Bills in Frankfort Today - March 17, 2010
Legislative Day 49
House
Another New State Board
This one's so redundant that the bill has to specify that the authority of other boards is not diminished. SB 105 is heard in the House Committee on Agriculture.
Another New Spending Program
Still on the agenda from last week is HB 594, a new tax and subsidy program for dairy farmers.Not only is this a new tax designed to increase the price of (and therefore reduce the demand for) milk, it puts a new burden on retailers to apply and collect the tax. Still a likely KEY VOTE.
Professional Charitable Gambling
The House Committee on Licensing and Occupations will consider HB 515 that will allow eight people to be paid to operate charitable gaming. How charitable is that? Are there really no volunteers to operate church bingo?
Another Health Care Mandate
The House Committee on Banking and Insurance will consider HB 460 mandating coverage of oral cancer medications. All new mandates increase health costs for us all.
Senate
First Step in The Next American Car Company Failure
The Senate Committee on Transportation will consider HB 217, a bill placing new state restrictions on car manufacturer-dealer relationships. While much attention is given to the roll the unsustainable union contracts played on American car company sluggishness, GM, Ford and Chrysler were also greatly constrained by a bog of state laws governing their relationships with dealers. Here, once again, the state is dictating to the car companies who should operate their dealerships, once again preventing them from making the economic choices they might make in a free market.
How Many Employees Are In Kentucky Government?
Because no one knows the answer to this question, the Senate Committee on State and Local Government is considering HB 387, which will require this information to be reported quarterly.
