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Phone: (502) 564-8100, ext. 706
Toll-Free: (800) 372-7181
Fax: (502) 564-6453

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P.O. Box 43244
Louisville, Kentucky 40253

Home: (502) 245-8905
Office: (502) 245-9590
Fax: (502) 244-1015
E-Mail: ron.crimm@lrc.state.ky.us
Website: www.roncrimm.net

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Legislative Committees Continue Meeting Despite Break from House Floor Action

When my colleagues and I left Frankfort on February 13, we adjourned for a 5-day break from the 2009 Regular Session. Even though the House has not been conducting business on the floor, our work has not been on hold as House Committees have been meeting to hear and approve a number of bills in preparation for when the full House reconvenes.

House Bill 124 would grant students up to ten days of excused absences to visit a parent or legal guardian who is serving in the United States military and was overwhelming approved by the House Education Committee. In order for the student to take advantage of the excused absences, the service member must be station out of the country and be on leave granted by the military. Furthermore, students would be required to make up any assignments or tests that were missed due to this absence.

Members of the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee gave their approval to legislation that clarifies Homestead Exemption provisions. House Bill 125 would direct that a totally disabled individual with an irreversible disability may only report that disability on the initial application to receive the homestead exemption.

Legislation directing state-run agencies to utilize recycling opportunities passed the House Committee on Natural Resources and Environment. House Bill 160 would require all government agencies to prepare a recycling plan, carry it forth, and collect data on the usage and effectiveness of the plan.

The House Committee on Judiciary gave passage to House Bill 192 which would prohibit shock probation for DUI convictions where there was a fatality. A similar prohibition already exists for violent offenses. Mirroring a bill approved in the Senate last session, this legislation would be known as “The Kentuckians against Drunk Driving Act.

Approved by the House Agriculture and Small Business Committee, House Bill 418 aims to curtail the growing problem of stray horses and reduce the burden on local government who currently provide housing and care for these animals. This legislation would allow local governments to establish their own reasonable fees for keeping stray horses and provide owners with a 90- day period to claim their horse that had been reported as a stray.

Four weeks remain in this legislative session and there is still much work to be done. As we continue deliberating the merits of bills in committee meetings and approving legislation on the House Floor, I will keep you updated. I invite you to contact me with any questions you have about our work in Frankfort. Please feel free to call me at home or through the toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181. You may track legislative action through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page, http://www.lrc.ky.gov or reach me at ron.crimm@lrc.ky.gov.

February Closes With A Flurry of Legislative Action

As my colleagues and I returned from the 2009 Session’s five day hiatus, we quickly resumed our work attending meetings, hearing testimony, studying proposed legislation and approving bills in the House Chambers as only 12 days remain in this year’s legislative session.

Legislative committee meetings were full of debate and action this week. The House Banking and Insurance Committee approved legislation that protects life insurance policy holders. House Bill 230 would require insurance agents to notify life insurance policy holders who have reached 60 years of age, or are terminally ill, of the option to purchase a life settlement contract.

House Bill 251, which was passed by the House State Government Committee, would add United States Mint Police to the list of federal peace officers who are recognized as Kentucky peace officers.

Members of the House Local Government Committee approved House Bill 377 which would expand the jurisdiction of police officers in cities of the sixth class by allowing them to serve and protect countywide when called upon to act in that capacity.

Legislation that would provide a level of protection in real estate dealings won passage from the House Committee on Licensing and Occupations. House Bill 401 would require all real estate broker license applicants to be subject to a national criminal history check.

Those individuals who meet the other licensee requirements would be allowed to complete an affidavit assuring a clean background check report and begin practicing during the time frame between completing the check and receiving the results.

Children who suffer from dyslexia will benefit from House Bill 409, which sailed through the House Education Committee. This legislation would require that students entering the second year of primary school be screened for dyslexia beginning with the 2010-2011 school year. School districts would also be required to provide professional development classes for teachers who are responsible for instructing dyslexic students.

This committee also approved House Bill 408 which would permit high growth school districts to request adjustments in the SEEK funds they receive each year if their average daily attendance exceeds the prior year's daily average of attendance.

Much like the committee meetings, House Floor action was in overdrive as a number of bills were approved. One of these was House Bill 20. Approved 97-0, this legislation would provide an exemption for totally and permanently disabled veterans who are Kentucky citizens from the relevant overnight accommodations rate at any Kentucky State Park. This exemption could be used for a stay scheduled any day of the week between the beginning of September until the end of April or Sunday through Thursday any other time of the year.

Passing on a vote of 98-0, House Bill 83 would require public colleges and universities to distribute literature to students at the time of admission regarding credit cards and debt management. Each school would be encouraged to conduct informational sessions that help students understand what credit is and how to attain good credit. Legislation mirroring House Bill 83 won approval from the House in both the 2007 and 2008 Regular Sessions.

House Bill 141 would permit a local board of education to pay all or part of the insurance premiums for board members’ participation in the district employees’ medical or dental insurance plan. Another provision of this legislation, which won approval 90-3, would provide board members the option to purchase insurance coverage for their dependents, but would be required to pay the full cost of those premiums.

Legislation aiding city and county police officers who are also members of the National Guard passed the House 99-0. House Bill 309 would allow police officers activated for service to continue receiving payments from the Kentucky Law Enforcement Foundation Program Fund (KLEFPF) without the payments counting against their retirement benefits.

By a 94-0 vote, House Bill 214 was approved and would establish fines for any business that violates a pre-existing law permitting mothers to breast-feed their baby in a public or private setting. The first violation would be punishable through a fine of $500 and each subsequent offense with fine of $1000. Legislation similar to House Bill 214 has been proposed in the Senate.

House members also passed House Bill 335. Through this bill that was approved on vote of 96-0, the Kentucky Department of Veterans’ Affairs would be permitted to act as a conservator for a disabled veteran or the child of a disabled veteran who is under the age of 18.

One bill that has received an abundance of media attention and would affect a majority of our 120 counties caused a heated debate in the committee meeting, but won an easy 92-6 approval on the House Floor. House Bill 322 would allow school districts affected by last month’s ice storm and designated as federal disaster zones to waive the make-up of up to 10 missed school days.

For the first time this year, I missed the floor session of the House of Representatives so I could attend an important national insurance meeting in Washington D.C. One of the important issues discussed included insurance scoring and the frail economic influence on ratings. The information gained from this meeting will be valuable as we continue to evaluate insurance scoring in Kentucky.

With our constitutionally allowed time for this year’s Regular Session winding down, the approval process for bills will become increasingly faster as each day passes. If you have any questions about legislation or my position on certain issues, please feel free to contact me anytime. I am available at home or through the toll-free message line at 1-800-372-7181. For bill information, please call the Bill Status Line at 1-866-840-2835. If you have internet access, you can e-mail me at ron.crimm@lrc.ky.gov or keep track through the Kentucky Legislature Home Page: http://www.lrc.ky.gov.

[Update Volume 7, Edition 3; March 24, 2009]

Thank you for taking a few moments to visit my website. I hope you will find this website both interesting and educational. Please feel free to join my E-List of friends who receive regular updates on legislative, political and local issues.

Our Legislative Update, and "Crimm-Letter" E-zines are updated regularly with items of interest concerning the work we are doing for you at the Kentucky State Assembly. If you can volunteer to help us, it would be greatly appreciated!