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March 25, 2015
General Assembly's 2015
session ends
The Kentucky General Assembly's 2015 session came to a close
tonight after Senate and House members reached an agreement on
comprehensive anti-heroin legislation and a measure to expand
protective orders to include dating violence victims
Lawmakers also gave late-night approval to a bill that will
safeguard the revenue stream for the state's road projects by
limiting how far gas taxes can drop when fuel prices fall.
Bills approved by lawmakers and signed by the governor will go
into effect as state law in 90 days from today's adjournment, except for those
that specify a different effective date or include an emergency
clause that makes them effective as soon as they are signed into
Legislation approved by the 2015 General Assembly includes
measures on the following topics:
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March 25, 2015
Gas tax bill
receives final passage
A bill designed to potentially save the state hundreds
of millions of dollars in road funds received final passage in the
state House tonight.
House Bill 299, sponsored by House Appropriations and Revenue
Chairman Rick Rand, would set a 26-cent "floor," or minimum, for
the state gas tax. The gas tax rate is currently 27.5 cents a
gallon, but is expected to fall on April 1 without the new floor
due to changes in the average wholesale price of gasoline.
HB 299 received final passage in the House by a vote of 67-29. It
passed the Senate earlier in the evening on a 29-9 vote. The bill
now goes to the governor to be signed into law.
The 26-cent base rate will take effect immediately upon being
signed into law by the governor.
The bill was called the "Road Fund stabilization plan" by Rand.
"As we all know, our fuel tax has been in free fall, and this will
help us stabilize that by setting a new floor," he said.
March 24, 2015
Dating violence bill receives final passage, goes to governor
Legislation is on its way to the governor that
would allow Kentuckians in dating relationships to go to court and
get immediate civil protection against an abusive boyfriend or
House Bill 8, sponsored by House Judiciary
Committee Chairman John Tilley, D-Hopkinsville, and Rep. Joni
Jenkins, D-Shively, would allow dating violence victims—whether
they are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual
assault, or stalking—to get a civil protective order of Jan. 1,
2016. An order could be erased from someone's record if it is ever
dismissed by the court.
Provisions relating to domestic violence would be
distinguished from dating violence, stalking, and sexual assault
in the bill under Senate language agreed to by the House.
Currently, victims of dating violence in Kentucky
must file criminal charges against their partner in the hope of
preventing ongoing abuse. Only victims who are married to, have a
child with, or live with their abuser can seek civil protection
from domestic violence or abuse, physical violence, or stalking as
specified under Kentucky law.
Ignition interlock legislation
heading to Governor
The state
General Assembly passed a bill late last night that would expand
the use of ignition interlocks for people caught driving under the
influence of alcohol.
legislation, known as Senate Bill 133, would reduce the number of
habitual drunken drivers, said Sen. Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville.
SB 133 would supplement hardship licenses – special licenses
allowing people with suspended licenses to drive to work, school
and doctor's appointments – with ignition interlocks.
An ignition
interlock is a device about the size of a mobile phone that is
wired into the ignition system of a vehicle. A person convicted
driving under the influence must blow into the device in order to
start their vehicle. If they have a measurable amount of alcohol
in their system, the vehicle will not start.
March 24, 2015
Anti-heroin bill passes General
Assembly with bipartisan support
lawmakers reached a compromise today on anti-heroin legislation
that supporters said balanced the need for tough penalties for
traffickers with treatment options for addicts.
"The people of
Kentucky fighting for public safety and people fighting …
addiction have been crying for help," said Sen. Whitney
Westerfield, R-Hopkinsville. "This is the help they need."
legislation, known as Senate Bill 192, passed the state Senate by
a 34-4 vote. Earlier in the day, the state House had passed SB 192
by a 100-0 vote. The governor has said he will sign legislation
tomorrow. Because it contains an emergency clause, it will take
effect immediately upon being signed.
Rep. John
Tilley, D-Hopkinsville, called SB 192 a "comprehensive piece of
legislation that will save lives."
March 13, 2015
March 11, 2015
Lawmakers crack down on illegal
gambling halls
that would shutter Internet cafes doubling as gambling halls
received final passage today in the state Senate.
legislation, known as Senate Bill 28, included an amendment from
the state House expressing legislative intent to remain neutral in
a pending legal dispute regarding historical horse racing.
Internet cafes
are for-profit businesses that sell Internet access for a chance
to play computer-based, casino-style games, or sweepstakes, in
which customers can win cash prizes, said SB 28 sponsor Sen. Mike
Wilson, R-Bowling Green. He said the cafes are located in
buildings that contain banks of computers with Internet access.
