AN ACT relating to career and technical education, making an appropriation therefor, and declaring an emergency.
     Amend KRS 158.810 to define "career pathway" and "career pathway program of study"; amend KRS 158.812 to clarify purposes of career and technical education and legislative beliefs; create new sections of KRS Chapter 156 to require the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate an administrative regulation that specifies the criteria for classifying high schools as chronically low-performing; to require school improvement plans; require the Kentucky Board of Education to identify minimum college and career-readiness standards; develop remedial courses; create a new section of KRS Chapter 157 to develop evidenced-based models for at-risk students; create a new section of KRS Chapter 157 to establish a career and technical education accessibility fund for matching grants to local school districts to be administered by the Education Cabinet; require the cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations for implementing the grant program; create a new section of KRS Chapter 157 to define "career guidance coach" and to create a career guidance fund for matching grants to local school districts to be administered by the Education Cabinet; require the cabinet to promulgate administrative regulations for implementing the grant program; create a new section of KRS Chapter 157 to create a career academy development fund for grants to local school districts to be administered by the Kentucky Department of Education; require the Kentucky Board of Education to promulgate administrative regulations; create a new section of KRS Chapter 157 to create a Career and Technical Education Facility Fund, a revenue bond trust fund within the School Facilities Construction Commission for the purpose of funding debt service for bonds issued for the renovation of existing facilities or construction of new career and technical education facilities in local school districts; specify that school districts may qualify and accept offers of assistance under this program as well as qualify for other bond assistance from the commission; specific that requirements of KRS 157.620, plus having unmet needs, apply to participation in the career and technical education facilities program; create a new section of KRS Chapter 141 to provide that a tax payer that makes a financial gift or in-kind contribution to the career and technical education advancement fund may receive a business deduction or a tax credit; amend KRS 141.0205 to conform; amend KRS 158.814 to require that the Kentucky Department of Education and the Office of Career and Technical Education determine the statewide unmet needs for career and technical education capital projects; amend KRS 158.816 to specify accountability requirements for program; amend KRS 18A.010 to exempt teachers, guidance coaches and counselors, and school administrators employed in state-operated area technology centers from the executive branch employee cap; appropriate to the Education Cabinet from the General Fund $500,000 in fiscal year 2008-2009 and $750,000 in fiscal year 2009-2010 for the purposes of reimbursing local school districts for the costs of tests for students who take state or nationally recognized industry certification examinations in career and technical education fields and who are enrolled in high school programs, locally operated area technology centers, or state-operated area technology centers; appropriate to the career and technical education accessibility fund, from the General Fund $2,500,000 in fiscal year 2008-2009 and $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2009-2010; appropriate from the General Fund to the career guidance fund $2,500,000 for fiscal year 2008-2009 and $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2009-2010; appropriate from the General Fund to the career academy fund $5,000,000 in fiscal year 2008-2009 and $10,000,000 in fiscal year 2009-2010; authorize the School Facilities Construction Commission to make an additional $30,000,000 in offers of assistance to local school districts for the purposes of career and technical education capital projects during the 2008-2010 biennium in anticipation of debt service availability during the 2010-2012 biennium; allow no bonded indebtedness based on the above amount to be incurred during the 2008-2010 biennium; name the Act the "Career Pathways Act of 2008"; EMERGENCY.

     (Prefiled by the sponsor(s).)

     Jan 8-introduced in Senate; to Education (S)
     Jan 24-reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute
     Jan 25-2nd reading, to Rules
     Jan 28-floor amendment (1) filed to Committee Substitute
     Feb 1-recommitted to Appropriations & Revenue (S)
     Feb 26-reported favorably, to Rules with Committee Substitute (2)
     Feb 27-posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Thursday, February 28, 2008
     Feb 28-passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day; floor amendment (2) filed to Committee Substitute (2)
     Feb 29-floor amendment (3) filed to Committee Substitute (2)
     Mar 4-3rd reading; Committee Substitute (1) withdrawn; floor amendments (1) and (2) withdrawn ; passed 37-1 with Committee Substitute (2), floor amendment (3)
     Mar 5-received in House
     Mar 11-to Appropriations & Revenue (H)