Lawmakers Still Have Much to Accomplish in Session

As the 2012 legislative session winds down, lawmakers aren’t touting a long list of accomplishments.  They say that’s not due to a lack of work, but mainly a lack of extra money to fund new programs or expand others.  Instead, House Speaker Greg Stumbo says the main highlights will be a three-bill attack on Kentucky’s drug abuse problems and passing general and road budgets before the end of the session.  In recent years, lawmakers haven’t even been able to pass budgets on time. So Stumbo says this year is a return to normal. Stumbo says legislation targeting drug abuse should pass this week, too. Those bills tighten the laws around prescription pill abuse, limit the amount of pseudoephedrine available over the counter and overhaul synthetic drug laws.  Outside of that, Stumbo says some individual accomplishments will be made, but nothing on a grand scale.