Signed or Vetoed
KCC List of House Bills we are watching as of 4/10
KCC List of Senate Bills we are watching as of 4/10
This coming week will mark the end of the Governor’s veto period for bills already passed in the legislature, then lawmakers return for the final two days of the General Assembly on Wednesday, April 13 and Thursday, April 14th to override any vetoes or pass additional bills. Full legislative calendar here. This coming week will have many fast-moving updates, so watch KCC’s Facebook, Twitter and our Online Alert Page this week for late-breaking actions.
Last chance to ACT on these bills:
If you have not yet made your calls on these bills, now is your last chance to act:
HB597 - A good bill turned bad that could move in the final two days: See Herald-Leader news story on this bill. A good bill that would align state floodplain statutes with federal regulations and programs associated with FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program was changed last-minute with a Senate Committee Substitute addition that would adversely impact agricultural communities and pollution standards. ACT: Since the bill was already set for the Senate consent calendar, SCS1 would need to be withdrawn before the bill is passed and sent to the House. Please ask Senate Leadership to “withdraw Senate Committee Substitute 1 to HB597.” If SCS1 remains attached, we will be asking the Governor to veto this bill.
HB222 (KCC Strong Support) Anti-SLAPP (Strategic lawsuit against public participation) legislation. The bill passed the House but has been held in the Senate. Contact Senate Leadership at 1-800-372-7181. and ask them to send HB222 to the floor and support the bill for final passage without amendments.
HB392 (KCC Support as amended by SCS1) Merchant Solar. This bill would provide common sense regulations on the merchant energy industry including large-scale solar. We support passage of HB392 as amended by the Senate. Contact members of the House at 1-800-372-7181 and ask them to “concur” with Senate Committee Sub 1 to HB392 and move for final passage.
HB337 (KCC Oppose) Administrative Regulations. Allows the Attorney General to review a legislative determination that an administrative regulation is deficient. This bill passed the House but has not yet passed the Senate. It currently resides in the Senate State & Local Government committee but has already had two readings. ACT: Contact members of the Senate State & Local Government Committee at 1-800-372-7181. to oppose. And then also contact your senator and tell them you oppose final passage of HB337.
SCR171 (KCC Oppose) Nuclear. Request the Legislative Research Commission to examine funding sources and identify groups to conduct a feasibility study of advanced nuclear power in the Commonwealth. The resolution has passed the Senate and is now in the House. Contact House Leadership at 1-800-372-7181 to oppose.
SB347 (KCC Strong Support) Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Bill to develop a transportation plan for EV infrastructure. The bill has passed the Senate and is now in the House. Contact all members of the House at 1-800-372-7181 to support final passage of SB437.
Vetoed This Week- Calls needed to prevent an override:
We were glad to see we the Governor veto several bills where we asked for your help for action. Please THANK the Governor for his veto, and then call the legislative message line at 1-800-372-7181 to leave a message for the House and Senate “not to override the Governor’s veto” on these bills:
HB8 (KCC Strong Oppose) the revenue bill, which the Governor vetoed on April 8. We had several concerns with this bill, but had been particularly engaged in addressing the provisions involving electric and hybrid car fees and electric car charger fees. From the Governor’s message:
“I am vetoing House Bill 8 because it imposes new taxes that weaken public safety, harm vital industries, undermines economic development incentives and threaten Kentucky’s future economic security….House Bill 8 was revealed to many members of the General Assembly mere hours before it was passed. As a result, the people of Kentucky and their elected representatives were deprived of the opportunity to review and weigh in on the bill. Passing such legislation without public scrutiny ensures that only lobbyists and special interest groups can have their voices heard…
“…House Bill 8 also imposes new taxes on hybrid and electric vehicles at a time when Kentucky is poised to become a world leader in manufacturing those vehicles and their batteries…
“…House Bill 8 also violates the Kentucky constitution because it provides special treatment to “public service companies,” like railroads, airlines, and utilities, which will alllow those companies to assess the value of their own property in some cases…” Governor’s full veto message on HB8 here.
