Higdon: Senate set to begin its review of proposed state budget
By JIMMY HIGDON
14th District State Senator
SEN. JIMMY HIGDON
Friday, March 18, 2016, 3 p.m. — After over two months of anticipation and debate, the Senate finally received the state budget bill from the House midway through the 11th week of the 2016 Kentucky General Assembly. We think the upcoming budget will reflect those needs for the betterment of the Commonwealth.
As expected, many changes were made to Governor Bevin’s budget by the House. Now that we have received their budget, we will comb through the fine details and make our own changes. Once we have our version of the budget completed, we must work with the House to compromise on a solution that we will ultimately send to the Governor to be signed into law.
One of our main concerns in the proposed House budget is the use of funds that are only for one-time expenses for items that are recurring, causing a structural imbalance. The use of these funds may solve our short-term problems, but it does not address our $35 billion, long-term pension liability. We cannot continue down the path of spending more money than we have. However, the Senate does plan to address the pension crisis in our version of the budget in a responsible manner that will provide for generations to come.
In the midst of receiving and reviewing the budget, the Senate also passed a number of bills this week:
Senate Bill (SB) 66 would offer confidentiality to peer reviews done by doctors.
SB 198 would amend KRS statute so neither a franchisee nor an employee of a franchisee will be considered an employee of the franchisor.
SB 205 addresses false advertisements about nursing homes that often encourage unwarranted lawsuits.
SB 260 would clarify procedure for confirmation of appointments made by the Governor.
HB 160 would require the Department for Public Health to establish guidelines for safe disposal of hypodermic syringes, needles, and sharps. An amendment to the bill also states that needle exchanges across the state must stick with a one-for-one exchange, which we believe will further advance our fight against the current drug epidemic.
SB 180 would protect religious freedoms.
SB 206 provide that cities may employ retired police officers upon the fulfillment of certain criteria.
SB 227 would increase the amount of basic training hours for peace officers.
SB 244 would amend Section 29 of the Constitution of Kentucky to permit the General Assembly or an agency or committee it creates to review, approve, or disapprove any administrative regulation of the executive branch during or between regular sessions of the General Assembly and ultimately put those on the ballot for voter approval.
HB 148 would permit licensed child-care centers and certified family child-care homes to have an epinephrine auto-injectors for emergency use. An amendment to HB 148 would increase the age limit in the definition of a newborn infant to 30 days in order to allow parents to abandon a child at a designated safe place.
SB 63 would expedite processing of untested rape kits.
SB 253 would create a charter school pilot project in Jefferson County and Fayette County in order to help address the achievement gap for children receiving free or reduced lunches.
SB 224 would update mine safety education and training requirements.
SB 202 would allow lawsuits involving the Commonwealth or its agencies to be heard in court outside of Franklin County.
SB 269 would allow people who have a hair braiding business to be exempt from a cosmetologist licensing process not related to their trade.
The days are getting longer and there is still much work to be done, but I feel confident in the Senate’s ability to negotiate a budget bill that Kentuckians can be proud of. I also appreciate Governor Bevin’s initial budget proposal which laid the groundwork for a smarter, more responsible Kentucky.
If you have any questions or comments about these issues or any other public policy issue, please call me toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 or email me at Jimmy.Higdon@LRC.ky.gov. You can also review the Legislature’s work online at www.lrc.ky.gov.
Senator Jimmy Higdon (R-Lebanon) represents the 14th District including Casey, Marion, Nelson and Spencer counties, as well as part of Jefferson County. He is the Chairman of both the Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee, and the Budget Review Subcommittee on Transportation. He is the Vice Chair of the Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations Committee and the Transportation Committee, as well as a member of the 2012 SS HB 1 Implementation and Oversight Committee; the Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, and Public Protection; the Economic Development, Tourism and Labor Committee; the Education Committee; the Health and Welfare Committee; the Program Review and Investigations Committee; and the Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee.
-30-
