Victories and Defeats in the 2008 Legislature

Two days remain of the regular session of Kentucky's General Assembly. It has been a difficult session, and we still have time to effect change for the good in these last two days, but you'll have to read to the end of this blog to find out what you can still do!

Many of you have sent letters and made phone calls to your legislators. I hope you have been following the issues in your local news media, but in case you haven't let me take this opportunity to give you an up date on what has happened, on what still could happen, and to thank you for your participation in the legislative process. Citizens do make a difference. Your voice and opinions matter to your legislators.

THE BUDGET: The major issue facing the legislature in every even-numbered year is the state's biennial budget. Budgets, we know, are moral documents and reveal the priorities and values of a people. Unfortunately, the 2009-2010 budget for our Commonwealth will cause difficulties for many portions of our common life: students at our colleges and universities will face higher tuition rates; there will be minimal salary increases for teachers and staff at K-12 schools, and at colleges and universities. Health and human services will have no additional moneys to meet ever growing needs, and a number of programs will suffer significant cuts to their budgets.

The budget, as adopted by the House and Senate, contains no new sources of revenue. Even the minimal 25 cent increase in the cigarette tax was rejected. The KCC had supported an increase of 70 cents, which would have been a great factor in preventing teens from becoming addicted to tobacco, and in reducing the numbers of pregnant women who smoke. The tobacco tax, even at the 25 cent level as suggested by the House in its version of the budget, would have made some difference and would have generated about $50 million new dollars. A 70 cent increase would have generated about $225 million.

New dollars were needed because the current economic climate has resulted in declining revenues from the state income and sales taxes, all while costs for Medicaid, education, and prisons keep rising. Kentucky is in a real pickle for the next two years, unless the legislature is called back by the Governor for a special session (to the tune of about $65,000 per day) to review the budget and pass some new "revenue enhancements" prior to July 1st.

CASINOS: Through a combination of factors, including the effective voice of opponents such as the Kentucky Council of Churches, the Kentucky Baptist Convention, the Family Foundation, Say No to Casinos, and Kentucky Youth Advocates, and including internal political conflicts between the two political parties and internally to them, the casino issue never made it to a floor vote. The proposal that was brought forward was not what the thoroughbred industry had hoped for, either. The resulting disarray of voices for casinos and the politics of the issue mean that it is effectively dead, and cannot be passed to be included on a ballot for the people's vote until 2010.

ANTI-BULLYING BILL: HB-91 passed both the House and Senate after a conference committee ironed out some of the differences between the two chambers. We have been working for the passage of this bill for 4 years. The bill requires the development and implementation of discipline procedures around bullying. It also requires consistent reporting procedures to state authorities for all school districts.

CHILDREN'S WELFARE: Two good bills for children also passed. SB-120 requires booster seats for children under age 7 who are 40-50 inches tall, and sets a $30 penalty for noncompliance with a grace period for enforcement until 2009. HB-186 requires public school students to receive a dental examination within 90 days of first-time enrollment in Kentucky schools. This means that many children will receive dental care for the first time in their lives.

ENVIRONMENT: The "Stream-Saver" bill that would have prevented strip mining from dumping the debris from their mountaintop removal procedures into the headwaters of creeks and rivers did manage, at last, to receive a hearing, but not from the Committee on the Environment and Natural Resources, but by the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee. We are hopeful that in future years the groundswell of public opinion in favor of this legislation will force it to be heard and receive a vote from each chamber.

I encourage you to read Wendell Berry's impassioned speech from the "I Love The Mountains" day, attended by approximately 2000 Kentuckians, at http://www.kftc.org/our-work/general-assembly/stream-saver-bill/Wendell%20Berry%202-14-08.pdf

ECONOMIC JUSTICE: The Pay-Day Lending bill, HB-500, is stuck currently in the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee. Sponsored by Rep. Johnny Bell, HB-500 would require the creation of a database to allow the Office of Financial Institutions to monitor compliance with state law by payday lenders and borrowers. While not nearly as strong as we would like it to be, it would at least eliminate the practice of borrowers taking out a new loan immediately after paying off a previous loan, and would require a 24 hour cooling off period. The database would make sure that people did not have more than one such loan at a time.

The Pay Day Lending bill still has a chance to be voted out of the Senate and to be delivered to the Governor before the Legislature adjourns on April 15. Please call 1-800-372-7181 to let your legislator know your opinion about Pay-Day Lending practices in Kentucky.

THANKS. Again, I thank you for your participation in our action alerts and in being involved in the legislative process as a faithful citizen. Together we can build a more perfect union.

I also want to thank the groups and churches that hosted me for a Legislative Briefing: First United Methodist Church, Frankfort; Union College, Barbourville; the Peace and Justice Committee of the Diocese of Northern Kentucky; the Kentuckiana Association, United Church of Christ; Summit Heights United Methodist Church (Louisville); Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church (Louisville) and the Presbytery of Mid-Kentucky; and Grace Episcopal Church, Paducah.