General Assembly adjourns without taking up additional legislation

UPDATED AT 8:10 P.M.

FRANKFORT — State lawmakers wrapped up the 2009 General Assembly Thursday without taking up any additional legislation, including tax incentives to help lure a NASCAR Sprint Cup race to the Kentucky Speedway.

Other high-profile proposals left hanging included extra funding for prosecutors and public defenders, an overhaul of the state’s economic development programs, and creation of an authority to oversee mega-bridge projects in Louisville and Henderson.

House Democrats decided to stick to their rules and not take up any new legislation in the waning hours of the session. Their rules say the chamber can only consider vetoes by Gov. Steve Beshear, but such rules have often been suspended in year’s past.

Beshear’s only veto was a technical transportation provision. Lawmakers let it stand.

The Democratic governor expressed disappointment with the House Democrats’ decision, but said he respected the move. He met with House leaders earlier in the day to tell them about his concerns but did not ask to address the caucus.

Beshear said he was “very concerned” about the failure to pass incentives for Kentucky Speedway and would talk to the track’s officials to see what the state can do now.

It is too early, Beshear said, to say if he would call a special legislative session to address the bills not acted upon Thursday or to deal with a possible budget shortfall in the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, also said he was disappointed that the House did not act on bills on the last day of the session.

In response, House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said the Senate could have acted Thursday on the initial Speedway and bridges bills the House had sent to the chamber.

Williams deflected any blame for the last-minute gridlock. “The speaker knows what the House did. Everyone in Kentucky knows what the House did. They have their own reasons, but they killed very important legislation,” he said.

House Democrats took a voice vote in a closed meeting that ran 21 minutes to decide they would adjourn without taking up any new bills.

“I didn’t hear one ‘nay’ vote,” Stumbo said.

Many House members said Thursday that they simply wanted to stick by their chamber’s rules, noting that lawmakers have often been criticized for passing bills with little discussion late on the final day of legislative sessions.

House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover, R-Jamestown, said House Republican leadership supported the move.

“We don’t want to get into the last-minute exchange of bills that involve significant legislation at the 11th hour,” Hoover said.

Hoover and Stumbo dismissed the notion that the House’s decision to adjourn killed key pieces of legislation, saying the legislature is likely to be back in special session in a few months.

Stumbo also said he believed that Beshear has the authority to give $4.7 million to the state’s public defenders without the legislature’s approval.

But the legislation for public defenders also included $4.7 million for Commonwealth’s and county attorneys. The governor may not have the authority to give prosecutors additional funds before July 1, the beginning of the fiscal year, Stumbo said.

But Stumbo said prosecutors needed that money for the next fiscal year. Public defenders have said they will run out of money by the end of April, which could bring the state’s criminal justice system to a halt.

Beshear said he would investigate whether he has the flexibility to provide extra funding for public defenders.
Williams said he believes it will be “very difficult” for Beshear to find the extra dollars.

Public Advocate Ed Monahan said he hopes to schedule a meeting with Beshear on Friday to discuss additional money.

Both Williams and Senate Minority Leader Ed Worley, D-Richmond, blamed House Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark, D-Louisville, for hindering passage of the bridges bill.

“He’s the primary obstacle. I think a lot of him but everybody up here knows he’s the primary obstacle,” Williams said, adding that he thinks Clark has problems with local input in the bridges measure.

Clark said that is not true. He noted that all House Democratic and Republican leaders were supportive of not considering the bridges bill or any other measure Thursday.

“We all thought it was just good public policy to follow our rules,” Clark said.

–Beth Musgrave and Jack Brammer

Filed Under: Featured • KY General Assembly • State Government • Steve Beshear