Session is winding down but final days’ work still important

As I write this, the days of the 2016 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly are rapidly waning. However, as has been typical during my years as State Representative, much of the most crucial work is being done towards the end.

Throughout this session, much of the work, both in committees and behind the scenes, has been focused on the biennial executive branch budget. This document not only outlines the spending procedures for the Commonwealth, but it outlines what we, as legislators, feel are funding priorities and sets policy for the next two years. As expected, there were significant differences between the budget plans of the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives and the Republican-controlled Senate. As is the process, a conference committee has been formed to try to work through those differences and find a compromise that can be approved by the full General Assembly. I am proud to be serving on that committee and am optimistic we will be able to achieve that goal in the next few days.

Falling in line with the budget is the state two-year road plan, which funds state and federal transportation projects over the biennium. This is a document that also is typified by much political posturing. The House has passed their plan, House Bill 305, which will be greatly changed in the Senate. It is expected this bill will likewise go to a conference committee, but I remain confident that a compromise will emerge. I look forward to reporting to you in the near future about projects approved for our area.

The list of bills which have been sent to the Governor for his signature, which officially makes them law, has been growing. Among them are the following important pieces of legislation:

· Senate Bill 43, which would provide $80,000 lump-sum state death benefits to families of emergency medical services personnel killed in the line of duty as of November 1, 2016. This bill is named in memory of fallen EMS worker John Mackey and will provide much needed assistance to the families of those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the service of protecting all of us.

· Senate Bill 195, which would allow firefighters with certain types of lung or other cancer presumed to be tied to their employment to be eligible for lump-sum state benefits. This is another piece of legislation that will benefit our first responders and help them with conditions brought about due to their service to the Commonwealth.

· House Bill 271, which would require all state administered retirement systems to report specific information on their members or members’ beneficiaries to the state Public Pension Oversight Board each fiscal year. The data would include a unique identification number for each member or beneficiary, the name of the retirement system, the member or beneficiary’s status in that system, the annualized monthly retirement allowance received by retirees or their beneficiaries at the close of the previous fiscal year or, if the member has not yet retired, the estimated annual retirement allowance for which he or she is eligible for upon retirement. This information will be vital for the Public Pension Oversight Board in planning for the future and recommending any structural changes to the retirement systems for future employees in order to keep the systems solvent.

I look forward to the work on the budget, road plan, and other vital pieces of legislation in these final days. My hope and goal is that we will enact legislation which will make the Commonwealth of Kentucky a better place for all of us to live!

If you would like to stay up-to-date on all legislative action of interest to you during this session of the Kentucky General Assembly, you can visit www.lrc.ky.gov or call the LRC toll-free Bill Status Line at (866) 840-2835. As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments. You can send me a message either at jeff.hoover@lrc.ky.gov or by calling (800) 372-7181.

If you would like to stay up-to-date on all legislative action of interest to you during this session of the Kentucky General Assembly, you can visit www.lrc.ky.gov or call the LRC toll-free Bill Status Line at (866) 840-2835. As always, I welcome your thoughts and comments. You can send me a message either at jeff.hoover@lrc.ky.gov or by calling (800) 372-7181.