The Kentucky General Assembly begins its 2019 session on Tuesday, and will last 30 legislative days.
In odd-numbered years, sessions are half as long as even-numbered years and are broken into two parts. The first four days of the session – Jan. 8 to Jan. 11 – will focus on organizational work, such as electing legislative leaders, adopting rules for the session and forming committees. The introduction and consideration of legislation can also begin during this time. The second part of the session begins on Feb. 5, with final adjournment scheduled for March 29.
Because this is a “short session” of the legislature there is less time to debate and pass bills, but that doesn’t mean lawmakers have fewer issues to debate.
Suzanne Miles, Representative of the 7th District, spoke with Owensboro Times on her drive to Frankfort Monday, offering a preview of what Daviess County can expect out of this legislative session.
Miles said the pension crisis is an inevitable item on the docket this session, after Governor Matt Bevin called a special legislative session to address the public pension crisis in mid-December. The General Assembly convened, but adjourned without voting on Dec. 18.
“We still have the problem,” Miles said. “We will decide what needs to be done going forward.”
Miles said she expects to hear more out of the special committee studying school safety, lead by Sen. Max Wise of the 16th District and Rep. John Bam Carney of House District 51. Ideas floated by this committee include putting more armed and trained resource officers and mental health counselors in schools in wake of recent school shootings.
“We will make sure we are putting forth suggestions and best practice for school safety,” Miles said.
With this being a short session, Miles said a lot of major items will not be initiated and lawmakers will focus more on adjustments to past legislature, one of those being the 2018 tax overhaul, which changed tax policy for nonprofits, requiring the charge of sales tax on fundraising events.
“This was based on interpretation of a court ruling,” Miles said. “We will need to revisit that so we are encouraging the support of our nonprofits.”
Miles also said all Daviess County representatives will continue to pay attention to road projects that affect the community — namely the I-165 spur upgrade of the William Natcher Parkway, the Highway 54 widening project and the US-60 West project affecting many Kimberly Clark employees.
One issue that will be addressed opening day is the recount of the 13th District in which Democrat Jim Glenn won by one vote against Republican incumbent DJ Johnson. Johnson asked House leadership for a recount, which could not begin until the legislature was back in session. Glenn was sworn in by Daviess Circuit Judge Joe Castlen last week, but all lawmakers will be sworn in Tuesday by the chief justice of the Supreme Court. It remains unclear who will be seated for the 13th District on Tuesday.
Owensboro Times reached out to Laura Leigh Goins, deputy chief of staff for media relations for the speaker for Kentucky House of Representatives, who issued the following statement regarding the recount and who will represent House District 13:
“The House Majority Caucus will address issues regarding this election contest in a legal, ethical and appropriate manner. We will continue to follow the requirements of the Kentucky Constitution and statutes as they apply to contested House seats.”
