Legislative Update, March 24, 2014
As the 2014 session of the Kentucky General Assembly enters the home stretch, a number of key proposals hang in the balance. Later today, the Senate is expected to approve their version of the state’s two-year budget, setting up the always difficult budget negotiations. Along with the biennial budget, legislators still have several high-profile measures to deal with, including several Chamber-supported measures. These include legislation to approve public-private partnerships, medical review panels, local option sales tax and juvenile justice reform. Several other measures seem unlikely to be addressed, despite the need and public support, such as gaming and comprehensive tax reform.
Time is running out! We need your help to urge lawmakers to pass key Chamber-supported legislation.
Call 1-800-372-7181 and leave a message for your legislators to urge passage of the following.
Urge the Senate to pass HB 407, the Chamber-supported P3 legislation. Call today or contact your Senator with our action alert.
Urge the House to pass SB 119, commonsense medical liability reforms. Call today or contact your representative with our action alert.
Urge the General Assembly to approve HB 399, to allow Kentucky citizens the ability to vote to fund key projects with a local option sales tax. Learn more at LIFT Kentucky. Time is of the essence. Call today!
Legislative News
The Chamber, along with the Kentucky Medical Association and other Care First Kentucky partners, launched a public education campaign to urge the House to pass SB 119 to enact medical review panels to weed out frivolous lawsuits. Every surrounding state has passed legislation to address medical liability, leaving Kentucky as a target for aggressive personal injury attorneys. Read Chamber President Dave Adkisson’s recent column in the Courier Journal urging lawmakers to act.
The Chamber's P3 legislation passed the House and is now one step closer to becoming law. Call your Senator and urge passage of the P3 bill.
House Speaker Greg Stumbo recently announced support for HB 399, a bill to allow the citizens of Kentucky to vote in support of a temporary local sales tax to fund critical infrastructure projects. His support clears the way for a vote that should take place early this week. The Chamber supports this measure. Call your legislators to voice your support.
In a letter to lawmakers, the Chamber voiced concern about the lack of funding for the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System (KTRS) and urged legislators to work on a plan that will ensure a long-term funding strategy.
The House voted Friday to prohibit the use of eminent domain for natural gas liquids pipelines. This prohibition could inhibit projects that create jobs and carry fuel for future domestic energy. The measure now goes to the Senate for consideration.
The Senate Education Committee passed a positive measure topermit Charter Schools to address persistently low achieving schoolsand a bill to overhaul the state's teacher tenure system to help encourage high performing teachers in the classroom. Chamber President Dave Adkisson testified in support of both.
The Senate passed a Chamber-supported juvenile justice reformmeasure to save money and reform an inefficient system for dealing with youthful offenders.
The Senate and House are currently working out details of a measure to forgive snow days for school districts that experienced a greater than usual number of school closures due to the harsh winter.
More Legislation
Our key bill list below is color-coded to note the Chamber’s support in green or opposition in red to each measure.
For a complete list of bills and their current status, download our complete BillTrack (PDF).
Education & Workforce Development
SB 211 - Targeted Charter Schools Read More
HB 85 - Charter Schools Read More
SB 168 - Tenure Reform Read More
SB 169 - Tribunal Reform Read More
HB 154 - Financial Accountability Read More
HB 261 - University Bonding Authority Read More
SB 89 - Public School Standards Read More
HB 332 - Early Childhood Education Read More
HB 87 - Linking Degrees to Earnings Read More
SB 224 - Repeal Common Core Standards Read More
HB 215 - Repeal Common Core Standards Read More
Business Competitiveness
HB 407 - Public-Private Partnerships Read More
SB 33, HB 67 & HB 584 - Expanded Gaming Legislation Read More
SB 99 - Telecommunications Modernization Read More
SB 63, HB 504 & 557 - Workers' Comp Special Fund Read More
HB 349 - Workers' Comp Reporting Simplification Read More
HB 467 - Contractor Notification Read More
HB 301 - Small Business Tax Credits Read More
HB 308 - Attracting Data Centers Read More
HB 232 - Data Breach Notification Read More
HB 507, SB 136 & 137 - Higher Workers' Comp Costs Read More
HB 96 - Public Construction Cost Driver Read More
Taxes
HB 37 - Angel Investor Tax Credit Read More
HB 529 - Bourbon Barrel Tax Credit Read More
HB 345 - Taxpayer Fairness Read More
HB 346 - Tax Simplification Read More
SB 135 & HB 399 - Local Option Sales Tax Read More
HB 136 - LLET Tax Reform Read More
HB 474 - Coal IndustryTax Incentives Read More
HB 493 - Tourism Tax Incentives Read More
HB 516 - Bad Debt Credits Read More
HB 559 - Small Business Tax Relief Read More
HB 220 - Tax Hikes Read More
Legal Issues
SB 119 - Medical Review Panels Read More
SB 78 - Commonsense Property Liability Read More
SB 189 - Legal Contract Sunshine Law Read More
SB 214 - Judgment Interest Reform Read More
HB 369 - Lowered Statute of Limitations Read More
HB 304 - Good Samaritan protections Read More
HB 148 - Increased Employer Litigation Read More
HB 335 - False Claims Act Read More
Health & Wellness
SB 73 - Pharmacy Benefit Managers Read More
HB 173 & SB 117 - Smoke-free Kentucky Read More
SB 5 - Combatting Heroin Abuse Read More
HB 505 - Kentucky-based Exchange Read More
Labor Issues
SB 81 - Clear Contractor Guidelines Read More
HB 419 - Prevailing Wage Savings Read More
HB 496 - Kentucky Right-to-Work Law Read More
HB 1 & SB 215 - Raising the Minimum Wage Read More
HB 420 - Forced Union Apprenticeship Read More
Government Reform
HB 389 - Public Pension Audit Requirements Read More
SB 142 - Public Pension Reforms Read More
SB 83 - Improved Alcohol Laws Read More
HB 5 - Cyber Security Read More
SB 200 - Juvenile Justice Reform Read More
HB 475 - Alcohol at State Parks Read More
Energy & Environment
SB 67 & HB 52 - Nuclear Power Read More
HB 388 - Kentucky Environmental Standards Read More
SB 35 - Politicizing the Public Service Commission Read More
HB 31 - Limiting Transport of Energy Read More
HB 195 - Renewable Energy Mandate Read More
HB 241 - Increased Energy Costs Read More
HB 288 - Coal Mining Restrictions Read More
