State Rep Reginald Meeks

Final Week – April 16-20, 2012

Kathy Groob — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 22:36:30 +0000

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

It may be due to the fact that so many of us grow up in small towns. We like our communities in small bite sizes. We are known for the number of our people who choose to stay close to home, sometimes only rarely leaving their home county. It happens in cities, too. Growing up, we rarely had to leave our home neighborhood. We could shop, go to school, get our haircut and even go to the public library right there, nice and close to home. Kentuckians relate to each other as much by high school as we do by holler. All this makes it easy to think small. And we legislators are good at doing that.

And we don’t easily let by-gones be by-gones either. I mean, rivalries and disputes can go on and on for generations. Literally – prompting more than one cartoon, newspaper or TV production of the Hatfield & McCoy feud to paint a picture of Kentucky for the rest of the country to forever believe to be the real Kentucky. You know that picture…

Indeed, some of whom I must assume are among our finest citizens are still fighting the Civil War. I recently picked up bumper stickers at a flea market proclaiming, “The South Will Rise Again”; “Ole Times Are Not Forgotten” and “The Truth About Our Flag Being Maliciously Slandered Will Be Told”. We like our past to hang on like a tick.

We’re a tenacious lot, if anything. It’s just that the older I get, the richer the words of Kenny Rogers’ The Gambler become. Whether it be the Christian Laitner shot that STILL shocks the senses of full grown Cats fans (causing complaints about UPS logistics ads last month of all things!) or it’s the result from some past election, we keep our virus’s alive in Petri dishes we carry around like badges of courage – then desperately search for something, or someone, to blame for the disease.

This Special Session is also a result of ongoing conflict. You know that story. Let’s just hope we won’t be back for yet another one next week! At some point the public, members of the General Assembly, the media – and even Leadership itself is going to have to say, “Enough is enough”.

The caboose is loose and the train has skidded far enough off the track — let’s see about reconnecting it. Speaking of transportation…

SO, HERE’S WHERE YOUR BUTTER GETS CHURNED:

The words of House Repub leader, Jeff Hoover – whatever his political motivations were – are instructive. There are processes in place to provide for reasoned debate, and the amicable flow of business up here. And many of them are NOT being followed. His specific complaint: projects were added to the “Road Bill” by Conference Committee members (mostly leadership) outside the purview of the public and outside the process the rest of us have to abide by. That is not the only complaint about the Transportation funding bill.

Rep. Jim Wayne and I questioned info – known to the Transportation Cabinet Secretary – involving the prospect of future tolling of the Sherman-Minton Bridge. A report shows that in 2031, there is a sudden jump in revenue for the Ohio River Bridges Project – a project that will be tolled. It was that revenue spike in 2013 that caused our Q: Is there a potential at some point of tolling Sherman-Minton? The Cabinet’s response was contradictory. Once again, as policy makers we found ourselves being told, “Trust Me” by the Cabinet. Boys and girls, I assure you,any criticism you may have of a government that says, trust me pales in comparison to the cynicism of us Doubting Thomas’ IN government! We are asked to rely on that stale tune, make sound public policy decisions based on it, and then come home and face a critical public! In an election year when it’s all about winning your upcoming election, there’s little wonder why most legislators are not willing to take tough votes – and little wonder why road projects that bring home the bacon are slipped into budgets…

Everyone knows there are more road projects than available funding. But there’s this entire system of systems within Transportation that simply plays havoc with any objective sense of what is sound public transportation policy — unless, of course, you are one of those donor counties that receives much more from Frankfort than you provide. Take for example, the formula for allocating gasoline tax dollars among Kentucky counties. It needs reformulating! Counties with the largest population and the most miles driven on their roads often receive less funding under the current plan than counties with many factors of fewer cars, population and miles driven. It’s an antiquated model that hasn’t been changed since, well, since the day when counties were responsible for building their own turnpikes and tolls for horse and buggy usage were collected to pay for them! Point is, it’s been a long while…and this change is long overdue.

And there’s that matter Rep. Hoover brought up. Road projects appearing out of the blue in the Transportation budget. In my view, the Governor was right to hold firm his right to veto these projects. If his decisions were based on politics – and I don’t believe they were — the Governor surely was on sound footing for making them! Just a cursory comparison of proposed funding in a few select counties with the rest of the state – or just with Jefferson County – reveals the political nature of those projects. That so many of the projects were proposed in the districts of House and Senate leaders is revealing. Importantly, the Governor and the House stood united in agreement that the Governor should have this power.

This much maligned Special Session could end with a whimper and the Senate reduced to making symbolic gestures of defiance in the shadow of a veto proof transportation budget.

