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Kentucky Political Update
(June 11, 2008) - A flurry of Executive Orders, the filling of some key appointments, and a special session on pension reform around the corner shows that the Beshear administrtaion is putting its stamp on state government.
Special Session – Pension Reform
Leadership in both chambers of the General Assembly have agreed to a plan that will reform the pension system in Kentucky. You will remember, Governor Beshear laid out a plan to call the General Assembly into special session in late June if the House & Senate could agree to a plan in advance.
The legislature has done its part and is waiting for the Governor to officially call the special session. The Governor originally announced that he would call them into session on June 23.
To get a summary of the agreement Click HERE
Executive Orders
Governor Beshear has signed several executive orders over the past two weeks, many of them targeted at undoing many of Gov. Fletcher’s executive orders. Here is a summary:
- Governor Beshear signed an executive order that splits up the Environmental Public Protection Cabinet into the Energy Environment Cabinet and the Public Protection Cabinet. This reorganization essentially returns the administrative structure for Public Protection & Energy Environment to that which existed before the Fletcher administration. View the Executive Order HERE.
- The executive order elevating the Department of Labor to Cabinet status was not unexpected. This had been a campaign promise of Governor Beshear’s that he is following through on. Former State Representative and current Labor Commissioner J.R. Gray will be Secretary of the Labor Cabinet. The full reorganization of the Labor Cabinet can be viewed HERE.
- Governor Beshear re-organized some of the agencies in the Cabinet for Health & Family Services. View the order HERE.
- Governor Beshear reinstated the Governor’s Employee Advisory Council yesterday, which had previously been abolished by the Fletcher Administration. To view the advisory council executive order click HERE.
- The equal opportunity employment executive order signed yesterday by Gov. Beshear assures no one can be hired or fired based on race, age, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity, ancestry, age, disability, or veteran status. To view the equal opportunity employment executive order click HERE.
Road Fund Update
The Interim Joint Transportation Committee received an update from the Transportation Cabinet on the current status of the Road Fund. The main four issues discussed were the gas tax, vehicle usage tax, and miles driven.
- The gas tax will increase 1-1/2 cents on July 1st bringing the tax to 22.5 cents. The gas tax has been the main growth factor for the Road Fund over the past several years.
- Revenue from the motor vehicle usage tax has been flat over the last several years. That trend is expected to continue.
- Americans drove 11 billion fewer miles in March 2008 than they did in March 2007, officials said — the largest year-to-year decrease since the data was first kept. That equals 180 million to 190 million fewer miles driven on Kentucky roads.
- The legislature failed to pass a 6 year Road Plan during the 2008 session. So, the Governor & Transportation Cabinet have been working to put together a plan. Secretary Prather said that the plan would be coming forth in the next week or so.
PSC Appointments
Gov. Steve Beshear appointed David L. Armstrong as Chair of the Kentucky Public Service Commission, effective June 1, 2008. The governor also appointed James W. Gardner as Vice-Chair of the Commission, effective June 16, 2008. John W. Clay will continue his service as a PSC commissioner. His term expires July 1, 2009.
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