http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com Covering Kentucky politics and government Tue, 22 May 2012 21:44:15 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/04/06/beshear-and-conway-join-key-lawmakers-in-pushing-for-anti-drug-bill/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/04/06/beshear-and-conway-join-key-lawmakers-in-pushing-for-anti-drug-bill/#comments Fri, 06 Apr 2012 17:36:32 +0000 Jack Brammer http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=21458 Steve Beshear, Attorney General Jack Conway and several key lawmakers are urging the legislature next week to approve a bill to regulate pain clinics. Beshear and Conway joined House Speaker Greg Stumbo, Senate Majority Leader Robert Stivers, Sen. Jimmy Higdon and Rep. John Tilley in issuing a joint statement Friday, calling on lawmakers to pass House Bill 4 when they return to Frankfort April 12 for the final day of the 2012 General Assembly. The bill ran into trouble March 30 before lawmakers left the Capitol for 10 days to give Beshear time to consider any vetoes. The Kentucky Medical Association has questioned parts of it. ]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/04/06/beshear-and-conway-join-key-lawmakers-in-pushing-for-anti-drug-bill/feed/ 1 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/30/senate-sends-anti-meth-bill-to-beshear/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/30/senate-sends-anti-meth-bill-to-beshear/#comments Fri, 30 Mar 2012 18:28:38 +0000 Jack Brammer http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=21414 By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT – The Kentucky Senate gave final passage Friday to a bill that would further limit the amount of cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine that consumers could buy without a prescription. Pseudoephedrine is a key ingredient used in making methamphetamine, a major problem in the state. Senate Bill 3, sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, now goes to Gov. Steve Beshear for his signature or veto. The Senate voted 29-8 Friday in concurring with changes the House made to the bill.]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/30/senate-sends-anti-meth-bill-to-beshear/feed/ 1 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/09/house-could-support-constitutional-amendment-on-redistricting/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/09/house-could-support-constitutional-amendment-on-redistricting/#comments Fri, 09 Mar 2012 17:17:09 +0000 Beth Musgrave http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=21111 By Beth Musgrave bmusgrave@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT — A constitutional amendment that would detail how lawmakers can divide counties when redrawing the boundaries of legislative districts has support from leaders in the House and Senate. House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said Friday that he supports Senate Bill 18, an amendment that would give the legislature permission to split medium-sized counties to balance the population of legislative districts. The Kentucky Constitution now says counties that can be contained in one legislative district should remain in one district. But legislative leaders say some counties must be split into multiple districts in order to create districts that have equitable population, a requirement of federal law. A Franklin Circuit Court judge threw out newly-drawn district boundaries earlier this year because the bill allowed some districts to vary by more than 5 percent from the ideal population size and divided more counties than necessary.]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/09/house-could-support-constitutional-amendment-on-redistricting/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/09/senate-starts-late-because-of-lack-of-members/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/09/senate-starts-late-because-of-lack-of-members/#comments Fri, 09 Mar 2012 16:47:31 +0000 Jack Brammer http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=21112 By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT – The state Senate had a difficult time rounding up enough members Friday morning to conduct business on the same day the University of Kentucky basketball team played a tournament game in New Orleans. At about 9 a.m., Senate President Pro Tem Katie Stine, R-Southgate, started to lead the chamber in the absence of Senate President David Williams. Williams, R-Burkesville, had left the state Thursday to attend Friday’s Southeastern Conference tournament game in New Orleans between UK and Louisiana State University. When Stine asked the clerk to call the roll, only 19 of the Senate’s 38 members were in the chamber. Senate rules say at least 20 members have to be present to conduct business.]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/03/09/senate-starts-late-because-of-lack-of-members/feed/ 2 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/02/24/sponsor-withdraws-anti-meth-bill-says-fight-will-go-on/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/02/24/sponsor-withdraws-anti-meth-bill-says-fight-will-go-on/#comments Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:30:26 +0000 Accountability Editor http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=20685 By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT — An anti-meth bill that would require a prescription for most cold medicines containing pseudoephedrine took a serious blow Thursday when its sponsor withdrew it. In a surprise move, Senate Majority Leader Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, removed Senate Bill 50 from consideration in the legislature but said the issue was not dead for this lawmaking session. Stivers said he discussed the bill with some of its supporters, "and at this point in time, and the status of the bill, we felt it best to withdraw," but "that does not mean the fight won't go on." Stivers said supporters of the legislation will look at alternatives next week. He declined to identify any of them. "We hope to move with something that can have substantial support," he said.]