Final Reports of the Interim Joint, Special, and Statutory Committees 2011
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Final Reports of the Interim Joint, Special, and Statutory Committees 2011 Informational Bulletin No. 237 Legislative Research Commission Frankfort, Kentucky December 2011 Final Reports of the Interim Joint, Special, and Statutory Committees 2011 Presented to the Legislative Research Commission and the 2012 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly Informational Bulletin No. 237 Legislative Research Commission Frankfort, Kentucky lrc.ky.gov December 2011 Paid for with state funds. Available in alternative form by request. Legislative Research Commission Foreword 2011 Final Committee Reports Foreword Sections 36 and 42 of the Kentucky Constitution provide that the General Assembly shall meet on the “first Tuesday after the first Monday in January” for 60 legislative days in even- numbered years, and for 30 legislative days, including up to 10 days for an organizational component, in odd-numbered years. Between legislative sessions, the interim joint committees of the Legislative Research Commission (LRC), as well as special and statutory committees, meet to discuss and receive testimony on a number of important issues that may confront the General Assembly. During the 2011 Interim, all 15 interim joint committees held meetings. One special committee met in 2011. All eight statutory committees met during the 2011 Interim. LRC provides this informational booklet as a summary of the activity of the interim joint, special, and statutory committees since adjournment of the 2011 General Assembly. The reports were prepared separately by the committee staff. Robert Sherman Director Legislative Research Commission Frankfort, Kentucky December 2011 i Legislative Research Commission Contents 2011 Final Committee Reports Contents Reports of the 2011 Interim Joint Committees Agriculture .......................................................................................................................................1 Appropriations and Revenue ............................................................................................................7 Banking and Insurance ...................................................................................................................27 Economic Development and Tourism ...........................................................................................31 Education .......................................................................................................................................47 Energy ............................................................................................................................................63 Health and Welfare ........................................................................................................................67 Judiciary .........................................................................................................................................77 Labor and Industry .........................................................................................................................85 Licensing and Occupations ............................................................................................................89 Local Government .........................................................................................................................97 Natural Resources and Environment ...........................................................................................105 State Government.........................................................................................................................111 Transportation ..............................................................................................................................125 Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection .......................................................................137 Reports of the 2011 Special Committee Task Force on the Penal Code and Controlled Substances Act ...................................................143 Reports of the Statutory Committees Administrative Regulation Review Subcommittee ......................................................................151 Capital Planning Advisory Board ................................................................................................153 Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee ........................................................................157 Education Assessment and Accountability Review Subcommittee.............................................169 Government Contract Review Committee ...................................................................................173 Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Committee ............................................................................177 Program Review and Investigations Committee..........................................................................179 Tobacco Settlement Agreement Fund Oversight Committee ......................................................185 iii Legislative Research Commission Agriculture 2011 Final Committee Reports Report of the 2011 Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture Sen. David Givens, Co-Chair Rep. Tom McKee, Co-Chair Sen. Joe Bowen Rep. Myron Dossett Sen. Carroll Gibson Rep. C.B. Embry, Jr. Sen. Paul Hornback Rep. Jim Glenn Sen. Bob Leeper Rep. Sara Beth Gregory Sen. Vernie McGaha Rep. Richard Henderson Sen. Dennis Parrett Rep. Kim King Sen. Joey Pendleton Rep. Martha Jane King Sen. Dorsey Ridley Rep. Michael Meredith Sen. Damon Thayer Rep. Terry Mills Sen. Robin Webb Rep. Brad Montell Sen. Ken Winters Rep. Fred Nesler Rep. Royce W. Adams Rep. David Osborne Rep. John A. Arnold, Jr. Rep. Sannie Overly Rep. Johnny Bell Rep. Ryan Quarles Rep. John “Bam” Carney Rep. Tom Riner Rep. Mike Cherry Rep. Steven Rudy Rep. James R. Comer, Jr. Rep. Rita Smart Rep. Will Coursey Rep. Wilson Stone Rep. Jim DeCesare Rep. Tommy Turner Rep. Mike Denham Rep. Susan Westrom LRC Staff: Tanya Monsanto, Lowell Atchley, Biff Baker, Stefan Kasacavage, Kelly Blevins, and Susan Spoonamore. Presented to the Legislative Research Commission and the 2012 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly 1 Agriculture Legislative Research Commission 2011 Final Committee Reports Subcommittee Organization and Membership Subcommittee on Horse Farming Sen. Damon Thayer, Co-Chair Rep. Susan Westrom, Co-Chair Sen. Carroll Gibson Rep. Brad Montell Sen. Dennis Parrett Rep. Fred Nesler Sen. Joey Pendleton Rep. David Osborne Sen. Robin Webb Rep. Sannie Overly Rep. Royce W. Adams Rep. Ryan Quarles Rep. Sara Beth Gregory Rep. Tom Riner Rep. Richard Henderson Rep. Rita Smart Rep. Martha Jane King Rep. Wilson Stone Rep. Michael Meredith Sen. David Givens, ex officio Rep. Tom McKee, ex officio LRC Staff: Lowell Atchley and Kelly Blevins Subcommittee on Rural Issues Sen. Vernie McGaha, Co-Chair Rep. Mike Denham, Co-Chair Sen. Joe Bowen Rep. Will Coursey Sen. Paul Hornback Rep. Jim DeCesare Sen. Bob Leeper Rep. Myron Dossett Sen. Dorsey Ridley Rep. C.B. Embry Sen. Ken Winters Rep. Jim Glenn Rep. John A. Arnold, Jr. Rep. Kim King Rep. Johnny Bell Rep. Terry Mills Rep. John “Bam” Carney Rep. Steven Rudy Rep. Mike Cherry Rep. Tommy Turner Rep. James R. Comer, Jr. Sen. David Givens, Co-Chair Rep. Tom McKee, Co-Chair LRC Staff: Stefan Kasacavage and Susan Spoonamore 2 Legislative Research Commission Agriculture 2011 Final Committee Reports Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture Jurisdiction: Matters pertaining to crops, livestock, poultry, and their marketing; disease control; warehousing; tobacco; stockyards; agricultural cooperatives and marketing associations; agriculture weights and measures; veterinarians; the State Fair; and county fairs. Committee Activity The Interim Joint Committee on Agriculture held six meetings during the 2011 Interim. Several committee meetings were held outside of Frankfort in order to visit various sites engaged in agricultural operations. The Subcommittee on Horse Farming and the Subcommittee on Rural Issues were reauthorized by the committee, and each held two meetings during the Interim. Various topics were discussed, and several agencies and organizations updated the committee members on ongoing projects and proposed legislative suggestions for the 2012 Regular Session. The committee received legislative proposals and comments for the 2012 Regular Session from representatives of the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy, the Kentucky Farm Bureau, the Community Farm Alliance, the Animal Control Advisory Board, the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners, and the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. At the State Fair, the president of the State Fair Board updated committee members on fair activities and projects being undertaken by the board. In addition, a proposed USDA rule for improving livestock traceability was discussed by the state veterinarian, and an update on the status of a federal guidance document regarding agricultural vehicles was given by LRC staff. The committee toured the Eastern Kentucky University Center for Renewable and Alternative Fuel Technologies and heard a discussion of biofuels and bioenergy from the director of the center, the director of the Division of Biofuels, and the executive director of the Governor’s Office of Agricultural Policy. The committee also visited the Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory in Lexington and a stockyard in Glasgow. At the stockyard, there were updates from the state veterinarian regarding the disposal of dead animals and the status of the Eastern Livestock Bankruptcy.