By: Patrick Flannery
Representative, State of Kentucky
I am often asked what my colleagues and I will work on when we convene the 2024 Regular Session on January 2. While the budget will top the agenda, most of the remainder of the issues we will tackle are already being discussed in our interim joint committee (IJC), task force, and statutory committee meetings.
Several years ago, lawmakers started using a process referred to as pre-filed bills to publicize issues they felt were important. Those bills were available on the website and often the topic of news coverage and conversations. However, they rarely made it through the legislative process. Instead of increasing transparency, the pre-filed process was a distraction. Last year, House voted 90-1 and the Senate voted 33-1 to pass HB 10, legislation that did away with the pre-filed bill process. Around the same time, the legislature invested heavily in technology in order to provide live and recorded coverage of interim meetings on the YouTube page (LRC Committee Meetings). Below is a summary of the last meetings of September and you can also find meeting agendas, minutes, and presentations on our website at legislature.ky.gov.
IJC on Tourism, Small Business, and Information Technology: Members discussed the increased use of artificial intelligence, the development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. Like most innovations, we are looking at how we can harness the potential benefits while preventing the negative impact it could have. For example, AI has shown great promise in a number of fields, including medicine, but is fraught with safety and security concerns.
IJC on Licensing, Occupations, and Administrative Regulations: Members met to hear from several key stakeholders in the state’s horse industry, with a focus on thoroughbred racing. With a $6.5 billion-dollar economic impact, horse racing in the Commonwealth, it is incredibly important to continue to support our key industry as we consider investment funding through our next bi-annual budget. As a result of policies passed by the legislature and work within the industry, one of Kentucky’s signature industries is thriving.
IJC on Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection: Members held in depth discussions regarding school resource officers, and how best to improve upon the current system. They addressed several concerns including the fact that over 400 school campuses in the commonwealth do not have a resource officer as required by state law. Some solutions discussed included broadening the candidate qualifications pool to include current or former members of the military and national guard as well as taking another look at the length and extent of required certification training. Members also heard an update from Greater Hardin County Drug Task Force, one of eleven multi-jurisdictional drug task forces in the commonwealth. They expressed a need for additional funding going into the next year due to the impact of inflation and a reduced budget allocation all the while narcotics trafficking numbers are on the rise.
IJC on State Government: Legislators heard from the State Board of Elections regarding ongoing efforts to update voting records to remove those who have passed away or moved to another state, as well as those who are no longer able to vote because they have been incarcerated or declared mentally incompetent. Unfortunately, the state’s voter rolls were neglected for decades and a great deal of work must be done before they are brought up-to-date. Lawmakers also continued work on legislation that would prevent foreign entities from nations considered security threats from purchasing agricultural land in Kentucky. The proposal passed the House earlier this year, but did not receive a hearing in the Kentucky Senate.
As always, I can be reached anytime through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. You can also contact me via e-mail at Patrick.Flannery@lrc.ky.gov. You can also keep track of committee meetings and potential legislation through the Kentucky legislature’s home page at legislature.ky.gov.
