The Political Bridge

Interesting Story in Lexington Herald-Leader on Fundraising Issues at the University of Louisville

LOUISVILLE — The University of Louisville's foundation awarded a $200,000 no-bid contract last summer to an advertising firm whose CEO sits on the university's board of trustees.

U of L President James R. Ramsey, who also serves as president of U of L's non-profit foundation, acknowledged last week it was "a mistake" to give the contract to Creative Alliance, the firm headed by university trustee Debbie Scoppechio, without shopping around.

He said the foundation's board began drafting a tighter contract approval process and oversight policy after the Herald-Leader requested the foundation's consulting contracts through the Open Records law in December...

Read more

Public Rally for House Bill 58(The Interlock DUI Law) Set for February 18th from Kathy Groob

House Bill 58 will help deter, prevent and curb drunk driving in Kentucky,” said Angela Criswell.  “Requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers is the first step in preventing deaths and injuries due to the 100 percent preventable violent crime of drunk driving.”

Representative Dennis Keene (D-Wilder), the sponsor of House Bill 58, co-sponsors, victims and supporters will rally at the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday February 18, 2010 at 11:30 a.m. in support of passage of the DUI legislation in the full House and Senate.  The legislation will require that first-time DUI offenders install an ignition interlock device on their automobile or risk losing their driver’s license.  Twelve states already require interlock devices; Kentucky would become the 13^th state. 

Interlock DUI Laws Clears Key Committee of the Kentucky General Assembly

 

For Immediate Release  

Contact:  Kathy Groob

February 9, 2010    

859-291-9001

[email protected]

Frankfort, KY—Today the Appropriations and Revenue Committee of the House of Representatives voted in favor of House Bill 58, which requires first-time drunk drivers to use an ignition interlock device.  Clearing this hurdle, the legislation is now expected to move to the House floor for a vote possibly within the next week.  Representative Dennis Keene, the bill’s sponsor, and Mothers Against Drunk Drivers (MADD) spokesperson Angela Criswell spoke in favor of the bill

Hou

se Bill 58 will help deter, prevent and curb drunk driving in Kentucky,” said Angela Criswell.  “Requiring ignition interlocks for all convicted drunk drivers is the first step in preventing deaths and injuries due to the 100 percent preventable violent crime of drunk driving

.”

 

Representative Dennis Keene (D-Wilder), the sponsor of House Bill 58, co-sponsors, victims and supporters will rally at the Capitol Rotunda on Thursday February 18, 2010 at 11:30 a.m. in support of passage of the DUI legislation in the full House and Senate.  The legislation will require that first-time DUI offenders install an ignition interlock device on their automobile or risk losing their driver’s license.  Twelve states already require interlock devices; Kentucky would become the 13^th state. 

    “On behalf of Kentucky’s families, I am willing to take this bold step forward in preventing drunken driving fatalities,” said Rep. Keene.  “It will hopefully keep offenders from getting behind the wheel of a car while intoxicated and keep children, parents and friends from losing loved ones to avoidable and tragic circumstances.”

Under the legislation, an ignition interlock device shall be imposed on the first offense of driving under the influence.  In 2008, nearly 200 people lost their lives in Kentucky due to drunk drivers.  Over 34,000 were arrested in 2008 for drunk driving in Kentucky.

    According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, more than 500 of Ohio’s worst repeat DUI offenders have moved to border states to avoid the tougher drunk driving laws in Ohio.  254 of those repeat offenders have moved to Kentucky.

    New Mexico passed similar legislation that has led to a 35% drop in drunk driving deaths since its passage.  According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), 13,000 people lost their lives in drunk driving accidents in 2007. 

“This legislation is a public protection act that will help make our roads safer while saving many lives.  I am very proud to champion this legislation and look forward to the governor signing House Bill 58 into law,” said Rep. Keene.

