Tagged: 2013 KY General Assembly

Kentucky's industrial hemp supporters lashed out Thursday against a last-minute amendment to the hemp bill that's been under consideration this year in the General Assembly.

State Rep. Rocky Adkins, a Sandy Hook Democrat and the majority floor leader, has proposed an amendment turning the Senate-approve hemp bill into a five year study. It also gives the licensing responsibilities to Kentucky State Police, which argues that legalized hemp would harm law enforcement efforts to target hemp's cousin, marijuana.

The Kentucky House approved on Monday legislation that gradually raises the age when students can drop out of school—a compromise reached after past efforts to strike a deal failed. The dropout bill allows local school boards to choose whether to raise the dropout age to 18. After 55 percent of Kentucky's school boards raise the drop out limit, the change in four years becomes mandatory statewide.

Kentucky lawmakers are scheduled to reconvene today in a rush to pass some key measures before time runs out. Still pending are bills ensuring soldiers deployed overseas can vote in Kentucky elections and a bill raising the minimum school drop out age to 18.

State Auditor Adam Edelen is hoping lawmakers can reach an agreement next week on a proposal to better regulate more than 1,200 special taxing districts across Kentucky, what Edelen calls “ghost government.” Special taxing districts include local airport boards, water districts, and community action agencies. The bill has passed the House and Senate, but the Senate’s version would give oversight of the taxing districts to county governments, something Edelen opposes.

Work in Frankfort to overhaul state restrictions on phone companies appears stalled.  The so-called “AT&T Bill” was the subject of a two hour hearing in a House committee Thursday.  Franklin County resident Van Arsdall is a mother of two children and says quick internet access is both costly and essential.