Senator Denise Harper Angel: 2008 Kentucky Legislative Session Recap

Now that the 2008 session has come to an end, I wanted to update you on the work the Kentucky Legislature has done over the past several months.

Our most important duty is passing a state budget and the one we approved places a strong emphasis on investing in Kentucky's future, particularly our young people.   

We also invested in the basics -- economic development, water and sewer lines, and public safety.

Besides the budget, I feel that several of the new laws we passed will improve the quality of life in the Commonwealth.

Below you will find a brief summary of the budget and several other successful bills I supported:

ü   Budget

Through the $19 billion state budget, we managed to restore a significant amount of the Governor's proposed cuts to higher education.

We placed money in the budget for improvements around the booming Fort Knox area to help the growth there, and we made plans to build a new mental health facility, Eastern State Hospital, and improvements around the Kentucky Horse Park as it prepares for the world spotlight, Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games 2010.

ü   Booster Seats

Senate Bill 120 will require young children who are too big for infant car seats to be placed in booster seats when riding in vehicles.  The bill states that children under 7 years old and between 40-50 inches tall must use the booster.

ü   Bullying

House Bill 91 will require the state Department of Education to craft discipline guidelines.  The bill will also require local school authorities to alert law enforcement when school harassment involves a potential felony.  Yearly reports on school harassment will be made to the Department of Education and the Legislature.

ü   Adventure Tourism

Senate Bill 196 will boost the state's adventure tourism industry by allowing the state to enter into agreements with private property owners to use their land for recreational activities.  The agreements would allow property owners to permit public use of the land without fear of the liability issues they otherwise would face.

ü   Alcohol vaporizers

HB 202 will ban the sale, purchase or use of alcohol vaporizing devices, which can be used to inhale intoxicating fumes of alcohol.

ü   Math and science incentives

SB 2 will offer incentives to increase the number of students taking advanced math and science courses in Kentucky.  Incentives would be provided from a science and mathematics advancement fund aimed at improving students' math and science knowledge from elementary school through college.

ü   Cancer

SB 98 will provide Medicaid coverage for breast and cervical cancer treatments for uninsured women.  SB 96 will require insurers to cover colorectal cancer screenings, in accordance with guidelines of the American Cancer Society.

ü   Golden Alert

SB 125, which I sponsored, creates a Kentucky Golden Alert for impaired adults who are missing.  The bill directs the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management to issue the Golden Alert through local media outlets whenever an impaired adult 18 years of age or older is reported missing from home, a facility or the care of another person.

ü   Energy consumption

HB 2 creates incentives for homeowners to use solar and wind energy, and to use other energy-efficient lights, windows, and insulation.  The bill also requires state government and local schools to build and lease energy-efficient buildings, and establishes a low-interest loan program to help businesses and public agencies become more energy efficient.

ü   Amusement park safety

SB 203 will require more frequent inspections of amusement park rides and prevent anyone under 18 from operating the rides.

ü   Penal Code

Senate Joint Resolution 80 calls for a legislative subcommittee to undertake a review of the state penal code.  The legislation would require the Legislature's Judiciary Committee to appoint a Penal Code Study Subcommittee, upon approval of General Assembly leadership.  The subcommittee would be responsible for thoroughly reviewing the state's penal code and finding ways to redraft and modernize it.

ü   Sex offenders

HB 211 will broaden Kentucky's child sex abuse laws while increasing penalties for abusers and those who fail to report abuse.  The bill will include older children under state laws that protect minors from first-degree sexual abuse by raising the age of children covered by the law from 12 to 16, or 16 to 18, if the perpetrator is in a position of trust or authority.

ü   E-waste

Senate Joint Resolution 76, which I sponsored, directs the Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet to make recommendations for an electronic waste disposal and recycling system.

ü   Elections

HB 370 will erase the requirement that runoff elections be held in gubernatorial primary races if no candidate receives at least 40 percent of the vote.

ü   Merit scholarships

SB 75 will allow students with 2.5 GPAs who are on track to graduate from college to keep their full KEES scholarship money each semester.  Currently, students with GPAs above 2.5 but below 3.0 only receive half their award.

ü   Military

HB 168 will allow active duty military serving outside the state up to 90 days to renew their driver's licenses after returning to Kentucky.  They could not be cited for driving without a license during that period.

Most of these bills and the others approved by the Kentucky General Assembly will take effect mid-July.

The Legislature will return to the Capitol January 6, 2009 for our "short" 30-day session.  I look forward to continuing our dialogue in the weeks ahead.  Thank you for your input and advice.  As always, you are welcome to contact me anytime.

Denise Harper Angel

State Senator

--Kentucky Senate Democratic Caucus; courtesy of Frank Leidermann, Acting Editor