Representative Dennis Keene nearly lost his daughter in a drunk driving accident in 2002.  She required three subsequent surgeries in order to overcome her injuries.  Keene represents the 67 House District in Campbell County and has deep family roots in Breathitt County in Eastern Kentucky.  He owns a business, Country Living Homes, located in Grant County and is an economic development advisor for Southbank Partners.

Currently seven ignition interlock device manufacturers are approved to do business in Kentucky and upon passage of H.B. 58; more providers are expected to enter the state.

For more information, visit:  www.DennisKeene.com.

Currently 52 Co-sponsors to-date which include the following:

Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark

Majority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins

Majority Caucus Chair Robert Damron

Representative Royce Adams

Representative John Arnold

Representative Thomas Burch

Representative Dwight Butler

Representative John Carney

Representative Mike Cherry

Representative Leslie Combs

Representative James Comer

Representative Wil Coursey

Representative Ron Crimm

Representative Myron Dossett

Representative Ted Edmonds

Representative C.B. Embry

Representative Tim Firkins

Representative Danny Ford

Representative Jim Glenn

Representative Jim Gooch

Representative Derrick Graham

Representative Jeff Greer

Representative Keith Hall

Representative Mike Harmon

Representative Richard Henderson

Representative Melvin Henley

Representative Charlie Hoffman

Representative Dennis Horlander

Representative Thomas Kerr

Representative Martha Jane King

Representative Adam Koenig

Representative Jimmie Lee

Representative Thomas McKee

Representative Charles Miller

Representative Rick Nelson

Representative Marie Rader

Representative Rick Rand

Representative Jody Richards

Representative Carl Rollins

Representative Sal Santoro

Representative Charles Siler

Representative Dottie Sims

Representative Kevin Sinnette

Representative Ancel Smith

Representative Fitz Steele

Representative Kent Stevens

Representative Jim Stewart

Representative Wilson Stone

Representative Tommy Thompson

Representative David Watkins

Representative Ron Weston

Representative Susan Westrom

 

 

The Kentucky U.S. Senate Democratic Primary: Dr. Mongiardo and AG Conway Sharply Differ on Light Rail for Kentucky

January 29, 2010

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

 Contact: Kim Geveden
(502) 682-2010
[email protected]

Annette Lee
(502) 498-4008x230
[email protected]

Mongiardo Renews Call for Kentucky To Be Included in Nation’s High Speed Rail Plan: Applauds  News  Kentucky To Be Included in Feasibility Study

Conway Has Said Including Kentucky in Plan, “Is Not Rooted in Reality

FRANKFORT --- In the wake of today’s announcement that the Federal Railroad Administration has approved a $250,000 grant to study the feasibility of including Kentucky in a national high speed rail network, Lt. Governor and Democratic U.S. Senate Daniel Mongiardo renewed his call --- made 2 months ago ago in a speech in Louisville --- that Kentucky be included in a new national high speed rail network.

“As I advocated two months ago, today’s announcement is the first step towards hopefully including Kentucky in a high speed national rail network that could bring badly needed jobs and economic growth to our state. I applaud today’s announcement because much like the federal interstate highway system, Kentucky can not afford to be left behind in a new national high speed rail network. As a U.S. Senator I will fight to get Kentucky included,” said Mongiardo.

Last month, Attorney General Jack Conway dismissed Mongiardo’s call for including Kentucky in a new high speed rail system saying Mongiardo’s plan was “not rooted in reality.”

With today’s  announcement, Mongiardo’s campaign spokesman Kim Geveden called on Conway to embrace Mongiardo’s call for Kentucky to be included in such a rail network.

“Daniel Mongiardo has shown he has the vision and ideas to create jobs and spur economic growth in Kentucky,” said Geveden. “In contrast, Jack Conway has dismissed the idea of Kentucky being part of a national rail plan that could create jobs and economic growth throughout Kentucky. How many more billions will be invested in developing a new rail network in other states, creating jobs in other communities before Conway acknowledges the economic benefits and jobs that could be associated with making Kentucky part of a new national rail grid?” said Geveden.

