GA 2024 Week 3 Recap

To comment on bills: Call the General Assembly’s toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181. The Message line is open Monday thru Thursday from 7AM-9PM and Fridays from 7AM-6PM. You may also email lawmakers anytime.

This week we saw the advancement of what has been called the “Safer Kentucky Act” (HB5, KCC Oppose) which now moves on to the full House. Generally, KCC primarily focuses on core environmental issues, however we do weigh in from time to time on certain positions impacting core civil liberties that seem to be extreme. We chose to weigh in on this one, in part, due to the inclusion of the criminalization of street camping. We also took note of the ACLU’s comments that the real solutions should be focused on investments in affordable housing, transportation, education, mental health and substance abuse. The bill advanced from the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday.

And then also this week, we saw the filing of House Bill 6 (KCC Monitor), which is the Republican budget bill that responds to the Governor’s proposal. We will be doing a more detailed analysis of the budget-related bills in an upcoming blog.

This week we saw the first meeting of the House Natural Resources & Energy Committee, where they addressed their first bill of the session, House Bill 136 (J. Bauman) addressing environmental audits. This was a bill that both KCC and the Energy and Environment Cabinet had stayed neutral on, however there are certainly mixed aspects of this legislation and we have now updated our position this week to “oppose.” Kentucky Conservation agrees along with our friends at the Ky. Resources Council on concerns that the proposed language conflicts with other provisions in KRS Chapter 77, and that facilities are already supposed to investigate their facilities and certify that their facilities are in compliance with the Clean Air Act on an annual basis. Regulators should encourage and incentivize voluntary reporting, but only for issues that the facilities are not already required to report.

During the meeting,  Rep. Beverly Chester-Burton (D), raised issues on the history of air pollution management in Louisville and how this legislation would impact Louisville, mentioning the Louisville Smoke Commission (later replaced by the Air Pollution Control Board), and then inquired on whether or not the bill in question would directly benefit the sponsor. That exchange was preceded by a question by Rep. Daniel Grossberg on whether the EPA had been consulted. You can see an excerpt of that exchange from Kentucky Educational Television’s broadcast below.

Other Bills of Note: on the Move

• House Bill 44 (KCC Oppose) dealing with voter registration, has now been assigned to the House Elections and Constitutional Amendments Committee.

• House Bill 85 (KCC Monitor), which decreases the number of emergency medical or mine emergency technicians required to be on shift from two to one, if the number of employees on the shift is 10 or less, has now been assigned to the House Natural Resources & Energy Committee. And House Bill 161, an elections bill which establishes that a candidate who has filed nomination papers on or before January 5, 2024, and whose precinct name or number has changed since November 8, 2023, due to reapportionment and precinct establishment shall not be disqualified based solely on precinct name or number designation, was swiftly moved through both chambers and was signed by the Governor on January 18th. The bill included a retroactive emergency clause making it effective immediately on approval of the Governor.

There were also several election-related bills on the Senate side where we chose to weigh in some filed by Senator Southworth and those have now been assigned to the Senate State & Local Government Committee. Those include Senate Bill 80 (KCC Oppose), Senate Bill 83 (KCC Support) and Senate Bill 84 (KCC Monitor). We have also weighed in on Senate Bill 93 (KCC Oppose) which is primarily an education bill, but is focused on rolling back Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives as well as Senate Bill 6 (KCC Oppose). SB93 has now been assigned to the Senate Education Committee. You may read our full analysis of these bills on our Senate bill list.

Your Calls are Working!

Two bills that have been assigned to the Senate Natural Resources & Energy Committee, but have not yet been acted on, included one bill of great concern to our birding community: Senate Bill 59 (KCC Strong Oppose), which would impact the taking of protected Cooper’s Hawks and Red-Tailed Hawks, and also Senate Bill 60 (KCC Strong Oppose) which prohibits the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife from imposing a hunter education requirement for a person to obtain a hunting or fishing license or permit. The Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife Resources has stated that their department does not support either of these bills filed by Senator Gary Boswell. We know that our KCC members and many birding groups have been making calls on SB59 in particular, and we believe your calls and emails are having an impact.

To comment on bills:

You can call the legislative message line at 1-800-372-7181 (Monday-Thurs. 7AM-9PM and Friday 7AM-6PM) to express your views on these bills. You may also email your legislators, the bill sponsor, or the relevant committee members where the bill resides if the phone lines are closed.

Still Time to Join us! KCC Legislative Summit and Annual Meeting this Sunday at KSU. (and virtual!)

We know the snow may create a challenge, but we hope to see you at KCC’s 2024 Legislative Summit and Annual Meeting. Registration for this legislative event is is at this link! You can join us in person or virtual. Special Keynote by the Chairman of the Kentucky Public Service Commission, Kent Chandler.