When I first began my term as Senator and Judiciary Committee Chairman I was hit with a flurry of meetings and policy sales pitches. Needless to say, most of the conversations I had were about the justice system. Various topics came up from these discussions, the biggest of which I've talked about here before...
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After a great deal of work from the budget conference committee members over the last four weeks the General Assembly delivered a compromise budget document that passed with only one "nay" vote between both chambers. Make no mistake, the executive branch budget is a compromise. There are parts I support and there are parts that certainly don't, but the legislature is tasked with finding a way to draft a budget, which means each side gets some of what they want and neither side gets everything. One of my primary objectives in the budget was to provide a healthy payment toward our worst-in-the-country pension funds. That has been accomplished with over $1.2B set aside for pensions, and a mechanism to redirect savings toward the same.
The Judicial branch was spared from many of the cuts originally written by the House. Several of us successfully fought to restore those funds to protect our drug courts, veterans treatment courts, deputy clerks, and court designated workers (to name a few). The additional judicial funding along with Governor's line item veto in part of the judiciary's budget bill has provided the courts with sufficient resources to make sure Kentuckians have the access to the court system they need.
After the main budget bill (the budget for the executive branch) was passed by the Senate a drafting error was caught that resulted in a last minute bill being used to correct the language. That last minute correction appears in House Bill 10.
Finally, the Road Plan was passed. This includes the bill spending the money on road projects over the next two years and a resolution that gives the intent (for future general assemblies) for the next four years after the biennium, otherwise known as the "out years."
“Justice cannot be for one side alone, but must be for both.”
I'm excited and thankful to hear this radio spot is airing in Kentucky! Please help us pass Marsy's Law in Kentucky by calling your State Representative at 800-372-7181 and kindly asking them to urge the final passage of SB175.
The bill remains in the House and can get a vote in time for the final remaining day of the 2016 session, Tuesday, April 12th.
Not sure who your State Representative is? Head here to find out!
During the most recent meeting of the Juvenile Justice Oversight Council, a group to watch over the implementation of SB200 and to study and debate additional juvenile justice policies, we were shown some jarring numbers from DJJ....
