Thursday, February 13, 2014

Day Twenty Six of KY's 2014 Session In Review

HB63, a bill that will require retail electric suppliers to maintain a 30-day supply of fuel will be heard today at 10:00 am in the House Tourism & Energy Committee. Rep. Jim Gooch sponsored the bill. This winter’s cold weather has stressed fuel supplies across the country including Kentucky where propane gas has been scarce and prices have soared. Higher natural gas prices are leading to sharply higher wholesale electricity prices as power plants run at capacity to meet higher than normal winter demands. Rep. Gooch’s bill draws attention to the fact that these new gas powered plants are not prepared for natural or un-natural stress on the supply chain if our country turns exclusively to natural gas for its electricity generation.
SB119, the Medical Review Board bill, passed out of committee yesterday and is ready for a vote on the floor of the Senate. A vote that could come as early as today.

LEGISLATIVE TRACKERS BY INTEREST

Click on the links below

    LINKS TO SOME OF TODAY's HEADLINES:


    UPCOMING MEETINGS:

    Thursday, February 13 2014
    9:00am, Annex Room 129
    HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
    Agenda: Consideration of HB 296 and HB 301
    9:00am, Annex Room 169
    SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON VETERANS, MILITARY AFFAIRS, AND PUBLIC PROTECTION
    Agenda: Office of Homeland Security Update, Gene Kiser, Executive Director
    10:00am, Annex Room 149
    HOUSE BUDGET REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE ON POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION
    Agenda: Discussion of the Governor’s Postsecondary Education Budget Proposa
    10:00am, Annex Room 131
    HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEE ON TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AND ENERGY
    Agenda: Consideration of HB 63 and HB 291
    10:00am, Annex Room 129
    SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, TOURISM, AND LABOR
    Agenda: Consideration of SB 49, SB 81 and SB 105
    10:00am, Annex Room 154
    SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
    Agenda: Consideration of SB 66 and SB 116
    11:30am, Annex Room 171
    SENATE STANDING COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
    Agenda: Consideration of SB 121,
    Noon, Annex Room 169
    HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND WELFARE
    Agenda: Consideration of Referred Bills: HB 125, HB 147, HB 221, HB 252 and SB 41, Consideration of Referred Administrative Regulations
    Noon, Annex Room 154
    HOUSE STANDING COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT
    Agenda: Consideration of HB 264, HB 323, HB 324 and HB 225
    2:00pm, House Chambers
    House Convenes (Orders of the Day)
    2:00pm, Senate Chambers
    Senate Convenes (Orders of the Day)
    Upon Adjournment, Annex Room 129
    HOUSE BUDGET REVIEW SUBCOMMITTEE ON HUMAN RESOURCES
    Agenda: Public hearing

    SOME OF THE LATEST POLITICAL STORIES:

    Coming soon in an McConnell ad near you: McConnell's next coal argument against Grimes  - by Ryan Alessi
    MADISONVILLE — U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell is not only sticking to his script of focusing on his opposition to the Affordable Care Act and the Obama administration’s regulations of coal, he’s doubling down. On Saturday, McConnell made two campaign stops for coal related speeches... Read more



    Local Option Sales Tax Proposal Filed in Kentucky Senate as Mayor Greg Fischer Outlines More Details - Feb 12, 2014 08:51 pm - A Kentucky state senator has filed legislation to let residents vote on raising the local sales tax for special projects, but he is already doubting its passage in the 2014 legislative session. Republican Paul Hornback of Shelbyville introduced the bill on Tuesday. It would allow local residents vote on temporary tax increases to pay for special projects. Read More

    Medical Malpractice Reform - Feb 12, 2014 08:50 pm - It’s time for Kentucky to say “enough is enough” to frivolous medical malpractice lawsuits…That’s what the president of the State’s Chamber of Commerce told the Senate Health and Welfare Committee today. Dave Adkisson was testifying in support of a bill that would establish medical review panels to examine complaints against Kentucky’s health care providers and determine if they have enough merit to proceed to trial. He says the cost of liability insurance is discouraging medical professionals from doing business in the Commonwealth…Read More