Each purchase at the cafe entitles a customer to a certain number
of sweepstakes entries. The customer then determines whether the
sweepstakes entries are winners by logging onto a computer.
Officials from
Kentucky cities previously testified that they have seen an
increase in these businesses throughout the state, often in cities
bordering Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio – states that have cracked
down on such business. One of the first Internet cafés in Kentucky
opened in Bowling Green several years ago. In the last few months,
an Internet café opened in Covington.
Wilson said
the cafes advertise they are "better than bingo." Non-profit
bingos in his district have seen revenues decline as much as 40
percent because of the competition, he said.
March 11, 2015
Bill to define bees, address dog fighting returns
to Senate for vote
Provisions to combat dog
fighting were attached by the House today to a Senate agriculture
Dog fighting is already
illegal in Kentucky, but supporters of the House amendment say
additional steps should be taken to prosecute those engaged in it.
The amendment would classify the ownership, breeding, training,
selling, possessing, or transferring or four-legged
animals—including dogs—for the purpose of fighting as first-degree
cruelty to animals.
House adds
anti-heroin provisions to bill
Sweeping changes to the treatment and prosecution of those
involved in Kentucky's heroin trade were unanimously approved by
the House tonight and returned to the Senate for consideration.
The Senate, which passed its own anti-heroin measure in January,
swiftly voted against concurring with the House proposal, setting
the stage for continued efforts to pass a bill that both chambers
can agree on during the final days of the 2015 legislative
The House proposal, attached tonight to Senate Bill 192, includes
essentially all of House Bill 213, sponsored by House Judiciary
Committee Chairman John Tilley, D-Hopkinsville. That bill, which
passed the House 98-0 last month, contains substance abuse
treatment options for addicts, tiered penalties for traffickers,
"good Samaritan" immunity for those who call for emergency help in
case of an overdose, better access to the rescue drug naloxone,
and the option for local needle exchange programs authorized at
the local government level, among other provisions.
Additionally, a second amendment was attached to the bill that
would appropriate $10 million in state funds for substance abuse
treatment and drug-related prosecution. The amendment, sponsored
by House Majority Caucus Chair Sannie Overly, D-Paris, was added
to the bill by voice vote.
The original provisions in SB 192, sponsored by Sen. Paul
Hornback, R-Shelbyville, were removed by the House. Those
provisions dealt with health care service contracts for inmates.
House approves child
abuse prevention bill after adding 'snow days' provisions
A bill to require child abuse prevention and reporting training in
Kentucky's public schools and allow "snow days" to be waived in
school districts hardest hit by this winter's storms was approved
today by the House.
SB 119, sponsored by Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, was
passed by the Senate last month to require school administrators,
teachers, office state, teaching assistants, coaches and other
employed by a school district to receive child abuse and neglect
prevention, recognition and reporting training through the state
by Jan. 31, 2017 then every two years thereafter. Those hired
after Jan. 31, 2017 would be required to complete the training
within 90 days of being hired, then every two years.
The House adopted those provisions (which mirror language in HB
301, passed by the House 94-0 last month) after adding the "snow
days" provisions to the bill. Those provisions would give school
districts until June 5 to complete all 1,062 school instructional
hours required by the state. Any remaining hours that cannot be
made up could be waived by the state.
The adding provisions also clarify that instructional days cannot
exceed 7 hours, cannot include Saturdays, and that school
districts can be open on primary election day if no school in a
district is used as a polling place.
Senate passes bill to
address growth of pain management clinics
A bill that would tightly control the expansion of pain management
clinics received final passage today in the state Senate.
House Bill 329 would allow existing doctor-owned pain clinics to
expand to the maximum of two additional facilities, said Sen. Mike
Wilson, R-Bowling Green.
He said the bill is needed because of the success of the 2012
"Pill Mill Bill" that cracked down on renegade pain management
clinics that were accused of promoting the abuse of prescription
pain pills.
Wilson said in the wake of the Pill Bill Mill, Kentucky was left
with five legitimate pain clinics. He said as physicians weaned
patients off narcotics to alternative therapies offered by these
pain clinics, the clinics could not keep up with the demand.
Senate panel aims to heighten
safety with booster seat bill
The Senate
Transportation Committee unanimously approved a booster seat bill
House Bill
315, as amended by the committee, requires booster seats to be
used by children who are less than eight and are between 40 and 57
inches in height. HB 315 also clarifies that a child of any age
who is over 57 inches in height shall not be required to be in a
booster seat.
Rep. Steve
Riggs, D-Louisville, who sponsored the bill, said it just adds an
additional year and seven inches to the current state law.
"The reasons
we need to do this is because all the interested groups – like
engineers, medical professionals and car manufacturers – tell us
that our current height limit is just wrong," Riggs said. "It
needs to be fixed."
