 percent of workers taking advantage. Strategy to increase that number could help more workers take an active part in their retirement planning while keeping participation mandatory, it said. The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers and/or representative Tim Couch.
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Post by Local News on Nov 25, 2008 16:56:23 GMT -5
Economy faltering, but Kentucky banks strongAlthough the national economy will be mired in recession well into 2009, Kentucky’s community banks are not troubled by the same problems that have toppled Wall Street, experts told lawmakers today. “Kentucky banks have been extremely prudent in their lending standards,” said Dr. Donald Mullineaux, a banking and finance professor at the University of Kentucky. He noted that state banks have seen returns on assets and equity three to four times that the national average. The average Kentucky bank also has reserves above and beyond that required by regulators to be called “well-capitalized.” The good news comes amid a recession Mullineaux projected would be larger than average. “The problems are only going to get worse in the banking industry as a whole,” he said. Dr. Paul Coomes, an economics professor at the University of Louisville, said Kentucky is managing better than other states because the state was not caught up in the spike in housing prices. “We didn’t have a bubble; we’re not having a bust,” he said. He noted that the area has seen steady growth in home prices of 2-4 percent annually, and that more than half of all foreclosures in Kentucky are from investor properties. “They’re not all families losing their homes,” he said. The flipside, Coomes said, is that job growth has been low since the decade began. Manufacturing and retail jobs have left, with health care the leading growth sector. “We’re a relatively unhealthy state and a relatively older state,” he explained. Professional and business services as well as the public sector have also seen growth in employment since 2000. Kentucky’s economy did nothing to drag the national economy down, the professors said. In fact, they revealed, the federal government’s aid to Citigroup alone is more than the capitalization of every Kentucky bank. But while Kentucky is faring better than many other states at the moment, the future might not be so bright. “When the national economy slows down, they take us with it,” Coomes said. That will create problems down the road, said Rep. Mike Denham, D-Maysville. With unemployment rising, Kentucky’s banks may need help in 2009, long after the current deadline for federal aid has passed. “If there’s one thing we’ve learned in the last 90 days, it’s that what’s true today may not be true tomorrow,” he said. Ballard Cassady, President of the Kentucky Bankers Association, stressed the difference between Wall Street banks and local community banks. “The chasm is huge between JPMorgan Chase and the Main Street banks,” he said. “We still have money, and we’re still lending.” The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers (left) and/or representative Tim Couch (right).
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Post by ClayLive on Dec 11, 2008 17:59:25 GMT -5
Corn not only ethanol source, lawmakers hearCorn is not the only way to make ethanol. Scientists can also make the alternative fuel from the fiber of straw, wood and even corn cobs, scientists told state lawmakers yesterday, through a process called cellulosic—or fiber cell wall—technology. Unfortunately, cellulosic technology is not yet very cost effective for industry, Dr. Karl Dawson of the Kentucky-based research company Alltech told the Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources. But the potential for cellulosic ethanol, the need for corn as both a transportation fuel and human food source and even government policy could change that, he explained. “The policies on these (alternative fuels) are changing constantly at the federal level, and I’m sure at the state level you can say the same,” he said. “But there are some technologies that must be invested in…for us to take advantage of alternative fuel sources.” Dawson said the competition between the use of corn grain to make ethanol and the need for human food is “very intense at this point in time” since many grain rich companies are using corn to make automotive fuel. That could help open the door for more cellulosic ethanol production which Dawson said is a well-known technology with plenty of feedstock. In the next five to 10 years, Dawson said it is estimated that the U.S. will have 1.3 billion tons of cellulosic material that could be used to produce around 100 billion gallons of fuel. “(That’s) ¾ of the energy we normally get from gasoline,” he said. Dr. Czarena Crofcheck of the University of Kentucky Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering, who explained the chemistry behind the cellulose to ethanol conversion process, also said that economics will determine how well-used the technology is. “We can do this. Right now, it’s just expensive,” said Crofcheck. “As it becomes something that’s beneficial for industry to get involved in…I think it will move forward.” Alltech recently received a grant of up to $30 million from the federal government to move forward with construction of a cellulosic ethanol biorefinery in Springfield, Kentucky. Alltech has announced that the biorefinery will be one of the nation’s first to use cellulose, like corn cobs and corn stover, at a level of up to 30 percent. Another $8 million for the project came from the state. Committee Co-Chair Rep. Tom McKee, D-Cynthiana, congratulated Alltech on the federal grant. “That is exciting,” said McKee. “We were so proud of you for receiving that, as a state.” The preceding was a press release from Kentucky Legislature Home Page. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers (left) and/or representative Tim Couch (right).
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Post by ClayLive on Jan 8, 2009 17:23:38 GMT -5
Revised math standards needed, Senate panel saysThe Kentucky Department of Education needs to revise math standards so teachers and students can more deeply explore fundamental concepts, the Senate Education Committee said today. Members of the panel unanimously approved Senate Joint Resolution 19, sponsored by Senate Majority Floor Leader Dan Kelly, R-Springfield, and committee chair Sen. Ken Winters, R-Murray, which would direct KDE to revise standards and the state tests that measure students’ progress in math. “This is a case where we need to master the basics,” said Sen. Charlie Borders, R-Russell. Kelly cited a report that called current math teaching “a mile wide and an inch deep,” with teachers hurriedly covering material on end-of-year tests rather than focusing on the core concepts that serve as stepping stones to education in higher grade levels. Alice Gabbard, Director of Diagnostic Intervention for the Kentucky Center for Mathematics, noted that 40 percent of the state’s college freshmen are not ready for college-level math courses. Winters noted that with tuition costs increasing rapidly, the economic effect on Kentucky families is directly impacted by P-12 math skills, because those students must take remedial courses that do not gain them credit toward their degree. Both Gabbard and Warren County Schools Superintendent Dale Brown said that more narrowly defined standards would help teachers as well as students. “Concise standards will allow teachers to have more efficient practices that would be have a longer-lasting effect,” Gabbard said. Brown, whose district has made an effort to emphasize core standards even within the current state curriculum, said “standards need to be higher, clearer, and fewer.” Such standards, which would consider the findings of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and other groups, are already in use in some other parts of the world, such as Singapore and Hong Kong, where achievement is high on international comparisons, Kelly said. The resolution now moves to the full Senate for its consideration. The preceding was a press release from LRC eNews. For more information on items before the Kentucky Legislature contact your local senator Robert Stivers (left) and/or representative Tim Couch (right).
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