Kentucky Senate President Robert Stivers says the main concern for the upcoming legislative session is jobs, and lawmakers may not have time to discuss many ‘social issues’ like a bill to stop fairness ordinances.
Stivers made the remark Wednesday in Paducah during a press conference with his Republican colleagues before the start of their annual caucus retreat.
The Senate leaders were asked a question about ‘a pre-filed a bill to stop local fairness ordinances, and whether such a bill would see backlash like in Indiana or North Carolina.’ Stivers said while he was unaware of such a bill being pre-filed, in a short session he wants to limit the number of bills that don’t deal with ‘getting Kentucky back to work.’
“We’re going to have to focus on economic development, jobs is what we’re gonna have to focus on," said Stivers. "And this issue… and I don’t know if this is the appropriate time to take up a very broad-based social issue because we have to get people working again while we have this opportunity.”
Stivers says a shorter session will allow a few key bills to be reviewed and not “punch a 60-day session into 30 days.”
Republicans now control both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office for the first time in 95 years.
The legislature convenes January 3rd, 2017.