Kentucky Transportation Bill Amended in Senate

The Kentucky Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee approved a $4.5 billion transportation budget but not before inserting language that would restore nearly $50 million for road construction projects previously vetoed by Governor Steve Beshear. The spending measure now advances to the Senate floor for a planned vote today. Appropriations and Revenue Committee Chairman Bob Leeper cited a "fit of conscience" for his push to put the $50 million in road projects back into the transportation budget. Leeper says he feels the projects, all of which were in Senate President David Williams' district, had been unfairly stricken from the state's road construction plan by Beshear.