SB217 (KCC Strong Oppose) which re-organizes the Fish and Wildlife Commission and Department. In the Governor’s veto message, he stated:
“I am vetoing Senate Bill 217 because it gives sole power over procurement and all personnel appointments in the Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Resources to one person— the commissioner. The current commissioner was a member of the commission when it received the worst audit ever see in in state government, and he remained a member of the commission and participated in the search until he selected himself to be the commissioner….The sportsmen and sportswomen, whose licensing fees support much of the Department’s work, have expressed an understandable lack of confidence in this commissioner and the Department… The Governor’s statement then goes into great detail on particular specific actions of concern. You can read the Governor’s full veto message on SB217 here.
HCR138 (KCC Oppose) Directs the Legislative Research Commission to examine and evaluate the feasibility of implementing an alternative rate mechanism (ARM) for public utilities regulated by the Public Service Commission. In the Governor’s veto message, he stated:
“ARMs allow public utilities to increase rates annually based on projected costs through an accelerated process with less oversight of the public utilities. This process lessens the input of intervenors and consumer advocates and removes regulatory discretion of the Public Service Commission, resulting in higher utility costs for residents and businesses in the commonwealth. In shirt, ARMs provide benefits to investor-owned public utilities, not the customers…” Governor’s full veto message on HCR138 here.
HB594 (KCC Oppose) An act relating to administrative regulations and declaring an emergency. Among its provisions, allow the Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee to consider as deficient any administrative regulation that does not include an adequate cost analysis. In the Governor’s veto message, he stated:
“…The General Assembly is the only body that benefits from House Bill 594. It demands more of an administrative regulation than it did for the law enabling the regulation, while preserving its right to critique the costs incurred by regulated entities and disregard benefits to the Commonwealth.” Governor’s full veto message on HB594 here.
HB271 (KCC Monitor) Reorganizes and restructures the Agritourism program and Council. Governor’s full veto message on HB271 here.
Also SB1 While we did not have this bill on our watch list of environmental bills, during its course of the bill’s evolution with amendments and substitutes, the final version contained several of the same concerns we raised with another bill we strongly opposes, SB138 which dictated aspects of the teaching of factual events. You may read the Governor’s veto message on SB1 here.
Signed by the Governor this week:
We were disappointed to see that the Governor went ahead and signed SB205 (KCC Strong Oppose) despite efforts from our members and allies who called for a veto of this bill. This is the “Energy Boycott” bill that will have the state track and “divest” from companies that participate in energy boycotts and allows the Attorney General or Treasurer to bring civil action to enforce the act. Fortunately, most of the other bills signed this week were far more positive, and listed below. We thank you for your work on helping us get these bills through to completion.
HJR41 (KCC Strong Support) a resolution on tax assessments of private forests, signed by the Governor 4/8.
HCR47 (KCC Strong Support) a resolution supporting Farm-to-School meals, signed by the Governor 3/24.
HB195 (KCC Support) Pipeline location notification bill, signed by the Governor 3/31.
HB244 (KCC Monitor) Judicial branch budget, signed by the Governor 4/8.
HB306 (KCC Support) Expansion of the Johnson Grass control program, signed by the Governor 4/8.
HB391 (KCC Monitor) Reorganization of the Dept. of Parks, signed by the Governor 4/8
HB399 (KCC Support) Require local governments to provide for public input into the expenditure of public funds for economic development, signed by the Governor 4/8.
HB453 (KCC Strong Support) Requires public agencies to provide specific information on where the public can view open meetings electronically and the primary physical location, signed by the Governor 3/25.
HB552 (KCC Support) Requires the Ky. Mt. Regional Rec. Authority to comply with the audit requirements of KRS Chapter 65A, signed by the Governor 4/8.
HB564 (KCC Monitor) Omnibus election bill, signed by the Governor 4/7.
HB600 (KCC Support) Impacting the Reclamation Guaranty Fund Commission, signed by the Governor 4/8
HB669 and SB315 (KCC Support), companion bills to address the cleanup of orphan oil and gas wells, signed by the Governor on 4/8
HB758 (KCC Support) Water and wastewater infrastructure bill, signed by the Governor 4/8.
SB114 (KCC Support) A bill to address proof of ownership to deter the theft of catalytic converters, signed by the Governor on 4/8.
SB152 (KCC Monitor) Dealing with solid waste franchises, signed by the Governor 4/1.