The 520th meeting of the Legislative Research Commission was held on Wednesday, November 8, 2006, at 1:30 PM, in Room 125 of the Capitol Annex. Representative Jody Richards, Chair, called the meeting to order, and the secretary called the roll.
Present were:
Members: Senator David L Williams, Co-Chair; Representative Jody Richards, Co-Chair; Senators Dan Kelly, Joey Pendleton, Richie Sanders Jr, Dan Seum, Katie Stine, and Johnny Ray Turner, and; Representatives Rocky Adkins, Joe Barrows, Larry Clark, Bob M DeWeese, Jeff Hoover, and Ken Upchurch.
LRC Staff: Bobby Sherman and Diana Hill.
Representative Richards called the meeting to order and the secretary called the roll. There being a quorum present, Representative Richards asked if there was a motion to approve the minutes of the October 4, 2006, meeting; accept and refer as indicated items A. through E. under Staff and Committee Reports; refer prefiled bills as indicated and approve items B. through F. under New Business; accept and refer as indicated items 1. through 23. under Communications; and approve Resolutions A. through E. A motion was made by Representative Adkins and seconded by Representative Clark. A roll call vote was taken and the motion passed unanimously. The following items were approved, accepted, or referred:
STAFF AND COMMITTEE REPORTS
A. Information requests for October 2006.
B. Committee activity report for October 2006.
C. Committee report of the Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee meeting of October 10, 2006.
D. Committee report of the Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee regarding administrative regulation review during its meeting of October 6, 2006.
E. Committee review of administrative regulations by the Interim Joint Committee on Health and Welfare during its meeting of October 18, 2006.
NEW BUSINESS
A. Referral of prefiled bills to the following committees: BR 135 (relating to volunteer fire department fuel expenses) and BR 259 (relating to contributions to the Commonwealth of Kentucky) to Appropriations and Revenue; BR 131 (relating to homeowner’s insurance) and BR 220 (relating to motor vehicle insurance premium discounts) to Banking and Insurance; BR 102 (relating to health benefits provided by state universities and colleges); BR 143 (relating to local school board members); and BR 262 (directing the Education Cabinet to recognize and celebrate International Education Week) to Education; BR 213 (relating to electric utilities) to Energy; BR 225 (relating to economic development and declaring an emergency) to Economic Development and Tourism; BR 50 (relating to compulsive gambling and making an appropriation therefor); BR 51 (relating to drug overdose prevention) and BR 249 (urging United States Congress to support a national health policy to insure affordable, accessible health care for all, with a priority for poor families and children, the elderly, and persons with disabilities) to Health and Welfare; BR 99 (relating to crimes and punishments) and BR 239 (relating to concealed deadly weapons) to Judiciary; BR 246 (relating to the minimum wage) to Labor and Industry; BR 76 (relating to engineers); BR 197 (relating to the destruction of animals); and BR 240 (relating to the equine industry program and making an appropriation therefor) to Licensing and Occupations; BR 196 (relating to fire protection districts) to Local Government; BR 12 (relating to government contracts); BR 154 (relating to public contracts); BR 245 (proposing an amendment to Section 145 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to persons entitled to vote); BR 256 (relating to the identification of state employees); and BR 300 (relating to hazardous duty retirement) to State Government; BR 31 (relating to booster seats); and BR 231 (relating to circuit clerks) to Transportation.
B. From Senator Charlie Borders and Representative Harry Moberly, Co-Chairs, Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations and Revenue: Memorandum requesting approval to meet on November 28, 2006, rather than the regular meeting date of November 23, 2006, which is Thanksgiving. There are no apparent conflicts.
C. From Senator Tom Jensen, Representative Tom McKee, and Representative Jim Gooch, Co-Chairs, Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources: Memorandum requesting approval to meet on December 7, 2006, in order to make up a June meeting canceled due to the special session. There are no apparent conflicts.
D. From Senator Tom Buford, sponsor of 06 SCR 98: Memorandum requesting the October 1, 2006, deadline for submitting the 06 SCR 98 report to the Legislative Research Commission be extended to December 1, 2006; requesting that testimony from interested parties be received by the Interim Joint Committee on Economic Development and Tourism, as agreed to by its co-chairs.
E. From Senator Julie Denton and Representative Tom Burch, Co-Chairs, Interim Joint Committee on Health and Welfare: Memorandum requesting approval to meet on December 11, 2006; there would be no subcommittee meetings. There are no apparent conflicts.
