Unemployment Insurance – HB 349 (Clark) is a comprehensive reform of Kentucky’s UI system.  This Kentucky solution will save employers and the state’s UI Trust Fund more than $700 million over the next decade.  The Chamber and other business associations testified before the Senate State and Local Government Committee last week, but no action was taken in the committee.  We urge you to contact your Senator and ask them to support HB 349.

Retiree Health Insurance – HB 540 (Rollins) saves the state’s taxpayers by requiring retired teachers under age 65 to take on part of the financial responsibility for their health insurance. This positive legislation is a responsible step toward shoring up the teachers’ retirement fund, from which legislators have been siphoning away dollars to pay for retirees' insurance. The measure passed the House this week and now awaits action in the Senate.

Early Graduation – SB 67 (Winters) promotes early graduation for high school students who fulfill rigorous academic requirements. The bill allows for students to continue on to either a technical and community college or a four-year university with financial aid from the state. This legislation passed the House Education Committee this week.

Collective Bargaining – HB 493 (Jenkins) gives all public employees within the Commonwealth the right to collectively bargain.  The Chamber opposes collective bargaining for public employees because it can lead to inefficient administration of public duties, increased costs to taxpayers and an increased likelihood of interruptions to essential government services.  This legislation passed the House Labor and Industry Committee last week and now awaits action from the full House.  Please call the legislative message line at 1-800-372-7181 and ask your Representative to vote NO on HB 493. 

Alternative Fuels – HB 589 (Adkins) includes liquefied fuel and liquefied petroleum derived from natural gas or natural gas liquids in the definition of alternative transportation fuels after August 1, 2010.  After the effective date, HB 589 authorizes newly constructed or retro-fitted alternative fuel facilities that use natural gas or natural gas liquids as their primary feedstocks to receive tax credits created under HB 1 from the 2007 session.  This legislation passed out of the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee this week.  HB 552 (Owens) amends the definition of energy efficient fuels and permits alternative fuel facilities that produce coal-derived energy efficient fuels to be eligible for coal severance tax incentives.  This legislation passed the Senate Natural Resources Committee this week and now awaits action by the full Senate.        

Energy Incentives – HB 588 (Adkins) authorizes tax incentives for certain carbon capture and storage projects under the Incentives for Energy Independence Act that have received federal incentives from the U.S. Department of Energy.  This legislation passed the House Natural Resources and Environment Committee this week.

Transfer of Credits – HB 160 (Rollins) requires the Council on Postsecondary Education to develop statewide transfer procedures for college credits and align lower division coursework across postsecondary education institutions. This bill passed the Senate Education Committee this week.

Career Pathways – SB 28 (Westwood) creates the Career Pathways Act of 2010, providing a career-based program of study for high school students. This positive measure to keep all students engaged in their education passed the Senate this week.

Gov’t Efficiency – HB 387 (Hoover) requires the secretary of the Personnel Cabinet and the secretary of the Finance and Administration Cabinet to provide a detailed quarterly report to the Legislative Research Commission regarding the number and classification of state employees and the number of personal service contracts in state government in an effort to review personnel costs.  This legislation passed the Senate State and Local Government Committee this week and now awaits action on the Senate floor.

Principal Hiring – As amended by the Senate Education Committee, HB 239 (Stevens) now permits a superintendent to fill a principal vacancy in a school after consultation with the school council. Since superintendents are held accountable for the success or failure of each school – just like managers are held accountable for their employees' performance in the business world – it is only logical for superintendents to have a say in the leadership of those schools. This legislation is strongly supported by the Chamber.

Other Legislation of Interest

AMA Guides – HB 38 (Yonts) amends current law requiring the use of the latest edition of the AMA Guides (6th) for determining permanent impairment ratings in workers' compensation cases and mandates the use of the 5th edition.  The Senate Judiciary Committee reconsidered the legislation this week.  The committee substitute calls for the Executive Director of the Office of Workers’ Claims to study and recommend whether to move to a new edition of the guides 180 days after the new guides are published.  The General Assembly must act on the recommendation in order to move to future editions.

Renewable Energy – HB 3 (Adkins) establishes renewable energy efficiency measures and sets benchmarks for the usage of efficiency measures, renewables and low-carbon measures for electric retail energy providers.  Industrial demand is removed from meeting the renewable requirements, but commercial and residential users remain subject to the new standards.  The House Natural Resources and Environment Committee held a hearing on the measure this week.  Please provide us with your feedback on this legislation.

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