Update: The Future of Certificate of Need
Rep. Marianne Proctor (District 60)
One of the more integral functions of the time we spend preparing for our legislative session is the meeting of our task forces. Task forces have proven to be a vital part of crafting legislation in focus areas that we deem to need more attention than we can offer them in a traditional committee. One of these areas being Kentucky’s Certificate of Need program.
Interim Joint Committee Reports
Rep. Steve Rawlings (District 66)
Joint Interim Committee updates from Appropriations and Revenue, Agriculture, Banking and Insurance, Education, Transportation and Judiciary.
Efforts to Expand KEES Funding to Homeschoolers
Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, was joined by Laura Edwards, a certified teacher and homeschooling mother of six, along with Rep. Steve Rawlings, R-Burlington, and others during Wednesday’s Interim Joint Committee (IJC) on Education meeting. One of the key topics of discussion centered around expanding funding opportunities for homeschool students under the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) program.
Jobs, Child Care, Special Government Entities
Rep. Marianne Proctor (District 60) and Rep. Steve Rawlings (District 66)
The legislature’s interim joint committees (IJCs) continued with October meetings as the agenda for session begins to take shape. Here are a few summaries from committees that met the week of October 23-27.
Banking & Insurance
Rep. Marianne Proctor, District 60
The House Committee on Banking and Insurance deals with a variety of issues in our banking industry and insurance laws. That means everything from banks, consumer loan companies, credit unions, and investments, as well as medical and dental insurance, and all forms of insurance.
State Contracts, Construction Plans, Tobacco Settlement, Child Fatality and Near-Fatality
Rep. Marianne Proctor, District 60
Several statutory committees met last week with discussions ranging from government contracts, administrative regulations, capital plan reviews, usage of tobacco settlement funds, and child fatality.
Artificial Intelligence, Workforce Development & More
Rep. Marianne Proctor, District 60
Rep. Marianne Proctor highlights items discussed during the legislative interim ahead of the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.
School & Campus Safety Task Force Update
Rep. Steve Rawlings, District 66
Without a doubt, we have seen terribly tragic school violence here in our commonwealth and across the nation. As a result of efforts that began in 2018, we have taken steps to strengthen school safety by making our schools more secure and our students more resilient.
Farmland Hunting & Fishing Regulation
Sen. Gex Williams, District 20
Senator Gex Williams formally requested a bill draft to undo a provision of 2023’s Senate Bill 241, a measure sponsored by Sen. Robin Webb, D-Grayson. The provision in question amended Kentucky Revised Statute 150.170 and imposed a five-acre threshold on farmland where residential landowners can hunt or fish under license exemption. Senator Williams’ Bill Request (BR) 15 simply removes the five-acre threshold.
Certificate of Need Task Force Continues Work
Rep. Marianne Proctor, District 60
The Certificate of Need Task Force has been hard at work investigating the state’s CON program. With one of the more stringent CON programs in the nation, Kentucky is falling behind.