“Daniel Mongiardo believes Kentucky’s workers, small businesses and manufacturers cannot afford to be left behind.  If we do not begin working now to get Kentucky included in our nation’s high speed rail plan, the routes will pass-by our communities, along with the jobs and economic growth associated with it. Kentuckians simply cannot afford Jack Conway’s lack of vision about how to create jobs and economic growth,” said Geveden.

The Kentucky House of Representatives in Review for the week of January 25, 2010; submitted by Rep Reginald Meeks

Texting and using a cell phone are about as common today as brushing your teeth.  The problem for legislatures is that most people don't brush their teeth behind the wheel.  Many text and talk and drive. HB 43 would ban text messaging by all drivers and the use of cell phones by drivers under age 18. This is an expanding problem and these are proven factors in motor vehicle crashes.  Several states have passed bills similar to HB 43, and Kentucky currently has an executive order in effect that bans texting while driving a state vehicle.  At the federal level, a ban on texting by drivers of buses and large commercial trucks was issued just last Tuesday.

Our Appropriations & Revenue committee is engaged in the anguishing process of answering that question everyone is awaiting the answer to: Where are we going to find enough revenue to fix a projected state budget shortfall of up to $1.5 billion through 2012 and balance what is sure to be a bare-bones state budget?   Tax increases and expanded gaming are off the table and DOA as alternatives.  We have been pouring over any number of options that – taken in the aggregate, will get us to where we have to be.  These alternative budget plans will be unveiled soon.

We took a major step toward protecting health-insurance coverage for seriously ill Kentuckians in the state’s high-risk Kentucky Access pool with the passage of HB 165. The bill contains changes required by the federal government to operate Kentucky Access and provisions that allow employer-sponsored health plans to have different contribution rates for smokers and non-smokers.  It offers incentives for participation in smoking cessation programs.  

Also, my HCR 7 was passed which could offer alternatives to counties in the carrying out of future elections.  A number of states are experimenting with election alternatives that, 1. Are more convenient, 2. Encourage voter participation and, 3. Result in cost savings to local and state governments.  The resolution calls for studying whether counties should have the option to create voting centers that can be placed in convenient locations and possibly open earlier and stay open later than the usual hours, and study whether voters should be allowed to vote early, before election day.  This country has among the lowest voting turnout of all democratic governments!

House members raised over $12,000 for Haitian Relief, surpassing our goal of $10,000!   Credible organizations to receive donations can be found at the Center for Disaster Relief - 703.276.1914 and at www.Whitehouse.gov or at www.USAID.gov or the Red Cross offices.

NOTE: Our legislative meeting schedule has been shortened by one day.  Due to projected weather (snow and ice) problems in the southern and western part of the state, legislators took Friday off and this extra day will be added on to the back end of the calendar.

Stay informed of action on bills and meetings this session by checking www.lrc.ky.gov, or call the LRC toll-free Bill Status Line at 866.840.2835. The LRC toll-free Meeting Information Line is 800.633.9650. Connect with me directly at [email protected] or at 502.564.8100.

Pray for the safety and success of our President and his family.   

List of Legislation Filed By Kentucky State Senator Denise Harper Angel

 

The following is a list of legislation that I have filed as the primary sponsor:

 

·   SB 10 - Relates to childhood hearing loss.

 

·   SB 11 - Provides smoking cessation treatment for pregnant smokers.

 

·   SB 12 - Upgrades the state's licensing law for psychologist.

 

·   SB 23 - Bans texting while driving.

 

·   SB 24 - Permits the sale of limited alcoholic beverages by the drink at designated state parks.

 

·   SB 71 - Creates a special license plate for recipients of the Silver Star or the Bronze Star Medal of Valor.

 

·   SB 86 - Requires chain restaurants with at least 20 locations nationwide to provide calorie information on menus and menu boards for all standard items.

 

·   SB 109 – Includes dating partners among the class of persons allowed to obtain domestic violence protective orders. 

 

·   SR 9 - Urges the Governor to include funding for Medicaid-approved smoking cessation programs in his 2010-2012 Executive Budget proposal.

