All Entries in the "Steve Beshear" Category

Beshear says he will recall lawmakers to Frankfort on Monday

By Beth Musgrave, Jack Brammer and John Cheves
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com
jbrammer@herald-leader.com
jcheves@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT – Gov. Steve Beshear said he will call a special legislative session for Monday after lawmakers ended the 2012 General Assembly at 11:59 p.m. Thursday without approving funding for a $4.5 billion road-building plan and a measure to curb prescription drug abuse.

Beshear, after meeting with House Democratic leaders in his Capitol office, said at about 12:45 a.m. Friday that Senate President David Williams was responsible for the Senate’s failure to approve a road plan budget bill on the final day of the 60-day regular session.

“Without the transportation budget bill, you can’t fund any of the projects in the transportation plan that has been passed,” said the Democratic governor who won re-election last November in a contentious campaign against Williams, R-Burkesville.

Beshear also charged that Williams was responsible for the Senate’s inaction Thursday on a bill that would more closely regulate pain management clinics and put the state’s electronic prescription reporting system in the attorney general’s office instead of in the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

“We need that bill. We need the transportation budget bill. So I’ll be issuing a call for a special session of the General Assembly,” Beshear said. “They should have and could have been passed by the Senate today.”

Legislature passes $4.5 billion, two-year road plan

By John Cheves and Jack Brammer – jcheves@herald-leader, jbrammer@herald-leader

FRANKFORT — The General Assembly approved a state road plan Thursday that spends $4.5 billion on Kentucky highways and bridges over the next two fiscal years, including money to widen Leestown Road and advance the Newtown Pike extension in Lexington.

The road plan, which had been a final sticking point between the Democratic-led House and the Republican-led Senate, goes to Gov. Steve Beshear for his signature or veto. The legislature passed it on the 60th and final day of its session, so it cannot override any vetoes.

Some House Republicans objected to the plan because they said several road projects were tucked into the bill at the last minute by legislative leaders. The conference committee that was supposed to iron out differences between the original House and Senate plans never actually met, and under legislative rules, no projects were supposed to be added at this stage, said House Republican Leader Jeff Hoover of Jamestown.

Stumbo predicts approval of road plan, prescription drug bill and scholarship program

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — House and Senate negotiators struck a deal on the state’s road-building plan early Thursday morning, said House Speaker Greg Stumbo.

Stumbo also predicted that the General Assembly will approve on Thursday a bill to crack down on abuse of prescription pain pills and a measure that would start a new scholarship program for kids in coal-producing counties.

Stumbo’s comments came on the 60th and final day of the legislative session. The agreement on the state’s road plan was inked shortly before 3 a.m. Thursday morning, he said. Negotiators were trying to hammer out an agreement in time for a vote on Thursday.

Stumbo said he could not say if the House would override any of Gov. Steve Beshear’s vetoes in the General Fund budget. Beshear will meet with House Democrats at 2 p.m. to explain the 45 line-item vetoes he made Wednesday night in the two-year, $19 billion budget bill.

Beshear vetoes parts of two-year budget; road plan still not done

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Uncertainty reigned in the Capitol Wednesday night as lawmakers and Gov. Steve Beshear struggled to prepare themselves for what is expected to be the final day of the 2012 legislative session on Thursday.

Beshear waited until 7:20 p.m. Wednesday to veto more than three dozen line-items in the $19 billion, two-year state budget, even as leading lawmakers continued trying to hammer out an agreement on a road-building plan for the next biennium.

If an agreement on the transportation budget is not reached in time for a Thursday vote, the legislature could still move the 60th and final day of the legislative session to Friday or Saturday, although House Speaker Greg Stumbo and Senate President David Williams cast doubt on that scenario Wednesday evening.

The Kentucky Constitution requires the General Assembly to adjourn by the end of April 15, which is Sunday.

A super majority of legislators — 23 of 37 senators and 60 of 100 representatives — is needed to override Beshear’s vetoes in the budget bill, which both chambers approved on March 30.

State revenues up 8.4 percent in March

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Kentucky state government brought in $57 million more in taxes and other fees in March than it did last year, according to numbers released Tuesday.

