By Angela Hatton
Frankfort, KY – A House Republican leader is proposing a bill to require Governor Steve Beshear's administration to reveal how many contract employees are working in state government. The bill introduced today by House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover comes as top lawmakers are struggling to write the next two-year state budget amid a massive revenue shortfall. House Speaker Greg Stumbo says that government contracts and political appointees in state government's upper management are being scrutinized by budget writers. Hoover's bill would require Beshear's administration to do a quick head count of all merit, non-merit and contract employees in state government. Hoover hopes the bill can pass quickly so lawmakers can have the information for the budget decision in coming weeks. Stumbo says he supports the measure.