Beech Tree News Network

Week Two of Kentucky General Assembly Focuses on Public Safety & Efficiency in Local Government- The gavel has fallen on week two of part two of the 2013 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly.  A flurry of new bills were filed, bringing the total in the House to 390.

This week saw a number of bills advance which are designed to improve public safety. I was proud to be a co-sponsor of House Bill 3, appropriately called the "Human Trafficking Victims Rights Act”. This legislation cracks down on the crime of human trafficking and makes provisions for the protection of the youth who have been victimized by the horrific acts of those who prey on vulnerable children.   State law enforcement and prosecutors from across the Commonwealth joined forces in support of this bill.

House Bill 51, legislation designed to protect victims of floods, tornadoes, and severe winter storms, cleared the house, requiring that organizations identifying themselves as charitable organizations for purposes of raising relief funds for victims must file reports with the Kentucky Secretary of State to insure accountability in the distribution of funds.

House Bill 34 will require that any city or county official compensated for participation in government training programs will be required to undertake two hours of training on interlocal agreements.  This legislation is written to insure local officials are well educated on the procedures required to share services and equipment.  Statistics show that these agreements generally create a financial savings and increased efficiency in service delivery.

Among the legislation generating the most discussion in Frankfort are a number of bills drafted to deal with the issue of a burgeoning debt in the Kentucky Retirement Systems.  Senate Bill 2, offered by Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer, cleared the Senate and is awaiting a hearing in the House State Government Committee where many changes are expected to be made.

I welcome your comments and concerns for the upcoming session. I can be reached through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181, or you can contact me via e-mail at [email protected] You can keep track of legislation for the 2013 session through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page at www.lrc.ky.gov.