CONTACT ME: Call me directly at 502.564.8100 or write me at Rm. 329C, Capitol Annex, 702 Capitol Avenue, Frankfort, KY 40601. I’m also on FACEBOOK so hit me up there or online at Reginald.Meeks@lrc.ky.gov or at http://reginaldmeeks.com. To reach any particular legislator, contact our toll – free number at 800.372.7181. For the deaf or hard-of-hearing, that number is 800.896.0305

March 30, 2012

Kathy Groob — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 00:56:59 +0000

Maybe it was the trail of feathers down the hallway, into my office and around my desk…. Or that when Big Blue Nation supporters came to visit me they wore enough Redbird feathers to make several dusters. But when I arrived on the House Floor, one would have thought there wasn’t a clothed Cardinal in the entire state. They got me good, thanks in part to a creative staff and an unnamed Jefferson County conspirator. Speaking for every RED BLOODED KENTUCKIAN , I must say the Ali – Liston fight will appear to be little more than a street brawl when the University of Louisville shakes up the known civilized world!

Most people these days seem to be focused on winning and losing. Many actually believe the inevitability of a Big Blue championship; the only real issue being the margin of victory. Following this line of irrationality, why even play the game? Just hand out the trophies, sign over the coaching bonuses and let the dreads on the losing side get by the best they can. It’s the ultimate Bluegrass Zero Sum game. But plans to lay others low likely as not end up biting you in the trunk. Ask Duke or Syracuse, Michigan State — or any number of known and lesser known political candidates.

Nothing on this court of life is promised. Not winning. Not losing. There may be better players than you. There may even be a better team on the court facing you. But nothing is promised – them to win, nor you to lose. Even when you can’t beat them, refuse to lose to them…. That’s why they play the game; your very best game. In the emphatic words of Coach Valvano, “Don’t give up. Don’t ever give up!”

Budget conferees didn’t give up. When negotiations stretched into the early hours of the morning, they did not give up. The job you sent us here to do – pass a budget – will be completed today. Many compromises will have been made. Cuts will be confirmed. Leadership will get their usual road and other projects that few os us regular Joe’s receive.

I suspect most of us found real and quantifiable good in the budget. Some will hold their noses and vote for it. Others took a pass. Despite having only a few hours to review and compare and study, it is done.

It’s important to note that for the first time since 2006, the General Assembly passed a state budget without having to rely on a Special Session. That’s good. But don’t go getting all warm and fuzzy. There’s a game this weekend, and, frankly, this notion of us working together very long is about like expecting Cats fans to cheer for the Louisville Cardinals on Monday night! LOL!

SO, HERE’S WHERE YOUR BUTTER GETS CHURNED:

There’s too much to include in one weekly update, but I’d like to focus on a few key areas. You should know our state budget is $19.2 Billion. While modest growth is projected to continue over the next 2 years, rising costs, the ending of federal stimulus funding and the previous use of one-time funds account for the need for deep cuts that we made.

State borrowing is at the lowest levels in years. Authorized debt is $391 M. This is $580 M less than the Governor authorized and results in a debt ratio of 6.5%. The proposed debt ratio would have been 7.1%. The structural imbalance of the state is cut in half. None of this is where we want to be, but it’s a significant improvement in the right direction.

The Budget Reserve Trust Fund [i.e. Rainy Day Fund] is $ 72.7 M. These are our emergency funds and goodness knows we have needed them. As savings accrue and the state’s economy continues to grow, both the Senate and the House acknowledge this to be an important feature of this budget.

Concerning the Department of Education, base funding for schools remains intact. Both the Statewide IT Academy and KET are funded. Also the Family Resource and Youth Service Centers; Extended School Services; Gifted and Talented program; the Community Education program and funding for Read to Achieve and KEES and other financial assistance sources are funded. SEEK formula is maintained at the current level. The Governor Scholars program is funded in each of the fiscal years; $64 K is added in each year for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing above that provided by the Governor and the Office for the Blind receives an additional $50 K in each year above what would have been provided.

Medicaid is not cut and savings from last year’s reform amounts to more than $300 M. Nearly $20 M is added to boost substance abuse services and $6 M is added to help Kentuckians with mental illness.

The KASPER system will get about $4.2 M to better track and prevent prescription drug abuse. $9 M will go to counties to help with their jail costs.

Thankfully, with House Leadership and public pressure, assistance for indigent healthcare in Louisville will be maintained. Also, the State Fair Board will get $5.5 M to cover deficits at the YUM Center.

WE HAVE YET TO PASS THE TRANSPORTATION BUDGET. And HB 4 remains in the Senate because of what appeared to be a “CATS fight” that broke out among some of our friends in that Chamber… ☺

For the second year in a row, there are no new raises for state workers. Also no COLA for retirees.

Question of the Week – When the Cards win, will the sun come up on Sunday morning??

Working to Maintain Indigendent Health Care Services

Kathy Groob — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:13:28 +0000

On behalf of the Jefferson County Democratic legislative members, Rep. Darryl Owens wrote a letter to Mayor Greg Fischer urging him to continue to support the Quality and Charity Trust Agreement. Click here to read the letter.

March 23, 2012

Kathy Groob — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 01:20:15 +0000

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

I wasn’t sure what I was going to write about this week. Normally I have pieces of info or partial thoughts or ideas set aside to revisit when I finally do sit down to write. Not so this week. I had not a clue. Not a clue, that is, until our Caucus meeting yesterday.