 

It is hard to believe we have finished our first month at the Capitol, but the pace is still accelerating. Many more issues will come before us in the weeks and months ahead. Call the Legislative Message Line at 1-800-372-7181 or visit our web site at www.lrc.ky.gov to stay abreast of our legislative work. You may also contact me at [email protected].

 

Senator Harper Angel represents the 35^th Senate District in Jefferson County.

The Kentucky Senate Week in Review from Senator Denise Harper Angel

Prepared by the Kentucky LRC 

FRANKFORT — While education reform, the biennial budget, and other big-ticket legislation grab headlines, the bulk of the General Assembly’s work comes on a smaller scale through small tweaks to the law that affects Kentuckians each day. This week, we passed several measures that may not end up on your front page, but they will have some impact on thousands of citizens nonetheless.

One such proposal is Senate Bill 19, which would allow pharmacy technicians who volunteer with charity groups to provide free or low-cost drugs to have their annual registration fee waived. It is only $25, but it is a powerful message to retirees and others who maintain their registration just to help the less fortunate. These charities, some of which write 20,000 prescriptions or more each year, depend on pharmacy technicians to make sure the medication is distributed in a timely manner, and with more Kentuckians in the grip of this recession, we need as many of them as we can.

Another commonsense measure, SB 47, will allow local jails to charge a co-pay to state prisoners who require medical care. One of the fastest-growing expenses for our correctional facilities is medical costs, and more state prisoners are being kept in county jails as the population increases. This legislation will allow counties to make a small dent in the growth of their jail budgets. Although inmates who cannot afford to pay would not go without care, the jails could use inmate’s accounts, which they can add to through work details and other methods, to cover those co-pays.

Many times, Kentucky businesses bidding for work in other states face a major roadblock because in-state contractors get a legal preference. SB 45 would level the playing field, by penalizing out-of-state businesses who seek contracts in Kentucky by the same amount they penalize Kentucky contractors in their state. For example, if New York contractors get a 5 percent “hometown discount” when bidding for work in Buffalo, they would face the same 5 percent penalty on work they bid for in Bowling Green. Effectively, this helps give Kentucky bidders a fair shake throughout their contracting business and keeps our economy more vibrant.

A second bill aimed at protecting domestic jobs is SB 54. Many businesses require their employees to buy particular work uniforms, safety goggles, and other items. Some even specify a certain manufacturer, which may produce their goods overseas even though like goods are manufactured here in the United States. SB 54 would prohibit public employers from requiring overseas equipment or clothing unless those goods are not produced in the USA at a competitive price. In this global marketplace, and in this economy, we must take care of our own, and SB 54 is another way to do that.

From the Rural Blog: Is the Cap and Trade Energy Legislation Dead?

 Now after President Obama's call for climate legislation in the State of the Union address, lawmakers are discussing proposals that would reduce carbon emissions, but not include a cap-and-trade system for emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouses gases, Richard Cowan and Timothy Gradner of Reuters report. "It's open to how you price carbon," Massachusetts Democratic Sen. John Kerry told the reporters. "People need to relax and look at all the ways you might price carbon. We're not pinned down to one approach."

Report of the Kentucky Poverty Task Force; Issued December, 2009 from Rep. Reginald Meeks, Member

 

One of the most persistent issues facing the Commonwealth is that of poverty.  Many questions have been raised from the work of the Kentucky Poverty Task Force:  how do we acknowledge and recognize poverty as it manifests itself in different communities across the state; what safeguards are in place to help Kentucky families break the cycle of poverty; and how do we realize the policy decisions needed to adequately respond to the many ways poverty impacts each of us.

Speaker Greg Stumbo and House Leadership understood the need for an in-depth study of poverty in the Commonwealth.  I was honored to be asked to serve on this important task force, which included 25 members of the House. We studied, reviewed data and information, and heard testimony throughout the summer and fall on five (5) key areas of impact.  Our purpose was to examine national and regional efforts -- current and emerging -- which might be effective in fighting poverty in Kentucky. The task force was also to report on recommendations for legislative actions.  We met four (4) times in the 2009 Interim to gather information and formulate recommendations.

