Legislative Update - Week 5
It was a busy but productive fifth week of the 2020 Regular Session as we passed a wide array of bills through the Senate and continued biennial budget discussions.
On Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations & Revenue (A&R) Committee received a briefing of the governor’s budget proposal from the State Budget Director. The Senate the A&R committee has already begun an intensive review process of the budget proposed by the governor. As chairman of this committee, I have been working diligently with staff analyzing the governor’s proposal and preparing to get to right to work with my colleagues in the General Assembly in crafting a responsible budget the fulfill financial obligations and meets the needs of Kentuckian’s. I will be providing members of the Senate with a detailed analysis of the governor’s budget. The next step in the process is to wait to receive a budget proposal from the House of Representatives, where all spending bills must originate. I and fellow Senate members look forward to working with the House.
Crafting the Commonwealth’s two-year financial plan is a lengthy process, but for good reason. Formulating the state budget is a great responsibility. The decisions made in Frankfort will directly affect the lives of every Kentuckian or the next two years. I am confident that the final product will reflect the General Assembly’s commitment to Kentucky values and our financial obligations. I will keep you updated on the status of the budget in the coming weeks.
On Thursday, Troopers and families of Kentucky State Police Post 5 joined me in the Senate Chamber as my guest, as I introduced a Senate Citation honoring Trooper Mickey Gonterman. Trooper Gonterman suffered life-threatening injuries when he was hit by a vehicle while answering a call on I-71. We get to honor a lot of people on the Senate Floor, but often the people who deserve it the most do not receive it, because they are in the line of duty protecting us. As I stated in the chamber on Thursday, the separation between Heroes like Trooper Gonterman and serious injury or death is a thin gray line. We are thankful for God’s providence in protecting the life of Trooper Gonterman and are sincerely indebted to him for his courageous service.
The Senate Majority made notable progress on the 2020 legislative agenda, successfully passing 11 bills over the course of the week, including Senate Bill (SB) 1 and SB 7.
Also known as the Federal Immigration Cooperation Act of 2020, SB 1 ensures the cooperation of state and local governments with the federal government in the enforcement of federal immigration laws. This is a preemptive measure set forth to protect Kentuckians and enforce federal immigration law. SB 7, priority legislation relating to School-Based Decision-Making Councils, returns the appointment of the school principal to the Superintendent after consultation with the school council and equalizes council membership of teachers and parents.
A number of bills with bipartisan support passed through the Senate this week. SB 63 is a measure that would allow high school dropouts who are at least 21 years of age to complete their graduation requirements through online programs. SB 45 requires licensed child-care centers to have standards on nutrition and physical activity. SB 45 also incorporates state and national expertise in developing new standards regarding screen time and sugary drinks. SB 42 would require issued student identification badges to contain emergency hotline numbers for domestic violence, sexual assault, and suicide prevention.
Also passing in the Senate this week was SB 102, legislation to remove unnecessary red tape in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services by repealing 48 outdated and obsolete statutes. SB 87, an act to remove the automatic transfer of a child from a district court to the circuit court to be tried as an adult in cases involving the use of firearms was approved. SB 40, legislation that would provide additional protections for Kentucky’s vulnerable children by requiring fingerprint background checks for employees of child protection and child welfare agencies. SB 60, a measure to add SMA to the list of heritable conditions tested at birth was passed. This screening would be provided at no additional cost to the family or the Kentucky taxpayer.
For ambitious students who want to be a part of this year’s legislative process, the Kentucky General Assembly offers a variety of page opportunities for all ages. Students interested should contact my office at (502)564-8100 to make a formal request. More information regarding the page programs can be found at www.legislature.ky.gov
To those who have reached out or visited my office in the past weeks, thank you for staying engaged during these early weeks of the session. I appreciate your input and urge you to continue making your voices heard in Frankfort.
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 Chris.McDaniel@LRC.ky.gov. You can also review the Legislature’s work online at www.legislature.ky.gov.