For the past 3 weeks, there’s been a sort of détente around here. Members have seen a horrible swath of natural disasters cross districts lines from one end of the state to the other. We came together and raised over $25K just from our staff and House members for relief efforts. We collected over seventeen hundred t-shirts for the kids of Scholar House students. A growing number of Senate bills have been flowing through House committees and even some House bills have come out of the Senate. The weather’s been warm and beautiful — so what’s the problem? As I said….

I didn’t know what to write until our Caucus met. There, we learned the Senate was going to pass their version of the budget bill. We were warned while there may not be a great deal of movement of dollars [there’s just only so much marrow in a bone to move around] THERE COULD BE LANGUAGE CHANGES that could have significant impacts… If you can’t mess with the dollars, mess with how those dollars can be spent! I knew I had my fodder.

So here’s what happening. Next week should be interesting. Budget sub-committee chairs, members and staff will be pouring over the Senate budget with fine toothed combs this weekend. We’ll be looking for any language that changes how we believe your tax dollars should be spent. This is work that one simply has to grind your way through. It’s not pretty, and the budget document is long, but this is absolutely necessary. It could also spell the end of this warm and fuzzy period between the members, and the chambers.

A Conference Committee is already appointed and ready to start resolving any conflicts found between the House and Senate versions. Any compromise between the two versions of the budget must be agreed upon within the next few days and returned to both chambers for approval. Our 2012 session will come to a close on April 12th after the Governor has exercised a 10 day period that allows him to either sign bills into law or veto them. The end of our session could go out like a lamb – or a lion. With the weather we’ve been having, who knows? We’ll just have to keep our eyes open, watch carefully and read every detail.

SO, HERE’S WHERE YOUR BUTTER GETS CHURNED:

A very decent proposal to aid our immigrant communities was passed this week. HB 183 cleared the full House by a vote of 84-8 on Monday and will allow —but not require—local school districts to enroll refugees and legal resident aliens in their high schools, even if the students would be over 21 years of age by the time they receive their diploma. Current law allows students to attend public school until they reach age 21. This will help place more immigrees in better positions to be contributing taxpayers with access to higher paying jobs.

SB 89 was sent to the governor after passing the House on Tuesday. It was filed in response to a 2010 crash on I-65 near Munfordville that killed 10 members of a Mennonite family who were riding in a 15-seat van when it collided with a tractor trailer. Reports indicated that most of the van’s passengers were not wearing seat belts at the time of the crash. Current state law only requires seat belt use in vans designed to carry 10 or fewer people. This is expanded to include 15-seat vans.

HB 165 cleared the House and is sent to the Senate. It will offer a refund on sales and use tax paid on materials used to rebuild in storm-ravaged counties that are declared to be federal disaster areas. And it reaches out to school districts and their staff in those disaster areas by allowing the state’s education commissioner to waive up to 10 instructional days missed as a result of the storms. The “disaster” declaration would preserve schools’ state funding, while ensuring that all school personnel receive salary, wages and benefits for those days.

A statewide “Blue Alert” system to help law enforcement apprehend someone suspected of killing, wounding or abducting a law enforcement officer cleared the House Transportation Committee this week. The system will broadcast identifying information similar to that sent out under the Amber Alert system now in place for missing children. Blue Alerts would be issued only upon request of a law enforcement agency after it is determined that an officer has been killed, injured, or is missing.

An important ABA study from 1976 – 2010 found a nearly 60% error rate in death penalty cases! Of the 98 death penalty cases examined, 50 were overturned. HCR 173 calls for the creation of the Kentucky Death Penalty Reform Implementation Task Force to develop a strategy to implement recommended reforms in these cases.

Protection from domestic abuse was extended to include people who are dating. The bill would only apply to those dating couples who are 18 years of age or older.

Question of the Week – What issue have we not addressed that you feel the General Assembly should address during this legislative session?

March 12-16, 2012

Kathy Groob — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 00:42:47 +0000

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

I know its b’ball madness all over again — and there’ll be more than enough wolf tickets bought and sold to make the Girl Scouts turn Irish greenwith envy, so let me all my two cents in up front. So what’s up with the NCAA seedings? Portland, Oregon. Really?! Let’s see. I believe it was San Antonio in ’11 and Houston in ’10. You get the picture. And if that isn’t enough….

What’s up with this report?? Duke University was the only NCAA tournament team to outspend the University of Louisville and University of Kentucky basketball programs during the 2010-11 season!?

According to an analysis of Equality in Athletics data from the U.S. Department of Education, Duke, UofL and Kentucky — along with Marquette University in Milwaukee — were the only programs among all those making this year’s NCAA basketball tournament that spent more than $10 million for the season. They outspent every other school in the tourney!

Hmmmm…. $10 M? I’ll put a pin in that one for now so as not to upset your basketball “sensibilities”…

Speaking of which – let’s see… UK – played in Louisville. WKU played in Louisville. Murray State played in Louisville — SO WT IS LOUISVILLE DOING PLAYING WAY OUT IN OREGON, of all places??

[You’d think that after spending all that money on basketball…]

And why do two Kentucky teams seem to regularly be paired up so one gets bounced early in the tourney?

