Beech Tree News Network

As I write to you, we’ve just completed the first week of the 2013 General Assembly Session.  We’ll take a break for three weeks for everyone from newly-elected members, newly-elected leaders as well as committee chairs to get settled in.  We’ll reconvene February 5 for the remaining 26 days of session.

I’m pleased SB – 1, historically the Senate’s top legislative priority, is a bill that will allow our military troops serving overseas to vote via a secure internet site.  As the Senate President announced, the bill will give the men and women who protect our right to vote an easier and more accessible way to cast their own ballots with assurance they will be counted.  The bill hasn’t been filed yet, but staff is working to ensure the process is confidential and secure.

As a member of the recent task force on public pensions, I will be working closely with the Chair and members of the State and Local Government Committee, as they review the suggestions of the task force and continue to look for best ways to protect the fund for all the dedicated public servants, as well as the general tax-payer.  This is a crisis we simply have to tackle to move forward.

As the Chair of the Education Committee, which oversees issues affecting public primary, secondary and higher education, as well as state support of education, I’m responsible for reviewing each bill assigned to my committee to determine which bills the committee, and consequently, the full Senate will hear.  I have already been meeting with my staff, as well as the Legislative Research Commission experts to study the upcoming issues.

I’ll keep you informed as we address these issues and others this session. Your input is invaluable, so please call me in Frankfort toll-free at 1-800-372-7181 if you have any questions, concerns, or comments.

For further information on pending legislation, committee assignments, meeting schedules and more you can visit the Kentucky Legislature Home page at www.lrc.state.ky.us .  And, by going to our eNews page, www.lrc.ky.gov/pubinfo/listserv.htm, you can subscribe to frequent e-mail updates on what’s happening at the Capitol.  In addition, the General Assembly has its own blog, Capitol Notes, www.lrc.ky.gov/pubinfo/capitol_notes.htm, that will allow you to receive legislative updates at your leisure.

You can also follow legislative action in the following ways:

·         A taped message containing information on legislative committee meetings is updated daily at 1-800-633-9650.

·         To check the status of a bill, you may call the toll-free Bill Status Line at 1-866-840-2835.

·         To leave a message for any legislator, call the General Assembly’s toll-free Message Line at 1-800-372-7181.  People with hearing difficulties may leave messages for lawmakers by calling the TTY Message Line at 1-800-896-0305.

·         You may write any legislator by sending a letter with the lawmaker’s name to: Capitol Annex, 702 Capitol Avenue, Frankfort, Kentucky 40601

 
Note: Senator Mike Wilson (R-Bowling Green) represents the 32nd District including Butler and Warren Counties. He is the Chair of both the Education Committee and the Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee.  He is a member of the Economic Development, Tourism and Labor Committee and the Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee, as well as a liaison member of the Budget Review Subcommittee on Education.