March 10, 2015
State Senate passes bill to study
teacher pension plan
The Senate
voted today to establish a task force to examine the state's
underfunded teacher pension plan in lieu of issuing $3.3 billion
in pension obligation bonds.
House Bill 4
passed with a 26-10 vote after the Senate adopted a committee
substitute that removed language about the bonds and replaced it
with language creating a bipartisan task force.
President Robert Stivers II, R-Manchester, said the committee
substitute represented the "measured approach" that would ensure
the pension plan would remain solvent in the long term. He said
the bonding plan would be just a short-term fix that would not
address the systemic problem of an underfunded plan.
March 10, 2015
House OKs tax
check-offs for pediatric cancer research and rape crisis centers
State income tax refund check-offs to support pediatric cancer
research and Kentucky's rape crisis centers would be placed on
state individual income tax forms beginning next tax year under a
bill that cleared the Kentucky House today.
The bill is Senate Bill 82, sponsored by Sen. Max Wise,
R-Campbellsville, which passed the House by a vote of 97-0 and was
returned to the Senate for consideration.
SB 82 was originally focused solely on creating a tax check-off to
support pediatric cancer research. The House added an amendment
today to include a check-off for rape crises centers.
The amendment was proposed by Rep. Chris Harris, D-Forest Hills,
who sponsors a bill that passed the House last month aimed at
creating a tax form check-off to fund rape crisis centers.
The check-off boxes for pediatric cancer research and rape crisis
centers would appear on tax forms for the 2015 tax year, should SB
82 become law.
Pension measure
heading to governor
A bill that would allow certain employers to voluntarily leave the
Kentucky Retirement Systems or be forced out if they no longer
qualify to participate is on its way to becoming law.
House Bill 62, sponsored by House State Government Committee
Chairman Brent Yonts, was amended with Senate changes and given
final passage in the House by a vote of 96-1. The bill spells out
a clear pathway for "nonstock nonprofit corporation" agencies—or
nonprofit agencies not owned by stockholders—to voluntarily leave
the state pension system or be forced out if they don't meet
qualifications determined by the KRS board of trustees.
"This is the buyout bill where an agency can buy its way out or
finance its way out in case the Internal Revenue Service makes
rulings that may put in jeopardy the status of some of the
quasi-governmental agencies we have," said Yonts, D-Greenville.
HB 62 was filed in response to federal bankruptcy protection
awarded last year to Louisville-area mental health agency Seven
Counties Services which allowed the agency to withdraw from the
public pension system. KRS has since appealed the federal
bankruptcy judge's decision, arguing that the agency owes the
pension system at least $90 million in "unfunded liabilities"
along with unpaid retirement contributions.
March 9, 2015
State Senate passes ignition
interlock legislation
Saying it
would reduce the number of habitual drunken drivers, a majority of
state senators voted today for legislation that would expand the
use of ignition interlocks for people caught driving under the
influence of alcohol.
legislation, known as Senate Bill 133, would supplement hardship
licenses – special licenses allowing people with suspended
licenses to drive to work, school and doctor's appointments – with
ignition interlocks.
March 6, 2015
March 6, 2015
Senate and House
scheduled to convene Monday at 2 p.m.
The Kentucky Senate and
House of Representatives are each scheduled to convene at 2 p.m.
on Monday, March 9. It will be the 24th day of the
General Assembly's 2015 session.
The schedule for Monday's legislative committee meetings is
available online (http://www.lrc.ky.gov/legislative_calendar/index.aspx)
or by calling the General Assembly's Calendar Line at
Legislative leaders agreed yesterday to
adjust the 2015 legislative calendar in response to disruptions
caused by the winter storm. The General Assembly is now scheduled
to convene three days next week before starting a veto recess on
March 12, with the final two legislative days of the 2015 session
on March 23 and 24.
The revised 2015 Regular Session Calendar can be viewed online at
Kentucky Senate and
House will not meet in session today
Due to the winter storm, power outages, concerns about hazardous
road conditions and sub-zero temperatures, the Kentucky Senate and
House of Representatives will not convene today, Friday, March 6,
Today's legislative committee meetings have been canceled.
Legislative Research Commission offices are open on today. Staff
and legislators who can safely travel will be working in the
Capitol and Capitol Annex offices.
Due to the disruption in the General Assembly's schedule,
legislative leaders have agreed to adjust the 2015 legislative
calendar. The General
Assembly is now scheduled to meet on March 9, 10 and 11. The veto
recess is scheduled to begin on March 12. Lawmakers will hold the
final two days of the 2015 session on March 23 and 24.
