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2008 Bill Tracker

by jerry — last modified April-21-2008 09:52 AM

KFTC's 2008 legislative issues at a glance

The General Assembly is adjourned until January 2009

Issue	Summary	Status
Saving Streams (and mountains) House Bill 164 KFTC position: FOR More information …	HB 164 This legislation would prohibit the dumping of mine wastes into "an intermittent, perennial, or ephemeral stream or other water of the Commonwealth." These are mostly headwater streams that are essential to the quality of waterways upstream and downstream. Mine wastes could be placed back on the mine site as part of the reclamation process already specified in state and federal law - rather than dumped over the side of the hill into the valleys and streams below.	HB 164 has been introduced in the House and assigned to the Natural Resources and Environment Committee. It currently has 23 cosponsors. Committee Chair Rep. Jim Gooch has said he has no interest in bringing up this bill. So on March 3-4, Rep. Harry Moberly allowed testimony on this legislation in the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee, which he chairs. The bill did not receive the required 15 votes to pass out of committee.
Voting Rights House Bill 70 KFTC position: FOR More information …	HB 70 calls for a constitutional amendment to automatically restore voting rights to former felons upon the completion of their sentence.	HB 70 passed out of the House Elections, Constitutional Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs Committee on Feb. 5. After sitting on the floor of the House for nearly two months, members of the House passed the legislation with a vote of 80-14 on April 1, leaving little time to move the amendment in the Senate.
Tax Justice House Bill 262 KFTC position: FOR (original bill) AGAINST (as amended by Senate) More information ...	HB 262 originally contained four different tax reforms to make our tax system more fair and to raise more revenue in order to make progress in key areas like education, higher education, health care, housing and the justice system. The House Appropriations and Revenue Committee greatly modified the language of this bill. Of the original parts of the bill, only the expanded sales tax to selected services remained. It also included an additional 25 cent/pack cigarette tax increase and a mandate to refinance state debt and other one-shot revenue generating measures. The Senate then rejected the entire bill and instead substituted about $45 million in specifically targeted tax breaks -- a complete reversal of the bill's original goals to raise revenue and make the system more fair.	HB 262 was introduced in the House and with 11 cosponsors. Testimony on HB 262 was heard before the Gaming Task Force on January 22. Later, two parts of this bill, the estate tax and the state EITC, were pulled out into another bill, HB 566. The modified version of HB 262 with the cigarette tax passed out of the House with a vote of 50-45. The Senate's revamped HB 262 passed that chamber with surprising ease, 33-0, and was returned to the House floor where no action was taken.
Tax Justice House Bill 566 KFTC position: FOR More information...	HB 566 creates a state earned income tax credit for people living below or near the poverty line. It would also create an estate tax to fund the EITC.	HB 566 passed out of the House A&R committee on February 28th. House leaders did not allow the bill to be voted on by the full House.
Renewable Energy House Bill 92 KFTC position: FOR	HB 92 would lower the investment threshold from $1 million to $50,000 for renewable energy facilities to receive state incentives under HB 1 (special session legislation).	HB 92 passed out of the House Tourism Development & Energy Committee and then was recommitted to the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee where no further action was yaken.
Net Metering House Bill 313 KFTC position: FOR	HB 313 would expand Kentucky's net-metering law to allow wind, biomass, and hydro electricity generating facilities to connect to the grid, increase the maximum amount of electricity a generation facility can place on the grid and still receive energy credits, and other expansions to the law	A somewhat watered-down version of HB 313 passed out of House with a vote of 96-0. It moved to the Senate, which had already passed its version of a net metering bill, SB 83. Some of the provisions of HB 313 were added to the senate bill, which was then approved by the House and Senate.
High Road, Economic Development House Concurrent Resolution 178 KFTC position: FOR More information...	HCR 178 would establish a task force to study the need for building a statewide entrepreneur and small business support system.	Hearings, including KFTC testimony, on the need for HCR 178 took place before the House Economic Development Committee. However, no vote was taken. Committee chair Rep. Ruth Ann Palumbo wants to include the mandates for the task force in the work of the interim legislative committee on economic development.
High Road, Economic Development House Bill 718 KFTC position: FOR More information...	HB 718 would expand the Economic Development Partnership Board to 17 members with 3 being nominated to represent the general public. Additionally, HB 718 calls for a 20-year strategic economic development plan.	Despite some support among members of the House Economic Development Committee, HB 718 met strong resistance from Kentucky Economic Development Secretary John Hindman. No vote was taken.
High Road, Economic Development House Bill 748 KFTC position: FOR More information...	HB 748 would create sunsetting provisions of each tax increment financing, tourism development, and economic development program and require a review prior to the expiration.	HB 748 was assigned to the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee. No hearing took place although on two occasions the bill was on the committtee's agenda for discussion.
High Road, Economic Development House Bill 750 KFTC position: FOR More information...	HB 750 would create an annual report of total state spending on each economic development incentive program and business tax exemption.	HB 750 was assigned to the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee. No hearing took place although on two occasions the bill was on the committtee's agenda for discussion.
Emergency Action Plans Senate Joint Resolution 72 KFTC position: FOR	SJR 72 would create administrative regulations for emergency action plans for high or significant hazard impoundment dams (mostly coal sludge ponds).	SJR 72 passed out of the Senate 36-0 and has moved to the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee. Committee chair Rep. Jim Gooch did not bring the resolution up for a hearing.
Renewable Energy House Bill 2 KFTC position: Endorse	HB 2 would create tax incentives for homes and businesses to install renewable energy systems or to improve their energy efficiency. It would also create a Center for Renewable Energy Research and Environmental Stewardship, attached to Governor's Office of Energy Policy.	HB 2 passed out of the House with a vote of 97-0. The Senate added the provisions of Senate Bill 165, to encourage energy efficiency projects at public universities. The expanded bill passed the Senate and the changes were approved by the House.
Timber Theft House Bill 489 KFTC position: Endorse	HB 489 seeks to prevent timber theft and requires a notice of intent to log	HB 489 was assigned to the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee. The bill died there.
Coal Mine Safety House Bill 315 KFTC position: AGAINST	HB 315 would reduce the number of emergency medical or mine emergency technicians on-site at certain mining operations.	HB 315 was assigned to the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee. The bill had no hearing or vote.
Bad Economic Development House Bill 767 KFTC position: AGAINST	HB 767 would establish state economic development incentives for carbon capture and sequestration in new power plants or retrofitted coal-fire power plants.	HB 767 passed out of the House with a vote of 95-0. It received two readings in the Senate but was never called for a floor vote.