And can someone answer how it is that WKU only got 1,000 tickets for their YUM Center fans, anyway?

As a state, we may be at the bottom of the barrel in most areas, and we may have a few issues that we need to focus on and fix. We might even be 20 years behind the rest of the country in everything else, but when it comes to Madness –at least in March, we can show ‘em they got NOTHING on us!

GO CARDS!! GO RACERS!! ….and even widdle PUDDYCATS!!!

WKU, you’ve made us proud!

SO, HERE’S WHERE YOUR BUTTER GETS CHURNED:

The Senate is burning the midnight oil – painstakingly pouring over each and every budget page – meeting day and night to account for every penn….what? You’re not buying this? Ahhh, that business about not working on Fridays, surely it must be – oh, Monday’s too? I, eh, I didn’t know. Surely they must be doing something! After all, we continue to send bills over there almost daily… I’m sure somebody’s keeping up with all the bills they are hearing…and passing….and sending on to the Governor…

This week, we tackled a growing synthetic-drug problem that has re-emerged all across the Commonwealth: synthetic drugs including so-called “bath salts” and synthetic marijuana found in convenience stores and head shops. This is a fascinating snapshot of just how quickly illegal drug manufacturers respond to new challenges. A 2011 law we passed banned specific compounds of synthetic drugs. Underground manufacturers got around the law by altering a drug’s ingredients just enough to create new, technically legal ones. HB 481 fixes that loophole by banning entire classes, not just compounds, of synthetic drugs. It also extends seizure and forfeiture laws to retailers who sell these drugs; makes selling them a felony crime for second and subsequent offenses, and makes simple possession a misdemeanor with a penalty of up to 30 days in jail.

We then turned our attention to the alarming number of abused and neglected children who have fallen through the proverbial cracks of the state’s child-protection system in recent years. HB 200 creates a statewide external expert review panel to thoroughly investigate the death or near death of a child from abuse or neglect. The panel will determine if the state took reasonable measures to save that child or prevent his or her injuries (if the child was under protective services at the time) – and it expands the statutory definition of child abuse to include abuse by a sibling. A major feature is the creation of an independent office to oversee Kentucky’s Child Protective Services agency.

The state’s Transportation Budget and Road Plan was also passed out of the House this week. The Road Plan is a planning document which lays out priority construction projects for the upcoming 6 years. The first 2 years of the 6 year plan is separated out for immediate funding. Projects in the remaining 4 years you might say are put on the shelf in anticipation of continued funding and favorable revenue streams. Transportation projects are interesting. I’ve seen them stay on the books for years before they are begun. Often, Road projects are very high dollar projects. Under this plan, some $1.5 Billion in state construction funds and $1.3 Billion in federal construction funds are allocated for key projects in our Commonwealth.

I will soon publish specific details on Transportation and Road projects in and around our 42nd District.

Question of the Week – What is the proper balance between state supported schools profiting from athletics and state government having sufficient resources to meet the state’s educational needs?

March 5-9, 2012

Kathy Groob — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:58:55 +0000

GO CARDS! GO RACERS! GO TOPPERS…..and you too PUDDYCATS!!

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

I don’t mind telling you, if earlier in the session someone had wanted to bet on whether we’d need a Special Session in order to pass a budget, well, they’d be dropping my nickel in an Indiana slot machine right now!. Can you imagine! What with unresolved fallout from a contentious race for governor; redistricting and the legal challenges that followed; internal fraction within the Senate Republicans; the expanded gaming question, and a starting gate full of bills on our regular agenda to consider, few – including yours truly – believed we would have either the time or the political will to pass a state budget! Thankfully I was wrong.

Well, half way wrong. The one job expected of your General Assembly is to develop and pass a budget. Mission Accomplished! [Oh, no he di’nt say that!] ….. by the House.

Here’s what I know: We have sent to the Senate proposed legislation totaling some $19.2 billion over the two-year biennium.

• 56% for r Education: K – Higher Ed

• 22% for Medicaid and Human Services]

• 11% for Criminal Justice

• 11% for everything else needed to operate the state and provide for our citizens

“Will this meet all our needs”? No. Modest income growth has met with rising costs, the loss of federal stimulus funds and the previous use of one-time funds. We are short about $700 M.

“So, why not just cut more”? Most agencies are cut by 8.4%. Some have already been cut as much as 25%.

“Is everyone cut the same amount”. Yes. All three government branches are cut the same 8.4%.

“Yeah, but I bet there were SOME exceptions! Right”? Right. The SEEK funding was not cut. Family Resource Centers were maintained at current spending levels. No cuts to student financial aid and the KEES program; and Social Services gets a $20 M bump to hire more social workers. More cheddar was placed into Gifted and Talented, Read to Achieve and into extended school services programs.

And there’s more…

SO, HERE’S WHERE YOUR BUTTER GETS CHURNED:

We saved $372 M over the upcoming biennium by reforming Medicaid and going to a managed care system .

We also began reducing what was the fastest growing prison population in the nation, by more than 4,600 inmates. This allows us to plow $9 M back into the system for substance abuse treatment. Hopefully, some of this will also be used for prevention.

