Session canceled Thursday after more than 14 inches of snowfall in Frankfort
03/05/2015 07:39 AM
FRANKFORT — After more than 14 inches of snow blanketed the capital city, top lawmakers have canceled Thursday’s legislative schedule. The Courier-Journal reports interim Legislation Research Commission Director Marcia Seiler notified legislative staffers in an email at 7 a.m. Thursday after Senate President Robert Stivers and House Speaker Greg Stumbo decided to call off meetings. Frankfort Mayor Bill May has issued a travel restriction in the city until 6 p.m. Thursday or until conditions improve. Read more 
Senate could vote on bill doubling campaign donor cap by Friday, Thayer says
03/04/2015 09:52 PM
FRANKFORT — State lawmakers may double the cap on individual campaign contributions after a Senate committee amended and approved legislation on the topic Wednesday. The Senate State and Local Government Committee sent House Bill 203 to the chamber floor with only one panelist, Democratic Sen. Dorsey Ridley of Henderson, voting “pass.” HB 203, sponsored by Rep. Tanya Pullin, D-South Shore, originally established a new $3,000 threshold for candidates to file campaign finance reports, but an amended version of the bill presented... Read more
"Beer bill" set to become law, subject of possible court battle after Senate vote
03/04/2015 08:53 PM
FRANKFORT — A bill separating brewers, distributors and retailers in the so-called three-tiered model already in place for wineries and distilleries appears primed for a legal challenge after the state Senate approved the measure on a 23-13 vote Wednesday. Republicans and Democrats occupied both sides of the debate on House Bill 168, sponsored by House Speaker Greg Stumbo, and Gov. Steve Beshear said in a statement that he “will be pleased to sign House Bill 168” since it restores the three-tiered... Read more
Beshear appoints David Allen Barber to Ky. Supreme Court
03/04/2015 07:05 PM
Gov. Steve Beshear has appointed David Allen Barber as a justice of the Supreme Court of Kentucky to replace former Justice Will T. Scott of Pikeville, who left the bench to run for governor. Barber, of Prestonsburg, is a policy and legal adviser in House Speaker Greg Stumbo’s legislative office and a partner in the law firm of Richardson, Barber & Williamson in Owingsville. Barber served as a Kentucky Court of Appeals judge from 2000 to 2007.... Read more
Protesters for restoring felon voting rights crash Senate committee
03/04/2015 06:33 PM
FRANKFORT — A pair of protesters interrupted Wednesday’s Senate State and Local Government Committee meeting, urging senators to act on legislation that would restore voting rights for felons convicted of nonviolent crimes. Greg Capillo and Jordan Mazurek sat with arms locked at the front of the Capitol Annex committee room before they were removed by state police. As they were escorted out they and other supporters began singing the civil rights tune “Keep Your Eyes on the Prize.” The demostrators urged the... Read more
Westerfield taking heat for attorney general budget flub
03/04/2015 04:17 PM
State Sen. Whitney Westerfield is finding out firsthand how politics can creep into a legislative session during an election year. Westerfield, a Hopkinsville Republican and candidate for attorney general, found himself having to answer questions about the office he would like to represent on the floor of the Senate last week. The legislation, SB 118, ,Westerfield proposes would limit the ability of the attorney general’s office to contract outside law firms to represent the state. The problem: At the time... Read more
Beshear warns Kentuckians to prepare for winter storm
03/04/2015 04:11 PM
PRESS RELEASE: Governor Steve Beshear warned Kentuckians to prepare for heavy snows, poor driving conditions, flooding and possible power outages as another strong winter storm bears down on the Commonwealth. “Even though the predicted snowfalls vary, it’s clear that this winter storm will pack another wallop,” said Gov. Beshear. “The potential for hazardous travel is high, because the rain prevents road crews from pre-treating highways with brine. Stay tuned to local weather forecasts and make sure your home is... Read more
In its latest update, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said all interstates and state highways on the Kentucky side of the Louisville area are snow-covered. Here’s more: All of the lane markings are obscured and it is difficult to tell where the pavement ends. Crews plowed throughout the night and then put down a coat of salt at 6:00 a.m. Roads continued to get covered by snow that fell at a rate of 1-2 inches per hour. With the snow tapering off this morning, crews will soon be able to make some progress but it will take several hours. On Interstate 65 near [...]
Thu, Mar 05, 2015 12:32:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
It’s fair to say many people in Louisville paid close attention to weather forecasts the past several days. At times, the snowstorm that began moving through Louisville on Wednesday was supposed to drop a foot of snow–or maybe more. At other times, the storm was expected to bring less snow. The thing is, sometimes forecasts shift dramatically. In a recent interview, WLKY meteorologist John Belski said meteorologists use weather data models from all over the world–the U.S., Canada, Japan, Europe–to calculate snowfall amounts. “The problem is many times they do not agree, and that’s the hard part–trying to figure out which one of these really [...]
Thu, Mar 05, 2015 12:00:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
A bill banning out-of-state brewers from owning distributors in Kentucky has won approval in the General Assembly and awaits final word from Gov. Steve Beshear, who has indicated his support. The bill was approved Wednesday in the state Senate following earlier approval from the state House. The bill closes what craft brewing interests call a loophole in Kentucky law that allows out-of-state brewers to own distributors in the state. Two brewers—Missouri’s Anheuser-Busch and Ohio’s Rhinegeist—currently own distributors in Kentucky and won’t be able to renew their distribution licenses next year. One of Anheuser-Busch’s distributors is located in Louisville and several senators from that area [...]
Thu, Mar 05, 2015 12:11:00 AM, Continue reading at the source
Beshear makes appointment to fill state Supreme Court seat
from bestep@herald-leader.com (Bill Estep)
from bestep@herald-leader.com (Bill Estep)
Gov. Steve Beshear on Wednesday appointed former state Court of Appeals Judge David Allen Barber to a vacant seat on the Supreme Court, according to a news release.Click to Continue » [...]
Wed, Mar 04, 2015 10:55:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
Kentucky Senate gives final passage to bill stripping distributorships from Anheuser-Busch
from jbrammer@herald-leader.com (Jack Brammer)
from jbrammer@herald-leader.com (Jack Brammer)
A divided state Senate gave final passage Wednesday to a bill banning breweries from distributing their own products in Kentucky.Click to Continue » [...]
Wed, Mar 04, 2015 10:03:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
After committee chaos, advocates for felon voting rights say Rand Paul went missing
from syoungman@herald-leader.com (Sam Youngman)
from syoungman@herald-leader.com (Sam Youngman)
Protesters were dragged from a state Senate committee meeting Wednesday, where they failed to convince Republican lawmakers to consider a proposal that would automatically restore voting rights for some nonviolent…Click to Continue » [...]
Wed, Mar 04, 2015 8:40:00 PM, Continue reading at the source
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