F. From Senator Charlie Borders and Representative Harry Moberly, Co-Chairs, Interim Joint Committee on Appropriations & Revenue: Memorandum requesting authorization to meet on December 14, 2006, to address issues needing to be considered for the 2007 Regular Session. There are no apparent conflicts.
COMMUNICATIONS
1. From the Finance and Administration Cabinet: Monthly Investment Income Reports for July, August, and September 2006, to Appropriations and Revenue.
2. From the Cabinet for Health and Family Services: Report of Charitable Health Care Providers Registered in Kentucky Under the Provisions of KRS 216.941 for 2006, as of September 30, 2006, to Health and Welfare.
3. From the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System: Report of the activities during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006, in making in-state investments, to Appropriations and Revenue, Education, and State Government.
4. From the Kentucky Board of Medical Licensure: Annual Report for FY 2005-2006, to Health and Welfare.
5. From Secretary Mark Birdwhistell and Representative Mary Lou Marzian, Co-Chairs, Kentucky Commission on Services and Supports for Individuals with Mental Illness, Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Disorders, and Dual Diagnosis: 2006 Annual Report, to Health and Welfare.
6. From the Office of Attorney General: Constitutional Challenge Report for August 2006, to Judiciary.
7. From the Cabinet for Economic Development, Department of Financial Incentives: Loan data sheets for each loan approved as of the quarter ended June 30, 2006, to Appropriations and Revenue and Economic Development and Tourism.
8. From the Department of Revenue, Office of Property Evaluations: Report of the County Real Estate Exemption List Pursuant to KRS 132.220(6), to Appropriations and Revenue and Local Government.
9. From the Commerce Cabinet, Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources: Captive Cervid Disease Report as of November 1, 2006, to Agriculture and Natural Resources.
10. From the Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund Board: 11th Annual Report, to Agriculture and Natural Resources.
11. From the Department of Labor, Office of Workers’ Claims: Kentucky Office of Workers’ Claims Quarterly Report for July-September 2006, to Labor and Industry.
12. From the University of Kentucky, Kentucky Geological Survey: Kentucky Interagency Groundwater Monitoring Network Annual Report for 2005-2006, to Agriculture and Natural Resources.
13. From the Cabinet for Health and Family Services: Kentucky Women’s Cancer Screening Program Report of Breast Cancer Screening for Fiscal Years 2003-2005, to Health and Welfare.
14. From the Auditor of Public Accounts: October 2006 Performance Audit on Kentucky’s Dropout Rate, to Education.
15. From the Kentucky Teachers’ Retirement System: 2005-2006 Report on financial and investment activities, to Appropriations and Revenue, Education, and State Government.
16. From the Personnel Cabinet: 2005-2006 Annual Report, to State Government.
17. From Representative Scott Brinkman, Chair: Report of the Kentucky Commission on Autism Spectrum Disorders, to Health and Welfare.
18. From the Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance: 2007 Administrative Budget and report of financial status and actuarial condition, to Appropriations and Revenue and Labor and Industry.
19. From the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development: Bluegrass State Skills Corporation Annual Report for FY 2005-2006, to Economic Development and Tourism and Labor and Industry.
20. From the Auditor of Public Accounts: October 2006 Performance Audit on Assessment of Kentucky’s Privatization Efforts, to Appropriation and Revenue and State Government.
21. From the Finance and Administration Cabinet, Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority: FY 2006 Actuarial Valuation for Kentucky’s Affordable Prepaid Tuition (KAPT), to Appropriations and Revenue and Education.
22. From Eastern Kentucky University: Audited financial report for Eastern Kentucky University for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006, to Appropriations and Revenue and Education.
23. From the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture: Kentucky Tobacco Research & Development Center Quarterly Report for July 1 - September 30, 2006, to Agriculture and Natural Resources.
RESOLUTIONS
A. A RESOLUTION adjourning the Legislative Research Commission in loving memory and honor of Charles William Renfro.
B. A RESOLUTION adjourning the Legislative Research Commission in loving memory and honor of Bruce M. Curtsinger.
C. A RESOLUTION adjourning the Legislative Research Commission in loving memory and honor of James “Harry” Hicks.
D. A RESOLUTION adjourning the Legislative Research Commission in loving memory and honor of Billie Dale Ark.
E. A RESOLUTION adjourning the Legislative Research Commission in loving memory and honor of Helen Garrett.
IV. OTHER BUSINESS
V. ADJOURNMENT