March 4, 2015
State Senate says "cheers" to the
beer distributor bill
The state
Senate passed legislation today banning breweries from owning beer
distribution networks – a move expected to force Anheuser-Busch to
sell its two Kentucky distributorships.
legislation, known as House Bill 168, passed with a 23-13 vote –
ending what has been dubbed the "beer wars" in the General
Assembly. HB 168 would affirm that the state's three-tier system
of regulating alcoholic beverage producers, distributors and
retailers applies to beer.
"HB 186 is
about the three-tier system in regards to alcohol distribution in
the state of Kentucky," said Sen. John Schickel, R-Union. "A
three-tier system specifically prevents interlocking ownership
between the tiers. The three-tier system prevents monopolies, but
to be effective, the tiers must be independent of one another."
Colorectal cancer
screening bill receives final passage
Health insurers would have to cover the cost of follow-up
procedures resulting from a colorectal cancer screening under a
bill that is now on its way to the governor's desk.
Senate Bill 61, sponsored by Sen. Ralph Alvarado, R-Winchester,
received final passage by a 95-5 vote in the House today. It would
require insurers to cover any follow-up colonoscopy resulting from
a colorectal cancer screening without imposing additional
deductible or coinsurance costs.
Stroke care bill
heading to governor
A bill that would require the state to post a list of all Kentucky
stroke hospitals and stroke centers online and distribute the list
to local emergency services providers is on its way to becoming
Senate Bill 10, sponsored by Sen. Stan Humphries, R-Cadiz, and
Senate President Pro Tem David Givens, R-Greensburg, received
final passage in by a vote of 99-0 in the House. It now goes to
the governor for his signature.
The bill would require that a list of all acute stroke ready
hospitals, comprehensive stroke centers, and primary stroke
centers in Kentucky be posted to the web site of the Cabinet for
Health and Family Services and be distributed to emergency medical
services providers, whose directors would be required to create
protocols for assessment and treatment of stroke patients before
the patients reach the hospital.
The bill would also expand the types of stroke-care certification
available to hospitals across the Commonwealth, building on a 2010
law that requires Kentucky to recognize certified primary stroke
Senate panel approves a range of
transportation bills
The state
Senate Committee on Transportation approved three state House bill
today on topics ranging from special license plates, classic cars
and mobile methamphetamine labs.
March 3, 2015
End-of-life care bill goes to governor
An end-of-life order known as a "medical order
for scope of treatment," or MOST, would be allowed in Kentucky
under a bill that is on its way to becoming law.
Senate Bill 77, sponsored by Sen. Tom Buford,
R-Nicholasville, received final passage in the House on an 87-8
vote and now goes to the governor for his signature.
A MOST spells out a patient's wishes for their
end-of-life care. Unlike advance directives, the orders are
considered to be physician's orders and are signed by both the
patient or patient's legal surrogate, and the patient's physician.
SB 77 would allow the use of MOST in Kentucky, and require the
state Board of Medical Licensure to create a standard form for the
orders to use statewide.
March 3, 2015
Senate passes funding bill for UK
research building
The state
Senate reopened Kentucky's spending plan during a non-budget year
today and passed legislation to fund a multi-million dollar
research building at the University of Kentucky.
legislation, known as House Bill 298, would authorize the issuance
of $132.5 million in bonds for the construction of the building,
said Sen. Alice Forgy Kerr, R-Lexington. UK would pay for the
other half of the $265 million building that would sit along South
Limestone, near the College of Pharmacy, in Lexington.
The building
would house teams of scientists from different disciplines working
together to reduce presentable deaths from medical disorders that
disproportionately afflict Kentuckians – such as cancer, diabetes
and cardiovascular disease.
"The life
expectancy of our citizens is lower than that of other citizens in
other states," Kerr said. "We know that is unacceptable. We have
to do something. UK is uniquely positioned to tackle these
problems with this major academic medical center."
She said the
research center would create 1,623 jobs, have an annual economic
impact of $116.2 million, and an annual state and local tax impact
of $5.6 million.
Senate panel approves bill
promoting use of ignition interlocks
The state
Senate Committee on Judiciary approved legislation today designed
to crack down on motorists driving on suspended licenses.
Known as
Senate Bill 133, it would supplement hardship licenses – special
licenses allowing people with suspended licenses to drive to work,
school and doctor's appointments – with ignition interlocks.
An ignition
interlock is a device about the size of a mobile phone that is
wired into the ignition system of a vehicle. A person convicted of
driving under the influence must blow into the device in order to
start their vehicle. If they have a measurable amount of alcohol
in their system, the vehicle will not start.
