AN ACT relating to tobacco growers' assistance and diversification.
     Create various sections of KRS 138.130 to 138.205 relating to a tax on cigarettes to require portions of the tax on cigarettes to be collected by the Revenue Cabinet and deposited in the State Treasury in the Agricultural Diversification and Development Fund; create the Agricultural Diversification and Development Council and assign its duties; specify membership on the council to include a representative of the banking industry, four farmers, and two additional appointees of the Governor, and ex officio members to include the Secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet, the Commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture, the Director of the Cooperative Extension Service, and the Secretary of the Economic Development Cabinet; require the council to devise a system for prioritizing fund distributions, and to distribute funds in the Agricultural Diversification and Development Fund; require the council to coordinate efforts under the Act; require the council to prepare an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly; attach the council to the Finance and Administration Cabinet for administrative purposes; require the moneys in the fund to be distributed or used by the Agricultural Diversification and Development Council as follows: four-tenths of a cent of the three cents per pack cigarette tax to the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University Extension Service Programs, and the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture to carry out the duties and responsibilities set forth in the Act, one and eight-tenths of a cent of the three cent tax to grants and loans to tobacco growers, tobacco dependent communities, and other entities to be determined by the Agricultural Diversification and Development Council, one tenth of a cent of the tax to the Kentucky Department of Agriculture for marketing and agricultural diversification and development, and one tenth of a cent of the tax to the council for administration and other purposes as set out in the Act; require the funds to be distributed in the form of grants, loans, and other arrangements set forth by administrative regulations promulgated by the council; require funds to be provided to tobacco growers to assist them in growing their tobacco crop more efficiently an profitably, to tobacco growers to assist them in diversifying their operations, to tobacco dependent communities to help stimulate and diversify their economies to offset possible reductions in tobacco quotas in the county, and to organizations attempting to stimulate and diversify the local economies to offset possible reductions in the tobacco quota, and to assist tobacco growers who have lost quota or choose to diversify; create new section at KRS 164.605 to 164.675 to require the University of Kentucky and Kentucky State University Extension Service programs and the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture to use moneys provided under Section 3 of the Act to assist tobacco growers to more efficiently and profitably produce their crops, to assist tobacco growers to diversify their operations, to conduct research on tobacco and agricultural alternatives to tobacco production and aid in implementation of the research, to develop alternative crops and farm related enterprises to enhance, supplement, and substitute for tobacco production, to establish an education program and disseminate information to tobacco growers on tobacco and alternatives to tobacco production and the availability of state assistance, to engage in other activities deemed necessary by the extension board and the council to promote tobacco and agricultural alternatives to tobacco, to cooperate with other agencies in carrying out the purposes of pertinent sections of the Act, and to prepare an annual report to the Governor, the General Assembly, and the council to document progress; create new section at KRS Chapter 246 to require the Kentucky Department of Agriculture to use funds to promote tobacco and alternative crops and enterprises which can provide an enhanced income to tobacco growers , to assist in marketing crops and products which can provide alternative income to tobacco growers, to help establish the knowledge and infrastructure necessary to produce and market tobacco and alternatives to tobacco, and to cooperate with other agencies in carrying out the above.

     Feb 2-introduced in Senate
     Feb 3-to Agriculture and Natural Resources (S)
     Feb 18-reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
     Feb 19-2nd reading, to Rules
     Feb 20-posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for February 23, 1998
     Feb 23-floor amendment (1) filed; passed over and retained in the Orders of the Day
     Feb 24-3rd reading, passed 36-0 with Floor Amendment (1)
     Feb 25-received in House
     Feb 26-to Agriculture and Small Business (H)
     Mar 6-posted in committee
     Mar 12-reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar
     Mar 13-2nd reading, to Rules
     Mar 20-posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for March 23, 1998
     Mar 24-floor amendment (1) filed
     Mar 26-floor amendments (2) and (3) filed
     Apr 1-3rd reading, passed 87-0 with floor amendments (1) and (3); received in Senate; posted for passage for concurrence in House amendments on April 1, 1998; Senate refused to concur in House floor amendments (1) and (3); received in House; posted for passage for receding from House amendments
     Apr 2-House refused to recede from floor amendments (1) and (3); Conference Committee appointed in House and Senate; Conference Committee report filed in House and Senate; Conference Committee report adopted in House and Senate; Free Conference Committee appointed in House and Senate; Free Conference Committee report filed in House and Senate; House adopted Free Conference Committee report; passed 90-0; received in Senate; Senate adopted Free Conference Committee report; passed 33-0; enrolled, signed by each presiding officer, delivered to Governor
     Apr 14-signed by Governor