The first meeting of the Program Review and Investigations Committee was held on Thursday, July 13, 2000 at 10:00 a.m., in Room 131 of the Capitol Annex. Rep. H. "Gippy" Graham, Presiding-Chair, called the meeting to order, and the secretary called the roll.
Present were:
Members: Presiding Chair, H. "Gippy" Graham; Senators: Charlie Borders, Brett Guthrie, Ernie Harris, Paul Herron, Vernie McGaha, Dan Seum, Katie Stine; Representatives: Adrian Arnold, Sheldon Baugh, Dwight Butler, Charlie Hoffman, Susan Johns, Ruth Ann Palumbo and Dottie Sims.
Guests: Barbara Ellerbrook, Executive Director, ARC of the Bluegrass; Gary Ferguson, Fathers on Rights for Custody Equality; Ann Swango, Child Advocate and Carl Knochelmann, SGLF.
LRC Staff: Ginny Wilson, Ph.D., Committee Staff Administrator, Lowell Atchley, Greg Hager, Tom Hewlett, Alice Hobson, Joseph Hood, Doug Huddleston, Dan Jacovitch and Susan Spoonamore, secretary, Program Review staff. Perry Nutt, Mariam Fordham, Mike Clark and Kevin Mason, Staff Economist's Office.
Out-going Chair, H. "Gippy" Graham, conducted the election of the new Chair. Sen. Charlie Borders nominated Sen. Katie Stine to serve as Chair during the 2000-2001 Interim, seconded by Rep. H. "Gippy" Graham. Motion made by Sen. Dan Seum and seconded by Sen. Vernie McGaha for nominations to cease. Motion passed. There being no further nominations, Sen. Katie Stine, was elected as Chair by acclamation.
Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo nominated Rep. H. "Gippy" Graham to serve as Co-Chair during the 2000-2001 Interim, seconded by Sen. Katie Stine. Motion made by Rep. Adrian Arnold, seconded by Sen. Brett Guthrie for nominations to cease. Motion passed. There being no further nominations, Rep. H. "Gippy" Graham, was elected as Co-Chair by acclamation.
Minutes of the December 9, 1999 meeting were approved by voice vote upon motion made by Rep. Palumbo and seconded by Sen. McGaha.
Ginny Wilson, Ph.D., Committee Staff Administrator made a presentation to the Committee regarding Committee Operations for the 2000-2001 Interim, followed by a summarization of potential studies that the Committee may wish to consider for the Interim. (a copy of the Presentation on Committee Operations for the 2000-2001 Interim, in its entirety, can be found in the LRC Library file).
Rep. Sims asked if agencies were given prior notice that the Committee would be evaluating their programs?
Dr. Wilson stated that once the Committee voted to authorize a study, it then became a public matter. Upon authorization, a letter is sent to the agency notifying them of the evaluation and once the research proposal is approved, then staff will meet with the agency to explain the procedures.
Motion made by Sen. Dan Seum, seconded by Sen. Ernie Harris to adopt the Committee Operations Manual for the 2000-2001 Interim, but with the understanding that the Committee will make its official vote regarding the Rules listed in the Committee Operations Manual at the next meeting. Motion passed.
Committee members were interested in the number of studies that the Committee could conduct during the Interim and other members expressed a concern that the Committee not turn its back on previous topics that staff is working on or has worked on.
Sen. Seum stated that he would like to see this Committee conduct a review of the Victim's Assistance Program to see if the money being collected is going to the victims.
Chair Stine asked that the Program Review staff follow-up on the most recent recommendations made in Reports during the last interim.
Meeting adjourned.