"I don't want
to skip over how effective this bill has been in the 25 states
that have passed it," said Sen. Morgan McGarvey, D-Louisville,
adding that it has led to a 30 percent decrease in drunken driving
McGarvey and
Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Hopkinsville, are the primary sponsors
of SB 133.
Senate panel approves expanding
dating violence protections
Upset his
19-year-old college girlfriend didn't answer her phone one night,
a man scaled a three-story building and crawled into her bedroom
window. He slammed the woman into her bedroom wall, put his hand
around her throat and said, "Remember this the next time you don't
answer your phone."
The man, who
she had met in class, then stalked the woman the following day and
hid in the back of her vehicle.
She tried to
get an emergency protective order, but she wasn't eligible for one
under current Kentucky law because she wasn't married to her
stalker, didn't live with him and didn't have a child with him,
said Marion Brown, executive director of Sanctuary Inc., a
nonprofit serving victims of rape, sexual assault and domestic
violence in the Pennyrile region.
recounted this woman's story while testifying today before the
state Senate Committee on Judiciary. She was there in support of
legislation that would allow dating couples to get civil
protection from domestic violence, sexual abuse or stalking in the
form of a protective order.
legislation, known as House Bill 8, would also streamline the
process to obtain protective orders for other victims, and would
allow an order to be expunged from someone's record if the order
is dismissed by a judge, said Rep. John Tilley, D-Hopkinsville,
who sponsors the bill.
March 2, 2015
Telecom deregulation bill heading
to governor's desk
Legislation to
reform telecommunication regulations passed the state Senate
today, making it the first bill to pass both chambers during the
2015 General Assembly.
House Bill
152, sponsored by Rick Rand, D-Bedford, received final passage by
a 30-3 vote. It would remove requirements that telephone companies
offer basic landline service in urban areas so the money used to
maintain that old technology can be spent on Internet and mobile
phone expansion, said Sen. Paul Hornback, R-Shelbyville. He had
sponsored similar legislation for the last several years.
To read more, click
March 2, 2015
'Robotripping' bill approved by House on 93-1 vote
A bill intended to prevent youth from misusing certain cough
medicines to get high -- sometimes called "robotripping" -- passed
the Kentucky House of Representatives today by a 93-1 vote.
House Bill 24 would restrict minors' access to products like
Robitussin-DM that contain dextromethorphan.
Rep. Fitz Steele, the sponsor of HB 24, said young people are
using a simple method to extract dextromethorphan, also known as
DXM, from cough medicine to experience a hallucinogenic effect.
The only way to detect whether a person has consumed DXM is by a
blood test "after you have to take them to the emergency room,"
said Steele, D-Hazard.
HB 24 would outlaw the possession of a gram or more of DXM in its
pure or extracted form by non-approved individuals and ban the
selling of DXM-based products to minors. Proof of age would be
required to buy products containing DXM if the buyer is suspected
to be under age 18. Minors who misrepresent their age to get
products that contain DXM would face legal action.
Those who violate the provisions of HB 24 could be fined between
$25 and $1,000 for a first violation, depending on the offense,
and $100-$200 up to $2,500 for each subsequent violation,
depending on the offense.
HB 24 now goes to the Senate for consideration.
February 27, 2015
February 27, 2015
Senate passes bill to curb state
Saying they
want to be responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars, a majority of
state Senators today voted in favor of capping Kentucky's dept.
Known as
Senate Bill 94, the legislation would limit general fund supported
debt to 6 percent of general fund revenue, said Sen. Joe Bowen,
R-Owensboro, who sponsored the bill with Sen. Christian McDaniel,
R-Taylor Mill.
"John Adams
said there were only two ways to conquer and enslave a nation: One
is by the sword, and the other is by debt," Bowen said. "Kentucky
owes more than it owns."
The road fund
is not included, agency debt is not included and there is a
provision allowing the governor to declare a state of emergency to
go over the debt limit, he said.
Human trafficking,
Alicia's Law bills head to Senate
FRANKFORT—Bills aimed at protecting victims of human trafficking
and child rape passed the Kentucky House today without a
dissenting vote.
The bills are House Bill 515, sponsored by House Majority Caucus
Chair Sannie Overly, D-Paris, and HB 427, sponsored by House
Judiciary Chair John Tilley, D-Hopkinsville. The bills passed by
votes of 90-0 and 93-0 respectively.
HB 515 is designed to improve protections for child victims of
human trafficking by prohibiting someone who pays for sex with a
child from having a legal defense that they didn't know the
child's age.
"Too often, the buyers of these children are not being charged,"
Overly said. "Unless we combat the demand for child trafficking,
we will not be able to stop the exploitation of our children. We
must focus on the buyers."
