The 521st meeting of the Legislative Research Commission was held on Wednesday, December 13, 2006, at 1:30 PM, in Room 125 of the Capitol Annex. Senator David L Williams, 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, Dan Seum, Katie Stine, and Ed Worley; Representatives Rocky Adkins, Joe Barrows, Larry Clark, Robert R Damron, Bob M DeWeese, and Ken Upchurch.
LRC Staff: Bobby Sherman and Diana Hill.
Senator Williams called the meeting to order and the secretary called the roll. There being a quorum present, Senator Williams asked if there was a motion to approve the minutes of the November 8, 2006, meeting; accept and refer as indicated items A. through D. under Staff and Committee Reports; refer prefiled bills as indicated and approve items B. through D. under New Business; accept and refer as indicated items 1. through 15 under Communications; and approve Resolutions A. and B. A motion was made by Representative Richards 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 November 2006.
B. Committee activity report for November 2006.
C. Committee report of the Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee meeting of November 14, 2006.
D. Committee review of administrative regulations by the Interim Joint Committee on Health and Welfare during its meeting of November 15, 2006.
NEW BUSINESS
A. Referral of prefiled bills to the following committees: BR 14 (relating to the financing of highway and bridge projects); BR 103 (relating to sales tax holidays and declaring an emergency); BR 128 (relating to sales and use tax); and BR 179 (relating to residential utilities) to Appropriations and Revenue; BR 281 (relating to retail credit cards); BR 282 (relating to casualty insurance rates); and BR 418 (relating to long-term care insurance rates) to Banking and Insurance; BR 68 (relating to Kentucky State Parks) and BR 333 (relating to economic development and declaring an emergency) to Economic Development and Tourism; BR 326 (relating to the safety, learning, and well-being of students) to Education; BR 309 (urging the Health and Family Services Cabinet to secure the safety of social workers) to Health and Welfare; BR 56 (relating to crimes and punishments); BR 100 relating to animal cruelty); BR 119 (relating to restoration of civil rights); BR 134 (relating to motor vehicle accidents); BR 331 (relating to crimes and punishments); and BR 413 (relating to peace officer certification) to Judiciary; BR 26 (relating to employment of unauthorized aliens); BR 149 (relating to the minimum wage) and BR 347 (relating to the minimum wage) to Labor and Industry; BR 146 (relating to the Kentucky State Board of Hairdressers and Cosmetologists); BR 152 (relating to heating, ventilation, and air conditioning and making an appropriation therefor); BR 296 (creating the Charitable Gaming Oversight Task Force of the Legislative Research Commission); and BR 363 (relating to real estate brokerage) to Licensing and Occupations; BR 286 (relating to honoring military service) to Seniors, Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection; BR 90 (relating to elections and declaring an emergency); BR 185 (relating to executive branch employees); BR 189 (relating to campaign finance, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency); BR 222 (relating to elections); BR 236 (designating bluegrass music as the official state music of Kentucky); BR 241 (proposing an amendment to Sections 30 and 31 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to elections of the General Assembly); BR 252 (relating to the designation of the Louisville Orchestra as the official state orchestra); BR 378 (proposing an amendment to Section 145 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to persons entitled to vote); and BR 408 (proposing an amendment to Sections 145 and 150 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to the restoration of civil rights for felons); to State Government; BR 67 (relating to operator’s licenses) to Transportation.
B. From Bobby Sherman: Memorandum recommending the appointment of the Reviser of Statutes.
C. From Senate President David L. Williams and House Speaker Jody Richards: Memorandum recommending that LRC direct a study of the current funding formula and the distribution of pupil transportation funds, define study scope, provide that the study be completed no later than July 1, 2007, and provide that the study be completed by a nongovernmental consultant.
D. From Senate President David L. Williams and House Speaker Jody Richards: Memorandum creating the Land Stewardship and Conservation Task Force and appointing the membership as follows: Senator Charlie Borders, Co-Chair, Don Dott, Kentucky State Natural Preserves Commission, Stephen Coleman, Kentucky Pace Program; Jon Gassett, Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources; Greg Kuhn, Kentucky Woodland Owners Association; Laura Knoth, Kentucky Farm Bureau; Juva Barber, Kentucky Home Builders Association; Jerry Miller, Kentucky Department of Parks; and Duane Murner, Kentucky Association of Counties; Representative Robin Webb, Co-Chair; Bill Martin, Kentucky Heritage Land Conservation Fund; Bruce Williams, Kentucky Conservation Committee; Ronnie Wells, League of Kentucky Sportsman; Hugh Archer, Kentucky Resources Council; Gary Verst, Sierra Club; Doug Doerrfield, Kentuckians for the Commonwealth; and Jerry Deaton, Kentucky League of Cities; Secretary of the Cabinet for Environmental Protection and Public Protection, or designee.
COMMUNICATIONS
1. Submission of the report of the Kentucky Broadband Task Force as required by 2004 House Bill 627, to Energy.
2. From the Finance and Administration Cabinet: Monthly Investment Income Report for October 2006, to Appropriations and Revenue.
3. From the Finance and Administration Cabinet, Office of the Controller: Surtax Receipts Statements for the Law Enforcement and Professional Firefighters Foundation Fund Programs for the month of September 2006, and year-to-date activity for the period July 1, 2006, through October 31, 2006, to Appropriations and Revenue and Local Government.
4. From the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, Office of the Undersecretary for Health: Submission of Kentucky’s Preventive Health and Health Services Block Grant, to Health and Welfare.
5. From the Office of the Attorney General: Constitutional Challenge Report for September 2006, to Judiciary.
6. From the Department of Education: Annual Report on the Reading Diagnostic and Intervention Grant Program, to Education.
7. From the Department of Education: 2006-2008 biennial plan for validation studies as required by KRS 158.6453(5), to Education.
8. From the Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance: Statement of Assets, Liabilities, and Surplus as of September 30, 2006, to Appropriation and Revenue and Labor and Industry.
9. From the Transportation Cabinet: Louisville - Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project Long-Term Planning Report in accordance with 2006 HB 380, to Appropriations and Revenue and Transportation.
10. From the University of Kentucky: Consolidated Financial Statements of the University of Kentucky and its affiliated corporations for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2006, to Appropriation and Revenue and Education.
11. From the Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance Authority, Quarterly statement for the period ended September 30, 2006, to Appropriation and Revenue and Labor and Industry.
12. From the Kentucky Legislative Ethics Commission: Annual Report for FY 2005-2006, to State Government.
13. From the Department of Education: Final report relating to systems interoperability in Kentucky school districts as required by 2006 HB 341, to Education.
14. From the Kentucky Judicial Form Retirement System: Actuarial Valuation Reports as of July 1, 2006, for the Kentucky Judicial Retirement Plan and the Kentucky Legislators’ Retirement Plan, to Appropriations and Revenue and State Government.
15. From the Kentucky Judicial Form Retirement System: Audit of the Kentucky Judicial Form Retirement System as of June 30, 2006, to Appropriations and Revenue and State Government.
RESOLUTIONS
A. A RESOLUTION adjourning the Legislative Research Commission in loving memory and honor of Betty Jean Masters Peel.
B. A RESOLUTION adjourning the Legislative Research Commission in loving memory and honor of Daniel Grogan.