Zika, space and education covered in senate testimony

The Zika virus, Kentucky’s aerospace and aviation industry, and various education initiatives were just a few of the several topics from which we heard testimony over the course of a very busy week in Frankfort.

I co-chaired the Government Contract Review Committee meeting to start the week, where we heard testimony from Finance Cabinet Secretary William Landrum on the need to investigate claims of abuse in state government under former Gov. Steve Beshear. The committee approved the contract for this investigation, which is certainly a good transparency measure for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

Also on Monday, I attended the Interim Joint Committee on Education meeting, where we heard presentations on the Every Student Succeeds Act and on the Governor’s Scholars Program. Both presentations provided legislators with updates and I continue to be confident we are moving in the right direction with regard to education in the state.

We heard an update on special education in Kentucky from the Office of Education Accountability on Tuesday at the meeting of the Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee meeting.

Wednesday marked the Interim Joint Committee on Health and Welfare’s August meeting, where we heard from advocates from the Brain Injury Alliance of Kentucky and also from the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, which gave an update on the Zika virus in Kentucky. The Brain Injury Alliance made a compelling case to streamline Kentucky’s current system of care so that the state can better serve those with brain injuries. The Zika update provided that, as of August 5, there have been 18 confirmed cases of the Zika virus in the state, and all were related to travel with no evidence of local transmission within Kentucky. Health officials advocated for using the “three d’s” – “dress,” “drain,” and “defend” to protect against Zika.

I attended a pair of Interim Joint Committee meetings on Thursday: Labor and Industry in the morning, and then Economic Development and Tourism in the afternoon. Labor and Industry featured a presentation on Kentucky’s aerospace and aviation industry from the Cabinet for Economic Development and from Peter Lengyel, the President and CEO of Safran USA, a company specializing in aviation, defense and security. Safran develops a variety of advanced technologies and products that save lives, enhance national security, and improve performance. I found this presentation most interesting and learned that aerospace and aviation industries, in the state and at the national level, are becoming more important to our safety and security by the day.

The Economic Development and Tourism meeting featured another presentation from the Cabinet for Economic Development on “Kentucky’s Economic Landscape – Opportunities and Obstacles.” This presentation featured testimony from Luther Deaton, Chairman, President, and CEO of Central Bank, and also from James Mallory, Vice Chairman of Lewis and Clark Trust, Inc. Mr. Mallory talked about the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and its impact on the state of Kentucky.

On Friday I wrapped up the week by speaking to the Campbellsville/Taylor County Chamber of Commerce Luncheon, where Rep. Carney and I provided a legislative update on significant bills passed last session, and what we are looking forward to tackling in 2017. The state budget, substance abuse problems, and pay raises for state police and social workers were a few highlighted topics we touched on. It was a very productive week to say the least.

As always, if you have any questions or comments about any public policy issue, please feel free to call me toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or e-mail me at Max.Wise@LRC.ky.gov . You can also review the legislature’s work online at www.lrc.ky.gov .

Senator Max Wise (R-Campbellsville) represents the 16th District which encompasses Adair, Clinton, Cumberland, McCreary, Russell, Taylor, and Wayne counties. Senator Wise serves as Chair of the Senate Enrollment Committee; Vice Chair of Education Committee; and a member of Appropriations and Revenue Committee; Economic Development, Tourism and Labor Committee; Health and Welfare Committee; and Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection Committee. He also serves as chair of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation and member of Budget Review Subcommittee on Education, NR, and EP.