HB 427, known as the "Alicia's Law" bill, would add $10 to court
costs paid in Kentucky's criminal cases to increase funding for
the Kentucky State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task
Force. Tilley said the task force works to prevent crimes like
those suffered by Alicia Kozakiewicz, for whom Alicia's Law is
Now a child advocate her 20s, Kozakiewicz was abducted at age 13
then raped and tortured for days via live Internet streaming
before she was rescued.
She is now working to get bills like HB 427 passed in
states across the country.
Tilley said passage of HB 427 would make Kentucky the ninth state
to pass Alicia's Law.
Both HB 515 and HB 427 now go to the Senate for consideration.
February 27, 2015
Charitable gaming hits BINGO with
passage of Senate bill
The state
Senate voted 25-10 today in favor of legislation that would allow
electronic pull tabs at bingo halls across Kentucky.
Known as
Senate Bill 33, the legislation would legalize the electronic
versions of pull-tab bingo tickets that have become staples of
church festivals and other charity events across Kentucky for
decades, said sponsor Tom Buford, R-Nicholasville.
"An electronic
pull-tab game is not a slot machine," he said. "It is something
about the size of iPad that would be made available inside that
charitable hall."
Buford said
charities have reported losing about $60 million in the last few
years to legalized gambling such as casinos in the neighboring
states of Indiana and Ohio.
"By allowing
the use of these electronic pull tabs, we are giving charities an
additional option to raise funds for their charitable purposes,"
he said.
SB 33 now goes
to the state House for consideration.
Senate passes the
transgender student bathroom bill
FRANKFORT – The state Senate passed legislation today to regulate
where transgender students may use the restroom in public schools.
The legislation would require public school students to use the
restrooms of their biological sex or seek special accommodations,
said Sen. C.B. Embry Jr., R-Morgantown, who sponsored the bill.
Known as Senate Bill 76, the legislation passed by a 27-9 vote
after a lengthy floor debate.
February 26, 2015
State Senate passes
bill banning Internet sweepstakes
FRANKFORT – Online sweepstakes offered across Kentucky at
businesses advertised as "Internet cafes" would be outlawed under
legislation unanimously passed by the state Senate today.
Known as Senate Bill 28, the legislation would make it clear in
the law that so-called Internet cafes are illegal, said sponsor
Sen. Mike Wilson, R-Bowling Green. The cafes are for-profit
businesses that sell Internet access for a chance to play
computer-based, casino-style games, or sweepstakes, in which
customers can win cash prizes.
Supporters of SB 28 said Internet cafes are located in buildings
that contain banks of computers with Internet access. Each
purchase at the cafe entitles a customer to a certain number of
sweepstakes entries. The customer then determines whether the
sweepstakes entries are winners by logging onto a computer.
Officials from Kentucky cities previously testified that they have
seen an increase in these businesses throughout the state, often
in cities bordering Tennessee, Indiana and Ohio – states that have
cracked down on such business.
Gold Star Siblings
license plate bill advances to Senate
A bill to create a Gold Star Siblings special license plate for
Kentuckians whose brother or sister died in active U.S. military
service has passed the state House.
House Bill 209, sponsored by Rep. Diane St. Onge, R-Lakeside Park,
and Rep. Tanya Pullin, D-South Shore, advanced to the Senate on a
vote of 94-0.
The bill "allows siblings who have lost their loved ones in active
service in the military, in the service of this country, to honor
them with a Gold Star Siblings license plate much the same as a
Gold Star Spouse, Gold Star Mother, Gold Star Father license
plate" which are already available in Kentucky, said St. Onge.
The initial fee for a Gold Star Siblings license plate would be
$25 and the renewal fee would be $20, with $10 of the initial fee
and $5 of the renewal fee dedicated to the state's Veterans'
Program Trust Fund, according to HB 209. Proof of eligibility for
the plate would be determined by the state Transportation Cabinet
HB 209 would take effect Jan. 1, 2016 if it becomes law.
State Senate
unanimously passes new 'fracking' regs
FRANKFORT – The state Senate today passed legislation that would
modernize Kentucky's regulations on high-volume hydraulic
fracturing, often referred to as "fracking," for the first time in
more than two decades.
The legislation, known as Senate Bill 186, would mandate energy
companies notify nearby landowners of any planned fracking
process, clean up the well before abandoning it and disclose of
the chemicals used in the fracking process, said Sen. Julian M.
Carroll, D-Frankfort, the sponsor of the bill. He added that the
bill would apply to new drilling operations.
"We haven't really changed our laws or regulations in 20 years,"
said Carroll. "During that time, technology has advanced that
could essentially make Kentucky energy independent if we will go
after our (energy) reserves. We are already doing that in the area
of gas. This moves us in that direction with oil."