General Fund revenues were up 8.4 percent in March compared to March 2011. Kentucky collected $738 million in March, compared to $675.8 million in March 2011, according to the Office of the State Budget Director.

March receipts continue an upward trend in state revenues over the past nine months. The official revenue estimate calls for 2.8 percent growth in revenue for the entire fiscal year, which ends June 30th. Revenues can decline 1.1 percent over the remaining three months of this fiscal year and still meet the official revenue estimate. Legislators use that estimate to craft a two-year budget.

If revenues do not meet the projection, the state will have to cut. If revenues come in over the projection, the money will go into the state’s “Rainy Day” fund.

Individual and corporate income taxes are still strong. Corporate income taxes have increased 45 percent this year and 9.0 percent in March. Individual income taxes grew 10.9 percent in March and have grown about 2.5 percent through the first nine months of the fiscal year, according to the Office of State Budget Director.

Road Fund receipts – used to fund transportation projects — also rose 6.1 percent over March 2011

Beshear and Conway join key lawmakers in pushing for anti-drug bill

FRANKFORT — In a rare bipartisan showing of support, Gov. 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.

Morgan County, West Liberty get $100,000 in federal funding to help rebuild

FRANKFORT — West Liberty and Morgan County will receive $100,000 from the Appalachian Regional Commission to help rebuild from the devastasting tornado that struck the area March .

Gov. Steve Beshear and U.S. Rep. Hal Rogers announced the funding Thursday. The money will be used to hire an architect to develop a conceptual plan for the professional rebuilding of the city of West Liberty and Morgan County.

Obama makes congratulatory call to Calipari

President Barack Obama called coach John Calipari Tuesday to congratulate him and the University of Kentucky men’s basketball team on their 2012 NCAA championship victory.

A release from the White House said the president told Calipari that his team “played with class and dignity” in the championship game against Kansas and that “it was a great game to watch.”

Calipari passed the phone to star basketball player Anthony Davis, the release said, and Obama congratulated the Chicago native on earning the Final Four Most Outstanding Player Award.

Beshear bets Kansas governor that Cats will win

FRANKFORT — Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear and Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback have ham and beef riding on Monday night’s NCAA championship basketball game.

Beshear is betting a Kentucky country ham that the University of Kentucky Wildcats will win. Brownback is wagering Kansas beef on a Jayhawk victory.

“The Wildcats are talented, unselfish and focused – they’ve been a thrill to watch all season,” Beshear said in a news release. “It will be a real treat to see these fantastic coaches, John Calipari and Bill Self, go head-to-head, but Kentucky clearly has the edge over the Jayhawks.

“We can’t wait for the Wildcats to bring home the school’s eighth national championship. Go Cats!”

Brownback disagreed.

“This is the way it’s supposed to be – the two winningest programs and the two most passionate fan bases competing for the title,” said Brownback. “We sent Kentucky Adolph Rupp, but we’re bringing home the title. Rock Chalk Jayhawks!”

The governors have decided that the winning head of state will donate the ham or beef to a local food bank.

The Cats will tip off against the Jayhawks at 9:23 p.m. EDT in New Orleans.

–Jack Brammer

Legislators approve pseudoephedrine, other bills; some left undone

By John Cheves and Jack Brammer
jcheves@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — State lawmakers exited the Capitol just before 9 p.m. Friday with only one more day — April 12 — left in this year’s legislative session and plenty of work left to be done.

The House and Senate managed on the 59th day of the 60-day session to send to Gov. Steve Beshear a bill to further limit the amount of pseudoephedrine — an ingredient in cold medicines that is used in making methamphetamine — consumers could buy without a prescription.

But another key drug bill that would regulate pain clinics ran into trouble in the Senate, putting it in limbo.

The two drug bills had been touted as landmark legislation of this year’s General Assembly.

Beshear said he will sign into law Senate Bill 3, the bill designed to curb the proliferation of illegal meth labs in the state.

“Methamphetamine continues to cause tremendous pain in our families and communities, and I am pleased that legislators found a way to limit the sale of meth ingredient pseudoephedrine,” Beshear said in a statement. “SB 3 is a good step for both families and communities, and I will sign the bill.”