    States Awash in Cash? Defining a Budget Surplus - Feb 12, 2014 02:54 pm - We’ve heard it in state of the state addresses and in various media stories that many states are projecting budget surpluses. While it is true that state fiscal conditions continue to improve (see NCSL’s "State Budget Update: Fall 2013" for more information), the term “budget surplus” needs a bit of clarification. Read More

    U.S. Sen. Rand Paul allegedly took part in stealing the work of a high-power Washington lawyer when he filed suit Wednesday against the Obama administration challenging that the NSA effort to collect information about citizen’s phone calls violated the U.S. Constitution. Dana Milbank, of the Washington Post, wrote that Washington lawyer Bruce Fein claims to have written large portions of the suit but that his name was removed from it without his approval and that former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli’s name was inserted in its place. Milbank said that Fein’s spokeswoman and former wife, Mattie Fein, made the allegations [...] Thu, Feb 13, 2014 1:12:00 AM, Continue reading at the source

    Kentuckians should not have gay marriage "forced on us" by a federal court ruling, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said Wednesday, even opponents of the senator blamed him for the…Click to Continue » [...]
    Wed, Feb 12, 2014 10:09:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

    Democratic Congressman John Yarmuth is predicting the end of Kentucky's gay marriage ban now that a federal judge has ruled a key provision unconstitutional.The decision by Judge John G. Heyburn II found the state law violates the U.S. Constitution’s equal protection clause by denying recognition of same-sex marriages performed outside the state. [...]
    Wed, Feb 12, 2014 9:45:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

    By Sam Youngman syoungman@herald-leader.com Democrat Elisabeth Jensen, a Lexington Democrat running against U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, assailed Barr's vote this week against a House bill that raises the debt ceiling without any spending concessions made to Republicans. Jensen said in a statement Wednesday that Barr "chose to vote for our government to default." "I am running for Congress because we can't afford to continue playing these kinds of games," Jensen said. "Working families in Kentucky deserve a representative in Congress who stands up for common-sense solutions to get our economy working again -- like reducing the debt by making tough choices with our nation's [...] Wed, Feb 12, 2014 8:56:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

    A Kentucky state senator has filed legislation to let residents vote on raising the local sales tax for special projects, but he is already doubting its passage in the 2014 legislative session.Republican Paul Hornback of Shelbyville introduced the bill on Tuesday. It would allow local residents vote on temporary tax increases to pay for special projects. [...]
    Wed, Feb 12, 2014 8:46:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

    WASHINGTON – It’s common knowledge in this town that an invite to a White House State Dinner is a tough get, perhaps the toughest. There aren’t many such affairs and the venue for such gatherings – the White House State Dining Room or a tent outside – doesn’t accommodate a lot of people. But Kentucky Gov. Beshear and Rep. Hal Rogers, R-5th District, made the guest list for Tuesday night’s state dinner honoring French President Francois Hollande. The event was staged in a large tent outside on the south side of the White House. Beshear and his wife, Jane, and Rogers and his wife, [...]
    Wed, Feb 12, 2014 8:34:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

    U.S. Medal of Honor recipient Dakota Meyer of Kentucky continues to weigh whether someday he wants to be known as a politician.Click to Continue » [...]
    Wed, Feb 12, 2014 8:00:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

    The Senate Health and Welfare Committee approved a bill Wednesday that would create panels of medical experts to review proposed legal claims against health care providers.Click to Continue » [...]
    Wed, Feb 12, 2014 6:46:00 PM, Continue reading at the source

    U.S. Senate candidate Matthew Bevin denied Tuesday that he had ever expressed a favorable view of the controversial policies, despite a document with his signature which suggested, otherwise. [...]
    Thu, Feb 13, 2014 4:29:23 AM, Continue reading at the source

    A federal judge has ruled that Kentucky must recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states, striking down part of the state ban. [...]
    Thu, Feb 13, 2014 4:29:23 AM, Continue reading at the source


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