Similar legislation passed the state House on Wednesday. The House
bill, HB 386, is sponsored by House Majority Floor Leader Rocky
Adkins, D-Sandy Hook.
Fracking is an oil and gas well development process that typically
involves injecting water, sand and chemicals under high pressure
into a bedrock formation, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The technique is used commonly in low-permeability rocks like
tight sandstone, shale and some coal beds to release oils and
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February 25,
P3 bill passes House, heading to Senate
The House voted 84-13 today to advance a bill that would provide
oversight and regulations to public-private partnerships,
so-called "P3s," for state government and major transportation
projects in Kentucky.
House Bill 443, sponsored by Rep. Leslie Combs, D-Pikeville, and
House Majority Caucus Chair Sannie Overly, D-Paris, would allow
state government and major transportation projects to partner with
private companies to complete public infrastructure,
transportation and other needs.
February 25, 2015
Ignition interlock
device bill heads to Senate
A bill that would replace hardship licenses for DUI offenders with
an "ignition interlock license" if an ignition interlock device is
installed on an offender's vehicle passed the House today by a
vote of 96-0.
House Bill 60, sponsored by Rep. Dennis Keene, D-Wilder, now goes
to the Senate for consideration.
An ignition interlock device is a breathalyzer-type device
installed in a dashboard that keeps a vehicle from starting if the
driver's breath alcohol concentration level meets or exceeds 0.02.
Before being eligible for a license tied to an ignition interlock
device—which the DUI offender would have to pay for—an offender
would have to be enrolled in, or already have completed, an
alcohol abuse treatment program. Anyone who has been incarcerated
for DUI for any period of time would be allowed to apply for an
ignition interlock license, according to the bill.
Senate approves KEES
award bill
FRANKFORT -- A bill that would allow students to use Kentucky
Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) money during high school
was unanimously approved by the Senate today.
Senate Bill 110, sponsored by Sen. Max Wise, R-Campbellsville,
would allow Kentucky juniors and seniors earning college credit
through dual-credit courses to use KEES money they've earned to
pay for up to six college credit hours.
Making a dual-credit course more readily available provides many
benefits, Wise said.
"It can improve college and career readiness," he said. "It can
increase participation in postsecondary education. It can reduce
postsecondary degree time. And it also can increase participation
among low income and underserved populations."
SB 110 passed the Senate unanimously. The bill now goes to the
House of Representatives for consideration.
February 25,
Human trafficking
bill approved by House committee
FRANKFORT—A bill that would step up prosecution of those who pay
for sex with Kentucky's child human trafficking victims was
approved today by the House Judiciary Committee.
House Bill 515 sponsor House Majority Caucus Chair Sannie Overly,
D-Paris, said prosecution of those who pay for sex with child
human trafficking victims is difficult because abusers often claim
they thought the child was over age 18—an adult, under the law--to
avoid prosecution under the state's human trafficking laws.
HB 515 would change that, ensuring those who pay for sex with a
child prostitute cannot claim ignorance of the child's age as a
defense from prosecution for human trafficking.
February 24, 2015
Phone deregulation
bill clears House
FRANKFORT—A landline phone deregulation bill that supporters
believe will lead to more investment in broadband and advance
communication networks in Kentucky has cleared the House on a vote
of 71-25.
House Bill 152 sponsor Rep. Rick Rand, D-Bedford, described the
legislation as a "business-friendly" bill that would encourage
investment modern technology.
"It does move Kentucky forward," said Rand of HB 152. "It moves
Kentucky in the right direction in encouraging increased
investment in our state's broadband infrastructure—investment that
is vital to economic development, competitiveness, and job
Rand told the House that HB 152 would end Public Service
Commission landline regulation in urban areas where newer
technologies are widely available, ensure voice service is
available in rural areas, and allow customers in rural areas to
keep basic landline service or transition to newer voice
February 24, 2015
Distributor bill moves to Senate
FRANKFORT— A bill passed the House by a vote of 67-31 today that
would affirm that the state's three-tier system of regulating
alcoholic beverage producers, distributors and retailers applies
to beer.
"All this bill does, when boiled down to its simplest terms, is
bring into compliance with current law that exists for wine and
distilled spirits that law that would deal with distribution of
beer," said House Bill 168 sponsor House Speaker Greg Stumbo,
Stumbo called the bill a "re-regulation bill" prompted by a recent
court decision. That decision has allowed Anheuser-Busch to retain
its distributorships in both Louisville and Owensboro. Stumbo said
HB 168 would ensure the three-tiered system—which requires that
the production, wholesaling/distribution, and retailing of beer,
wine, and spirits be separated—applies to all beer brewers.
