February 24, 2015
LEGISLATIVE COLUMN
By State Representative Jill York
General Assembly Reaching Halfway Point of 2015 Session, Much Work Left to Do…
The Kentucky General Assembly was set to reach the halfway point of the 2015 Regular Session this past week, that is if the snow and bitter cold covering Kentucky doesn’t continue to force cancellations and delay us from reconvening in Frankfort.
Despite the winter weather playing havoc with our schedule, the House has passed several key pieces of legislation under consideration for this year. One of those bills is the statewide smoking ban bill, House Bill 145, which passed the House last week and moves on to the Senate. If the bill becomes law, it would ban smoking in all public and government owned buildings.
Another key bill that passed the House last week is House Bill 1, which is commonly referred to as the local option sales tax bill, or LIFT Kentucky. This legislation, if signed into law, would place a Constitutional Amendment before voters to decide whether to allow the Commonwealth in joining 37 other states that allow for local option sales tax that could be used for funding of infrastructure improvements. The local option sales tax would be placed before voters in those communities that propose it for funding services, and the tax would end once the project is paid for and completed.
You will recall in past articles, I described the ways the general assembly in Kentucky has been dealing with the scourge that heroin is placing on families and communities across our Commonwealth. Two bills, House Bill 8 and Senate Bill 5, that seek to address the heroin problem, have passed in their respective chambers. While both bills are similar there are some minor differences which more than likely will be worked out in conference committee so we can send the Governor a bill he can sign into law.
We still have several major bills to address between now and the end of the 30-day session in March, including a proposal to fully fund our teachers’ retirement system. Our schools play an important role in the economy of our Commonwealth by educating the leaders of tomorrow, and we need to honor our commitment to our teachers by making sure their retirement system is solvent.
In addition to the issues I mentioned, I’m sure there are ideas and concerns important to you that need to be addressed between now and the end of the 2015 session. I encourage you to contact me by e-mail at jill.york@lrc.ky.gov, or call our toll free number at 1-800-372-7181.