Unfortunately, for the second year in a row, state workers – including judges, retirees and yours truly and those of my ilk – will not receive a raise. There is no COLA for retirees and teachers have to pay more into their retirement for health benefits.

Veterans Affairs and coal severance funding is not getting cut. A new Veterans nursing home is authorized – pending approval from the Feds – in Hardin Co.

Meals-On-Wheels and other elder services gets an extra $5M.

Listen UP if you’re tardy with your taxes…. The first Tax Amnesty program in 10 years is authorized. We think it will bring in about $55M when folks take advantage of it.

Now, each of the House Budget bills [the Executive, Judicial and the Legislative branch budgets] heads to the Senate. There, they are likely to be “overhauled” – which will lead to the assignment of a House and Senate conference committee to work up a budget compromise…hopefully. Of course the Senate could simply agree these plans are brilliant and represent the best use of limited state resources…

Would you recognize a “Pill Mill” in our community? Ever noticed the many “pain clinics” that have opened around town? Or the “Pain Doctors” offices that are newly opened? I have, and so has the legislature. More on these later, but as you drive around, let me know what you observe.

Last week’s tornado outbreak weighed heavily on each of us this week. Many or our members wanted to be home with their families and helping their communities cope. They chose, instead, to remain in Frankfort; conducting the People’s Business. We in the House pledged to raise $10 K toward the relief efforts for all Kentucky. Repubs and Dems. Members and Staff. I was proud to be part of this commitment! As of today, I can report we have raised over $22 K — and are working to have $25 K by Monday!

Question of the Week – Good idea or Bad idea? Allowing people to come into our state parks or on state property to hunt for and collect items using metal detectors.

SPECIAL EDITION March 7, 2012

Kathy Groob — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 13:40:31 +0000

KENTUCKY’S RECOVERY: First Steps on Our Long Journey Back

Last Friday, over the weekend and for years to come, citizens throughout our Commonwealth face the long road toward being able to deal with one of the most life changing events one could ever hope to survive.

10:58am, Friday, March 2. The following was issued by your KY Emergency Management: “… the main storm front will be in and around Nashville, TN and Western KY at approx. 2:00 pm eastern standard time… most of Western, South Central, Southern and Southeastern Ky. has the greatest chance of tornado activity. The state of KY is rated a 7 out of 10 chance of tornados touching down. If tornados do touchdown…conditions are right for them to stay on the ground for an extended period of time. Straight line winds of 60-75 mph are expected. The jet stream is moving at 150 mph. The storm front will appear quickly and with extreme power. Everyone needs to be prepared to move to safety quickly”. How terribly accurate they were.

Rep. John Will Stacy of West Liberty delivered an emotional report on his community’s efforts to cope. He gave a warm “thank you” to the media, without which, he noted perhaps hundreds of lives would have been lost. Our state Emergency Management team, the Weather Channel, local TV forecasters and radio outlets all deserve a well earned “Thank You” from a grateful Commonwealth. They kept us informed and updated on rapidly changing weather and emergency conditions!

A chilling reminder of the horror of it all came into my office. That we must use this tragedy to now demand better access to emergency information for our visually impaired and our deaf and hard of hearing citizens was driven home just yesterday. Reps from the Blind Veterans Association, Independence Place (in Lexington) and others met with me and revealed they have lost members in Eastern KY to the tornado. Citizens who could not see, or who could not hear died in the tornado — and it is haunting to now speculate whether they ever saw or heard reports of their pending doom… I pray the Governor, the appropriate Cabinet Secretaries and others with access to means of communicating with these differently abled populations will come together and do what is necessary to insure blind and deaf citizens have access to emergency information…. Information, thanks to the media, we take for granted.

6:15pm, Friday. Situation Report (compilation): “Severe storms began impacting the Commonwealth this afternoon beginning in the far western part of the state and following up and across the Ohio river from Indiana crossing into the state north of Louisville”.

“Governor Beshear has warned Kentuckians to stay alert. Trimble Co has established an evacuation center at the Morgan Community Center (Bedford). National Guard currently doing damage assessments in Trimble County. Initial confirmation of an apartment collapse in Grant County-Harvester Subdivision no fatalities only minor injuries. Kenton County reported multiple structures damaged with potential trapped occupants. Reports of numerous homes without roofs in Centertown, Hartford and Olaton areas. Several mobiles homes blown off foundations and overturned vehicles in the Centertown-Hartford-Olaton line”.

“National Guard Elements are staging out of the Walton and Carrolton Armories for situation awareness. We anticipate security mission requests. Department of Public Health has issued information and preparedness guidance for sheltering including morbidity surveillance, food and water safety. Todd County has two shelters. Danville in Boyle County has shelters open as a pre-caution. Daviess County has storm shelters on standby. Powell County has 2 storm shelters on standby. Hancock County, Storm Shelters only. Whitley County storm shelters available Williamsburg”.

And the Situation Reports continued to be issued throughout the weekend and on into this week.