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/02/24/sponsor-withdraws-anti-meth-bill-says-fight-will-go-on/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/02/07/no-compromise-on-congressional-redistricting-issue-will-likely-end-up-in-courts/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/02/07/no-compromise-on-congressional-redistricting-issue-will-likely-end-up-in-courts/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:19:21 +0000 Beth Musgrave http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=20424 By Beth Musgrave bmusgrave@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT -- State lawmakers failed to redraw the boundaries of Kentucky's six congressional districts before Tuesday's candidate filing deadline, which means the issue probably will end up in court. House Majority Leader Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook, told House members about 20 minutes after the 4 p.m. filing deadline that a compromise agreement between the Democratic-controlled House and the Republican-controlled Senate could not be reached. The House and Senate had delayed the original deadline from Jan. 31 to Feb. 7 to give the two sides more time to reach an agreement. House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, had worked with members of congress on a possible compromise that late last week looked promising, House leaders said. But Senate Majority Leader Robert Stivers said Tuesday afternoon that the two sides appeared to "agree to disagree." Stumbo said congressional candidates will run in the state's existing districts. That means someone -- either a candidate or a national political party -- will probably challenge the constitutionality of Kentucky's districts. ]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/02/07/no-compromise-on-congressional-redistricting-issue-will-likely-end-up-in-courts/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/02/02/house-senate-appear-close-on-congressional-redistricting-plan/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/02/02/house-senate-appear-close-on-congressional-redistricting-plan/#comments Thu, 02 Feb 2012 22:28:04 +0000 Jack Brammer http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=20370 By Beth Musgrave and Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT — House and Senate negotiators appear close to an agreement on new boundaries for Kentucky’s six congressional districts. “We have a map that shows great promise,” House Speaker Greg Stumbo said late Thursday. Senate Majority Leader Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said the Senate has had “little time to analyze anything” from the House, but “hope springs eternal.” Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said the staff of U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, R-Somerset, has been instrumental in helping the Democratic-controlled House and Republican-led Senate come to a consensus after weeks of negotiations. Senate leaders were looking at a proposed map after the chamber adjourned Thursday evening. If the Senate agrees to the new map, it’s possible for the legislature to approve the plan before the Feb. 7 filing deadline for congressional candidates.]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/02/02/house-senate-appear-close-on-congressional-redistricting-plan/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/01/26/some-movement-on-congressional-redistricting/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/01/26/some-movement-on-congressional-redistricting/#comments Fri, 27 Jan 2012 00:15:18 +0000 Accountability Editor http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=20289 FRANKFORT – The state House and Senate still have not reached a compromise on the redrawing of boundaries for Kentucky’s six congressional districts, but House Speaker Greg Stumbo appeared more optimistic Thursday that the two sides could reach an agreement. “I think there’s at least some movement,” said Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg. He said the House has offered another compromise plan to Republican Senate leaders. That plan specifically addressed some concerns of Republican U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers, Stumbo said. Rogers’ district includes most of Eastern and Central Kentucky. The filing deadline for candidates is Jan. 31, but lawmakers could extend the deadline to give the two sides more time to hammer out an agreement. Stumbo said he met and talked with Senate Majority Leader Robert Stivers about the congressional map on Thursday morning, although no meeting has been set between leaders of the two chambers to produce a new congressional map. Stivers, R-Manchester, said negotiations are “going slowly.” HERALD-LEADER FRANKFORT BUREAU]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2012/01/26/some-movement-on-congressional-redistricting/feed/ 7 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/05/state-senate-and-house-at-loggerheads-over-when-to-redraw-political-boundaries/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/05/state-senate-and-house-at-loggerheads-over-when-to-redraw-political-boundaries/#comments Wed, 05 Oct 2011 20:19:24 +0000 Jack Brammer http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=19141 By Jack Brammer jbrammer@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT — The state Senate and House remain at odds about when lawmakers should redraw boundaries for state legislative and congressional districts. House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said Wednesday that a special session of the legislature should be held to tackle the task between the Nov. 8 general election and the beginning of the 2012 General Assembly on Jan. 3. A special session would keep lawmakers focused on one issue and not bog down redistricting talks with other issues, Stumbo said. But Senate Majority Leader Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, said the work should be done during the first part of the 2012 regular session as it was after the 2000 U.S. Census was taken.]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/10/05/state-senate-and-house-at-loggerheads-over-when-to-redraw-political-boundaries/feed/ 0 http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/02/25/with-clock-ticking-ky-lawmakers-still-debating-many-high-profile-bills/ http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/02/25/with-clock-ticking-ky-lawmakers-still-debating-many-high-profile-bills/#comments Fri, 25 Feb 2011 18:35:54 +0000 Accountability Editor http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/?p=16758 By Beth Musgrave and Jack Brammer - bmusgrave@herald-leader.com FRANKFORT —With time running out on this year’s legislative session, Kentucky lawmakers still haven’t reached an agreement on balancing the state’s Medicaid budget. House Speaker Greg Stumbo told reporters on Friday that passing House Bill 305, which balances the Medicaid budget, is the one issue that must be rectified before the legislature adjourns. Monday will be the 23rd day of the 30-day legislative session. “The budget issue is my main concern,” Stumbo said. “We have to fix that problem.” So far, only a handful of proposals have cleared both the Republican-controlled Senate and the Democratic-controlled House. Still on the drawing board are dozens of high-profile bills that would overhaul the state’s criminal code, increase the dropout age from 16 to 18, require a prescription for common cold medicines used to make meth and change the state’s immigration laws, among other things. ]]> http://bluegrasspolitics.bloginky.com/2011/02/25/with-clock-ticking-ky-lawmakers-still-debating-many-high-profile-bills/feed/ 3