The key areas of impact we examined included (1) an overview of poverty in the state; defining it and putting it in a national context. We also made several policy recommendations; (2) a look at children in poverty in the state, and programs that are available to these children; we heard from a number of offices and agencies providing services to this vulnerable population; (3) financial literacy and bank financing along with available programs and policy recommendations in these areas; (4) transportation issues in both rural and urban communities and issues related to access to transportation in these areas; and finally (5) addressing the issue of homelessness in the Commonwealth and the related mental health issues accompanying this population; and having a special emphasis on the homeless veteran population in the state.

Please see a copy of our work at http://www.lrc.ky.gov/lrcpubs/rm504.pdf

As always, your feedback is encouraged.

[email protected]

502.564.8100

 

KY GOVERNOR BESHEAR’S BUDGET ADDRESS: INSIGHTPublished by the Office of Representative Reginald K. Meeks

    

The facts as presented by Governor Steve Beshear seem to be clear.   We are facing a $1.5 billion shortfall in Kentucky, the largest ever.  Six (6) times during his Administration this governor has been responsible for having to fill budget shortfalls ranging from $100 million to $1 billion. Working with the General Assembly, he has kept critical areas off the chopping block: education, healthcare, public safety and the jobs of public employees.  Yet, this budget, he says, is responsibly balanced; does not raise taxes; creates jobs; and guides spending for the next 2 years . . . if he gets expanded gaming.   It is a tough call all the way around. 

How does one go about recommending how to balance what to this state is a massive amount of money? According to the governor, there are limited options for addressing this budget crisis and he clearly laid out each option:  (1) make cuts;  (2) depend on additional federal stimulus funds;  (3) a broad-based tax increase; or (4) use revenues and license fees at horse tracks [AKA:  expand gaming].

Governor Beshear also explained what we as a state should expect as consequences of each option. Cuts will lead to mass layoffs and could be as high as 12 percent the first year and 34 percent the second year.  Federal stimulus funds should be used as the state’s contingency planning bank and since they are non-recurring, so IF we get them, he has plans for their use.  A broad tax increase would place an increased burden on the people and businesses we depend on to grow ourselves out of this recession.  Finally, he concludes that Option 4 above is “the only practical option for funding priorities from recurring expenditures” and that these funds from expanded gaming provide a reliable source of revenues. 

What should citizens be watching out for in the coming months?  There is a pragmatic and a political side to the ensuing debate on our fiscal woes you will be hearing.  Senate President David Williams has said in the past that you (citizens) have not felt the pain of nearly eight (8) years of sustained state budget cuts and that the governor’s bet on expanded gaming has stumbled at – no, refused to enter the gate.  Should we find no additional revenues and the governor’s warnings come to fruition, that pain will be all too evident to the Senate President and to all Kentuckians.  This leaves open the question of which of the remaining three options will be the winning ticket. It may be a fifth option will have to be created.

Politically, Governor Beshear seems to have worked himself between a rock and a hard spot.  On one hand, the Senate is clearly not interested in cooperating with him in good faith as a partner to address a real or a perceived budget crisis.   On the other hand, by not bringing in House Leadership on the front end, as his budget was being prepared, and (apparently) not heeding advice regarding the gaming issue the governor has made yet another questionable gambit in the upcoming Gubernatorial Challenge Match.  This one may have exacerbated a problem many perceive to have been caused by his opening move; the selection of a Lieutenant Governor.

The governor has some time to generate movement on the bill he wants.  Now is the time for a mobilized and motivated public to push members of the General Assembly to fall in and support his gaming legislation if they have been adequately sold on the governor’s plan.  We will see if that is what develops over the next week or so.  If not, it may be House Leadership, the Appropriations Committee, and House members facing the prospect of crafting a state budget and creating our own options for meeting this $1.5 billion deficit.