First ‘Coffee with Dave’ set for 9 a.m. Saturday at Tom Pig’s Restaurant

By DAVID FLOYD
50th District State Representative

Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014, 2 p.m. – The 2014 session of your General Assembly convened Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2014. As in past years, I’ll use Saturdays to bring you up to date and answer questions at various locations throughout our district.

Unlike in years past, we will convene instead at 9 a.m. By this time, most of the regular traffic at restaurants and mini-marts has subsided, and we won’t be interrupting business.

And instead of laying out a schedule for the entire session, which runs through March, I’ll just announce the next week or so. This gives added flexibility to the “Coffee” schedule, so that I can better respond to your requests for meeting places and accommodate unforeseen events. Like bad weather. I remember a few years back we had a snow storm, and nobody should have been on the road. But I’d made a commitment to be in Fairfield, and I went. It was not the wisest move, but after a very exciting drive I made it on time; the only one who came that day was Mayor Tom Trent, who walked across the way to the local grocery (We had a good talk).

There are several key issues for this session. Of local interest, Senator Higdon and I will be pushing to clarify legislative intent, passed in 2006, with regard to the use of Eminent Domain in Kentucky. I’ll be working with Rep. Hubie Collins to pass legislation about the tax assessment on vehicles older than 20 years. And we will name a stretch of the Bluegrass Parkway in memory of Officer Jason Ellis of the Bardstown Police Department.

A major issue for me and for many Nelson County residents, is the possibility of expungement of criminal records for people who committed certain felonies (see my column from 2013, “Felons Among Us”). I’m working very closely on this with Rep. Darryl Owens as principal sponsor. Rep. John Tilley, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, mentioned my name three times in a recent speech about consideration of this matter in the 2014 session.

And, of course, every even-year session is a budget session. Again, we face many challenges. I have good confidence that we will reach agreement between chambers and pass a budget on time; of course, no one is ever completely happy with a budget, and compromise will be necessary to get our work done on time.

The first “Coffee with Dave” will be at 9 a.m. this Saturday at Tom Pigs on Bloomfield Road. I expect Sen. Higdon will also join us. Remember, no speeches; we just gather to chat about certain bills or issues that concern you. It’s very informal, and one great advantage is that we have time to fully explore an issue. I buy the coffee, and look forward to seeing you there.

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