Tuesday, 3:40pm: SitRep: “The Commonwealth continues to mourn the loss of 22 fellow citizens as emergency response and recovery operations increase in size and pace. The Kentucky National Guard has deployed 386 soldiers across 10 counties, engaging in direct support to local emergency and recovery operations. KYEM has established online assistance:

* help to locate loved ones: http://kyem.ky.gov/missingperson/Pages/default.aspx;

* to volunteer services/goods: http://kyem.ky.gov/recovery/pages/volunteerCoordination.aspx

* to donate cash to disaster victims: http://kyem.ky.gov/donationsvolunteers/Pages/default.aspx”

9:18pm: “ Governor Beshear was notified tonight that President Barack Obama has authorized assistance for residents of seven Kentucky Counties that suffered significant damage. The President’s action makes federal funding available to affected individuals in counties of Johnson, Kenton, Laurel, Lawrence, Menifee, Morgan, and Pendleton. Damage surveys are continuing in other areas, and more counties and additional forms of assistance may be designated after the assessments are fully completed”.

Wednesday, 8:37am: SitRep: “I am sure you are already aware of the Individual Assistance Declaration but I wanted to make sure. This was an exceptionally quick response. FEMA will start arriving on ground today. The Governor has stressed that we are to continue at a high level of response and assist in getting FEMA resources in place ASAP. This is great news for the affected citizens as IA can have money in the hands of citizens within days.”

The long road has begun…and while we cannot see the end, we know we are headed in the right direction.

In whatever way you deem appropriate, please keep the families, the victims, the officials and please keep the first responders and those providing medical care to the tornado victims in your hearts and prayers.

Use the links above and help out any way you can. Know that I am glad you and your families are safe.

CONTACT ME:

Call me directly at 502.564.8100 or write me at Rm. 329C, Capitol Annex, 702 Capitol Avenue, Frankfort, KY 40601. I’m also on FACEBOOK so hit me up there or online at Reginald.Meeks@lrc.ky.gov or at http://reginaldmeeks.com. To reach any particular legislator, contact our toll – free number at 800.372.7181. For the deaf or hard-of-hearing, that number is 800.896.0305.

February 27 – March 2, 2012

Kathy Groob — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:22:45 +0000

The public celebration of women’s history in this country began in 1978 as “Women’s History Week.” In 1987, Congress expanded the celebration to a month, and March was declared Women’s History Month.

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

I believe you’re going to want to sit up and pay attention to what’s happening next week here in your name. Not that you didn’t have a reason to be engaged, but let’s be honest; outside of a few public outbreaks of acrimony, there’s been a lot of inside hardball taking place so far this session. That is changing.

For the past couple of weeks, those of us serving on budget review sub-committees have been putting together recommendations to be revealed early next week. These committees, addressing areas such as Health & Welfare, Transportation, K – 12 and Higher Education, have been digesting proposals sent up from the Governor’s office. We’ve also been holding hearings in our respective areas and receiving input from front line offices, public agencies, service organizations, and non-profits about their challenges and needs.

For example, in my Post-Secondary Ed Subcommittee, each of the state schools, along with the community and technical college system, came before us to tout accomplishments, to lay out plans for us and to give accounting for their uses of public dollars –all with the view of helping us understand budget requests, capital needs, and their plans for meeting the growing need to provide quality, affordable educational services to Kentucky students, families and taxpayers.

All this work gets rolled out next week and I urge you to pay attention, particularly in light of revenue issues.

Let me share one of the most entertaining opportunities I’ve encountered this session. It occurred this week. I became “Coach” for our Jefferson County delegation “team” that is in competition to raise funds and collect college T-shirts for every child of a student-parent living in a Scholar House, (Over 525 kids statewide). These Scholar Houses provide family-oriented housing and support for students with families. They are so successful, I don’t mind spilling the beans and revealing that I’ve learned one such Scholar House is planned for a vacant facility in our 42nd District! If you are interested and able to donate to our fund to purchase these college T-shirts and promote education among the children of Scholar House parents, contact me, Coach Meeks, at Reginald.Meeks@LRC.KY.GOV . [Little do they know I couldn’t hit the broad side of a Scholar House from the 3-pt. line, but that’ll be our secret, OK?!]

Catfish! Blues, Flatheads, and Channel. …but when we hooked into HB 115, no one anticipated the 45 min floor fight to finally land the decision whether to require restaurants to post the place of origin of catfish sold in Kentucky restaurants! And big ups to my boys over at Shuckman’s Meat’s. They are good o’ boys from West Louisville and their company’s been helping with economic development in Martin County. Check them out at www.kysmokedfish.com/.

SO, HERE’S WHERE YOUR BUTTER GETS CHURNED:

Our Cabinet for Economic Development is accepting applications from Kentucky small businesses [fewer than 500 employees] for grants through the State Trade and Export Promotion (STEP) program. Gov. Beshear initiated this in December of 2010, helping our state exports to increase 102 percent from 2001 to 2011. If you are interested in growing your export business, need market research, help identifying international customers, want to participate in trade shows or need marketing materials, please visit www.kyexports.com and click on Assistance. Funding expires in September, so the clock is ticking.

