Kentucky House

Bill That Could Erase Some Lower Felonies Moves to Senate

Whitney Jones and The Associated Press — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 13:39:31 +0000

The Kentucky House has passed a bill that would allow people convicted of low-level felonies to apply to remove them from their criminal records. The Monday vote was 78-19. The proposal would allow people to expunge felonies that carry sentences of one to five years in prison.

KY House Candidate Imes: a Constitutional Republican

Rose Krzton-Presson — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 16:57:44 +0000

5th District Candidate for Kentucky's House of Representatives Kenny Imes spoke last night at the opening of the Calloway County Republican Party headquarters. Imes previously served 4 terms as a state representative from 1972 to 79- during which time he switched parties to join the GOP. He says that the switch was due to a change in the parties’ platforms, and that he has always held a strong constitutional stance when it comes to establishing his platform.

House Budget Committee Passes Road Plan

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 19:11:37 +0000

The Kentucky House budget committee has approved the next two-year road plan for the commonwealth.

The committee easily passed the plan and the Transportation Cabinet's operating budget today.

The road plan funds many of Governor Steve Beshear's big initiatives, such as widening both Interstate 65 around Bowling Green and the Mountain Parkway.

Bill sponsor Sannie Overly didn't offer specific details about the committee's changes to the measures, but says there are some.

Report Urges Policymakers to Consider Long-Term Sustainability of Coal Severance Fund

Erica Peterson (KPR) — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 19:56:23 +0000

State lawmakers are considering a bill that would designate some coal severance tax money to scholarships for coalfields residents; the measure has already passed the House. But a report by a non-profit group warns that Kentucky needs to think about the long-term future of the state’s coal severance fund. Coal producers pay a tax of four and a half percent value of coal that’s sold into the state’s coal severance fund. Half of that money goes to Kentucky’s general fund, and the other half goes to various programs in coal-producing counties.

Afternoon Round-Up 3/13/12

Rose Krzton-Presson — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:33:12 +0000

Missouri Governor Jay Nixon is opposing budget cuts to a health care program for the blind.

Kentucky Politics:

The Kentucky House has passed a measure giving retired prosecutors special privileges to carry concealed weapons anywhere in the Commonwealth.

Bill Allows Reflective Tape for Amish Vehicles

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:59:03 +0000

A bill that would allow slow-moving vehicles to use reflective tape instead of an orange triangle is moving through the House. The triangles have become an issue in Kentucky’s Amish community, where the symbol and loud color run counter to religious beliefs. Some Amish men have been arrested for refusing to use the triangles on their buggies. Both the House and the Senate passed separate bills addressing the issue. But the Senate proposal has fewer requirements, and the House decided to take up the Senate’s version.

Bullying Bill Heard in House

Brenna Angel (KPR) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:32:45 +0000

Parents of children who committed suicide after being bullied at school testified before the Kentucky House Education committee Tuesday, advocating a bill that they say would strengthen the state’s current bullying law. The measure would prohibit harassing behavior and communication based on a student’s race, ethnicity, religion, physical or mental disability, gender, and sexual orientation. Representative Ben Waide, a Republican from Hopkins County, said he opposed the bill because it would provide special rights to certain people.

House Committee Passes Unemployment Insurance Fix

Kenny Colston (KPR) — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 18:19:14 +0000

A compromise to help employers avoid high federal unemployment insurance taxes has easily cleared a House committee.

The proposal would allow Kentucky to borrow money from a bank or other organization to repay federal loans. Kentucky borrowed nearly one billion dollars from the federal government to pay for unemployment insurance during the recession.

Up until now, the state had no plan on how to keep up with interest payments on that loan. If the state is late on payments, the federal government can put a higher tax on employers to recoup the funds.

House Passes Concealed Weapons for Prosecutors

Shelly Baskin and Associated Press — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 15:46:16 +0000

The Kentucky House has passed a measure giving retired prosecutors special privileges to carry concealed weapons anywhere in the Commonwealth. Representatives voted Monday for the measure now headed to the Senate. Democratic state Representative Bob Damron is sponsor of the bill extending to commonwealth's attorneys and county attorneys the same right already given to retired judges. The measure is intended to allow retired prosecutors to defend themselves if attacked. Kentucky already allows people to carry concealed weapons if they have permits to do so.

KY House Passes Nursing Home Background Checks Bill

Shelly Baskin and from the Associated Press — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 19:04:00 +0000

The Kentucky House has approved a proposal to create a registry of people ineligible for employment at long-term care facilities based on criminal record checks. The bill passed 62-36 Tuesday. The bill, which would fingerprint prospective employees as part of the background check process, would be initially funded by a $3 million federal grant and a $1 million state grant.