Last week’s legislative committee meetings provided plenty of information to share with you in my regular update. Legislators heard from a variety of stakeholders on issues such as: staff shortages, food supply chain disruption, schooling during the pandemic, and the current economic climate.
I hope you will take a few moments and read these brief summaries.
IJC on Judiciary: Committee members met to discuss issues faced by the juvenile detention centers, including staff shortages and lack of training among staff working with Kentucky’s incarcerated youth who range from ages 10 to 21. Members also heard presentations on a couple legislative proposals, including animal cruelty cost-of-care, which would expedite the cost of care hearing, creating a system that’s fair to owners, taxpayers, and animals.
IJC on Agriculture: Members discussed several pressing issues within the state. Those issues range from the present Food Supply Chain disruption brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Chronic Wasting Disease, as well as Food Insecurity, and the current state of affairs at the Kentucky State University Land-Grant Cooperative Extension program.
IJC on Education: Legislators serving on the IJC on Education received a report on new data on the pandemic’s profound impact on academic performance. Legislators also discussed the mental health aspects of our students. Counselors and social emotional learning specialists from three school districts sadly reported that the number of suicidal thoughts and threats in schools skyrocketed.
The districts suggested the increase of student mental health concerns are hinged between virtual learning and the extended exposure to trauma and stress while learning online. The committee also heard from Boom Beans’ CEO and the Executive Director of Awesome Inc. about youth entrepreneurship opportunities in Appalachia. Both discussed how they partner to bring innovation and entrepreneurial skills to students and connect them with founders in rural parts of the state.
IJC on Appropriations and Revenue: Committee members received an update on the current economic climate as well as the specific impact on agriculture and wholesale distribution.
Agriculture Commissioner Ryan Quarles testified that the agriculture industry is facing various supply chain issues, including inadequate access to replacement machinery parts, inadequate infrastructure to process beef, and higher commodity prices. The Kentucky Wholesalers detailed supply chain issues facing the industry. Members also discussed the American Food Group beef processing plant, which recently decided not to build a facility in Christian County following opposition from local community members.
Legislators expressed the great need for a new beef processing plant, as cattle either has to be processed locally, or be sent 500 miles away to be processed. This results in larger costs for producers and consumers, and issues for the supply chain.
IJC on Transportation: Transportation Committee members heard an update on the Department of Aviation and General Aviation in Kentucky, the state’s major commercial airports, and aviation career training at Eastern Kentucky University (EKU) and Somerset Community College (SCC).
IJC on Natural Resources and Energy: The Interim Joint Committee Natural Resources and Energy discussed grid transmission and reliability and received an update on dam safety programs. Presenters from Big Rivers Electric Corporation shared that they rely on coal but are also investing funds into solar power. They believe that solar investment will provide a diverse low-cost generation portfolio of coal, natural gas, hydro and solar.
The committee also heard from the Energy and Environment Cabinet about dam safety program enhancements. The cabinet proposed several changes in statute, such as: updating terminology to reflect current technology, programs, and practices and requiring emergency action plans for high and significant hazard dams.
IJC on Banking and Insurance: Committee members met last week to discuss personal injury protection (PIP). PIP is no-fault medical coverage that is included into auto insurance coverage. PIP was passed in Kentucky when there was no individual mandate for health insurance.
Presenters shared many problems with PIP in our state such as, providers as allowed to charge any amount meaning that consumers may get less treatment for their coverage dollars and fraud is widespread in the Commonwealth especially in the Louisville area.
Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee: Members of the Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee reviewed information about the Support Education Excellence in Kentucky (SEEK) program created as part of education reform in 1990 to help Kentucky fund its public schools. Research revealed that 21 states use Average Daily Membership when counting students to fund education and about a third of states require a higher district local revenue contribution in their funding requirements.
They also took a look at how demographics play out across the state. For example, rural districts on average have more people living in poverty, more students classified as special education, and a lower percentage of students meeting ACT reading and math benchmarks. In addition, rural districts have lower teacher salaries and are projected to lose more students.
As part of SEEK transportation funding, the state reimburses districts for transporting students more than one mile to and from school. In 2020, 168 of 172 districts transported students to and from school. Their report found that the square mileage was calculated incorrectly for county districts with independent districts within their borders. The districts’ transportation codes for students transported more than a mile was not audited correctly.
BR Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, Personnel, and Public Retirement: Committee members met to receive budget requests from the Secretary of State’s office, the Commission on Human Rights, and the Legislative Research Commission. Secretary Adams reminded members that his budget is the smallest of any statewide constitutional office. Adams then requested that the General Assembly allow their office to keep a little more of their own revenue to upgrade their information technology system and meet the increasing demands as limited liability companies (LLC) in the Commonwealth have more than doubled in the last four years.
Presenters from the Commission on Human Rights shared a few problems that they are facing, such as: payroll, retirement contributions and lack of staffing. Members encouraged the presenter to take the first step in lobbying with the governor’s budget office as they present the General Assembly with their budget requests.
Last, the committee heard from the Legislative Research Commission (LRC) Director. The LRC serves as the legislature’s administrative arm, providing us with staff to help ensure the bills we sponsor are written in a legal manner, as well as the assistants who help us keep track of communicating with the people in our district.
The director shared his concerns with the staff turnover rate. LRC conducts exit interviews with all non-partisan employees to determine the cause of their departure. The vast majority of those reasons include: the ability to advance career outside agency, pay increase to leave the agency, and family circumstances have dictating that they no longer work here.
Committee members expressed their appreciation for the amazing individuals that work at LRC. Members shared that they want to do everything they can to keep employees with the agency.
BR Subcommittee on Justice and Judiciary: The committee met to discuss the COVID-19 commutations issued to state inmates last year. The Governor issued two rounds of commutations in April and August of 2020.
According to the Beshear administration, 1,704 state inmates, who were medically at-risk or were within six months of finishing their sentence for nonviolent and nonsexual crimes, were released. A recently issued report from the judicial branch shows that nearly a third of those inmates have already been charged with a new felony.
As always, I hope you will feel free to contact me with any questions or issues. I can be reached here at home anytime or through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. Please feel free to email me at Samara.Heavrin@lrc.ky.gov. If you would like more information about any of these committees or legislative actions, you can visit the Legislative Research Commission website at legislature.ky.gov.