Fighting Kentucky’s drug epidemic was at the forefront in the General Assembly. We joined with prosecutors, law enforcement and the medical community and passed 3 related bills. House Bill 481 fights the sale of synthetic drugs, commonly sold as incense or “bath salts” and imposes stricter penalties for distributors, bans the entire class of chemical compounds, and will result in loss of property and liquor licenses, along with jail time or fines, for retailers that are convicted. Under HB 481 the state Office of Drug Control Policy would have the authority to ban any future synthetic drugs ; and HB 4 says that all physicians and pharmacists must register and use the KASPER system. This will help stop “Pill Mills” and end over-prescribing narcotics by health care providers. Prosecutors and law enforcement will use information contained in KASPER to conduct investigations when over-prescribing of meds is suspected.

The number of students whose tuition and costs are paid for under the Metropolitan College Program – a partnership made up of United Parcel Service (UPS), Jefferson County Technical College (JCTC), the University of Louisville, and Louisville Metro Government – will increase from 2,800 to 4,000 under HB 405. Also, the number of participating employers will increase.

The proposed state budget we are working on is $19.5 billion over the two-year biennium.

Storm damage reported across the state on Wednesday will have insurance adjusters out in force in coming days. You should be warned that some fly-by-night repair contractors may be out as well. HB 421, dubbed the “Storm Chasers Bill” is in place to curb unscrupulous roofers and gives homeowners a five-day grace period to pay or cancel a signed roofing contract after they are notified by their insurer that the roofing work is not a covered loss under their policy.

Question of the Week –What are your thoughts on industrial hemp? Should we actively explore possible uses and markets for the product or not?

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February 21-24, 2012

Kathy Groob — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:23:11 +0000

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

WHAT A WEEK! It’s been a week filled with anticipation and hope that the voice of the People would trump the expediency of payback politics. [Man, did it disappoint is this regard.] The week showed us there are ways to improve the quality of life for our people. And it did provide a showcase for the very best of Kentucky hospitality. One step forward…

For YEARS, you repeatedly said, “Just give us a chance to vote….just give us a chance to have our say”. You didn’t want us to decide the expanded gaming issue. YOU wanted that chance. And many of us wanted you to have it – including the Governor. It is not to be. At least not this session – and maybe not this Administration. There’s just too much poison in the water…and too many people are left exposed.

For all the hype we spout about being the Horse Capitol of the World; our Kentucky thoroughbred as being the “crotch rockets” — in motorcycle vernacular — of the Sport of Kings, the 21 – 16 Senate rejection of expanded gaming to bolster our horse industry had gig the Governor [as in stick ‘em one more time] written all over it. Many see it as being a cynical vote based in politics and personality, not one based on prudent public policy. One has to ask the obvious question: Who was doing the counting for the Governor?!

Fortunately, the feds got it right and prudent public policy was the key to passage of the Affordable Health Care Act. Under this Act, Children in Kentucky will no longer be denied coverage by insurance companies for pre-existing conditions, and if you have private insurance – like 2.3 million Kentuckians do – you don’t have to worry about running out of lifetime limits if you become seriously ill. About 770,000 senior Kentuckians on Medicare will be eligible for preventive care – like mammograms or colonoscopies – without deductibles or co-insurance requirements. And while there are still naysayers to this sound policy that benefits so many of our kinfolk, the voice of reason won out this time.

I took my granddaughter to see Michelle Obama this week. Here’s the deal. The First Lady came up in conversation a couple of weeks ago, and I promised I would call her and see if she would come to Louisville and meet Ms. Precocious…and she did! We shared a memorable time with a thousand of our closest friends at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage! I was also blessed to be able to present an award to The Carolina Chocolate Drops at the Clifton Center [what an awesome concert & film series and other programming they have there! jharris@cliftoncenter.org .] If you’re in to Roots Music, they will melt in your mouth!! — http://www.carolinachocolatedrops.com/ These two amazing events were almost enough to wash the taste of Kentucky politics away…if only for an evening

SO, HERE’S WHERE YOUR BUTTER GETS CHURNED:

THE BRIDGE IS OPEN…. & HIS NAME IS CLEARED!!

“I don’t have to tell you WHICH bridge is open. Both Sherman and Minton are high fiving every angel they can find – wherever they are.”

Remember that quote from my last update? Well, I took some editorial license, but I really don’t want to mislead anyone. There is no Sherman and Minton — just Sherman Minton; former Indiana Senator and Supreme Court Justice. We’ll all drive easier over his bridge knowing the upper deck is not named for one and the lower deck for the other!

“Bucks for Brains” was a tremendous success for Higher Ed. Books for Brains we hope will be equally progressive. A partnership of the state, local governments and the private sector is working in Trigg Co. to put over 23,000 books in children’s hands; contributing to a 15% increase in preschool assessment scores. Our Education Committee approved this as a statewide initiative.

Economic Development was also on our minds as Ky received two national recognitions for job creating successes. We are a among the largest auto suppliers in the country. #3. So, to strengthen our position in these areas, we voted to expand the 2007 Jobs Retention Act tax incentives to GM and Toyota auto plants, and we added automobile suppliers to those lining up at the trough. The 2007 Act brought 3,000 jobs to Ford’s Louisville plants alone.

The bill to allow felons who to have their rights restored who have completely paid their debt to society also passed muster in the House again. Your voice to our good friends in the Senate will be needed…

Curbing Human Trafficking was the subjects of HB 350.We’ve seen a marked increase in children and adults being subjected to forced labor and sexual exploitation. A special division within KSP will be established to ID and investigate these cases and there will be increased penalties and sentences for anyone convicted of these crimes.

Check out The Muhammad Ali Center, Daughters of Greatness Series: Friday, March 2, 8:30 AM, featuring: Marilyn Vann, President of the Descendants of Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes. For generations, Black slaves lived among and became members of the Cherokee Nation. They are known as Freedmen. In 2007, Cherokees amended their tribal constitution and tried removing 2,800 Freedmen from tribal membership. Ms. Vann is leading the fight to regain their tribal citizenship. Contact Erin Herbert: eherbert@alicenter.org at 502-992-5341 for tickets.

Question of the Week – Was the gaming amendment mishandled by the Governor’s Office or did the Senate make the gaming amendment a target because of the Governor’s support for it?

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February 13-17, 2012

Kathy Groob — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 01:31:24 +0000

CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW?

This legislative session has taken on a quirky feel to this legislator. The adrenalin of the early weeks of the session wore out as we watched paint dry in our meetings and on the House floor. By the time these mid-session weeks rolled around, I know YOU were anxious to see something happen. So when the flurry of activity over redistricting began, we were just happy having the issue on the table and subject to public scrutiny. Public policy was, again, being well thought out and vetted with consensus being arrived at across party lines…

Well that dog didn’t hunt long as the KY Supreme Court accepted our appeal from the Franklin Circuit Court’s redistricting decision. The high court began hearing oral arguments and its own deliberations on the plan this week. We are, again, in a wait and hear mode for the redistricting decision of the Supremes.

Thankfully, now just about midway the session, the pace continues to build. The Budget, of course, is the focus of attention as our various sub-committees continue to work. And as plans to build Patton U., eh, Pikeville University receive more public attention, there is a growing discussion of the need for — the impact of — and the statewide consequences for creating this proposed new institution. This will be an entertaining discussion, if for no other reason than it involves a number of high profile, well respected politicos.

Speaking of…. Governor Beshear’s plan for a Constitutional Amendment being on the ballot to expand gaming is yet again a major item of interest thanks to Sen. Damon Thayer. President David Williams and Speaker Greg Stumbo would have preferred a simpler proposal from the Governor. Others, like former Gov. Brereton Jones, argue the Governor’s proposal doesn’t go far enough to help the horse industry in the state. The Family Foundation hopes to see the bill die in the Senate.

Outside the state, others are not waiting. Ohio is betting big on casinos with plans to open new ones in Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus and Toledo. In the meantime, they want to roll out thousands of video lottery terminals at temporary racinos by this fall. We will start talking about it again this week….

SO, HERE’S WHERE YOUR BUTTER GETS CHURNED:

THE BRIDGE IS OPEN….THE BRIDGE IS OPEN!!

I don’t have to tell you WHICH bridge is open. Both Sherman and Minton are high fiving every angel they can find – wherever they are. Most of us are saying, “Hallelujah” …as is the repair company. They just pocketed over $1M for finishing up early and on budget. Amen, Brothers and Sisters.! We’re happy for ya.

The House Transportation Committee approved HB 133, which will allow drivers of slow-moving, motorless vehicles like Amish buggies to substitute colorless reflective tape for the triangular orange safety emblem now required by state law – as long as they’re not on the Sherman-Minton! Kentucky’s Amish community reportedly prefers the proposed use of white or silver reflective tape on the rear of their buggies to orange emblem, which many Amish say has a gaudy shape and color that violates their religious beliefs.

Concern for the growing number of Kentucky citizens with dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, led to House approval of a simple resolution last week that urges larger cities to better train their emergency personnel to deal with dementia patients. House Resolution 25, which was unanimously approved by the House, asks cities of at least 25,000 people to provide dementia training for Police, EMTs and Fire Fighters. We also adjourned the House in honor of the Kentucky and Southern Indiana Chapter of the Alzheimer’s.

The intentional viewing of child pornography—which is not yet a crime under Kentucky law–would become a felony under a bill that cleared the House Judiciary Committee. Currently, only the possession, not the viewing, of child pornography, is illegal. However, the ubiquitous use of the Internet has made child pornography more readily available than ever before. HB 126 will be before the entire House for consideration and will make intentional, deliberate viewing of a minor in a sexual performance a Class D felony carrying up to five years in prison. Only those who must view child pornography as part of a law enforcement investigation would be exempt from the legislation, although it would not apply to those who inadvertently view child pornography during an Internet search, for example.

Question of the Week – Mark Twain. Why was he so right???

Ok, for those of you who don’t get it, he wrote that he wanted to be in Kentucky when the flood, or some such calamity hits…..because in Kentucky everything happens 20 years later… remember now??

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