"The three-tier system isn't being applied equally and fairly,"
said Stumbo.
Animal cruelty bill
heading to House floor
Failing to provide adequate shelter and potable water for domestic
pets would be considered second-degree animal cruelty under a bill
that passed the House Judiciary Committee today.
House Bill 177, sponsored by House Speaker Greg Stumbo and Rep.
Jeff Greer, D-Brandenburg, would not affect hunting, fishing,
field dog trials, and several other activities included in the
bill. It would also not change standards governing the
shelter of livestock, which is regulated by the state Board of
Second-degree cruelty to animals is a misdemeanor crime in
HB 177 now goes to the full House for its consideration.
February 23, 2015
KTRS bond bill clears
House, heads to Senate
A House proposal to authorize $3.3 billion in bonds to reduce the
unfunded liability of the Kentucky Teachers' Retirement System's
pension fund is heading to the Senate.
House Bill 4, sponsored by House Speaker Greg Stumbo,
D-Prestonsburg, was approved in the House today on a 62-31 vote.
The bill needed 60 votes to pass the House because it proposes
authorization of funds in an odd-year, or non-budget, legislative
The bill would authorize the Kentucky Asset/ Liability Commission
to issue the bonds in fiscal year 2015-2016 to reduce the system's
growing $14 billion unfunded liability. Supporters say the bonds,
along $116.7 million already budgeted for now-completed state
improvements, would help the teachers' pension system pay off its
unfunded liability over 30 years.
Stumbo said before a committee vote on HB 4 earlier this month
that the bill is expected to guarantee the solvency of the pension
fund to 2035 and beyond.
Early childhood
ratings bill passes House
Early care and education programs would be mandated to follow a
state quality-based rating system under a bill passed today by the
Kentucky House of Representatives.
House Bill 234, sponsored House Education Chair Derrick Graham,
D-Frankfort, would require state agencies to work with early care
and education providers to develop and fully phase in the system
for child-care and certified family child-care homes, state funded
preschool, and Head Start by June 30, 2017.
Funding for the program would come from the state's Race to the
Top Early Learning Challenge Grant. Graham explained that the bill
would require a report be submitted annually to state lawmakers
which, among other things, would include recommendations for the
"long-term viability" of the system when federal grant dollars run
Accident victim
solicitation bill clears House panel
The House Labor and Industry Committee today approved a bill that
would prohibit health care providers or their agents from
soliciting business from motor vehicle accident victims in the
days immediately following a wreck.
Violators of House Bill 153, should it become law, would face
sanctions from their licensing or regulatory agencies according to
the bill's sponsor, Rep. Jim Gooch, D-Providence.
February 20, 2015
February 20, 2015
Senate passes bill
promoting computer programming
This sample of basic computer code might look like gibberish to
many, but Sen. David P. Givens wants to ensure Kentucky's youth
can read it.
The Republican from Greensburg was the sponsor of Senate Bill 16,
which passed the state Senate today by a unanimous vote. Givens
said the goal of his legislation is to focus educators on
improving resources and support for computer programming in public
State Senate passes
judicial redistricting bill
FRANKFORT – The state Senate passed legislation yesterday that
would bring the most significant change to the state judiciary
since 1976 reforms created a unified state court system that was a
model for the nation.
The legislation, known as Senate Bill 49, would ensure judges are
assigned to courthouses with the highest volume of cases in the
most populous area, said sponsor Sen. John Schickel, R-Union. SB
49 would require the Kentucky Supreme Court to conduct judicial
redistricting, based on population and caseloads, on the same
years as legislative redistricting.
February 19, 2015
Electronic gaming issues taken up
by Senate panel
How technology
is revolutionizing gambling and threatening traditional bingo and
state lotteries was evident today at a hearing of a state Senate
committee designated to examine such issues.
The Senate
Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations
approved three bills designed to do everything from curtail online
gaming to allowing nonprofit bingos to compete in the computer
age. The bills now go to the full Senate for consideration.
Senate passes bill targeting
Kentucky's high rate of colon cancer
In what has
been described as Kentucky's "prescription" to save lives and
money, the state Senate passed a bill today designed to remove
barriers to colorectal cancer screening.
Known as
Senate Bill 61, it would clarify that a fecal test to screen for
colon cancer, and any follow-up colonoscopy, is preventive care
and should be covered by medical insurers, said Sen. Ralph
Alvarado, R-Winchester, the sponsor of the bill.
legislation is moving through the state House.
Alvarado, who
is a family physician, said the problem is that insurers often do
not pay their share for follow-up colonoscopies if blood is
detected in the preventive-care fecal testing. He called that
ironic because the same insurers will pay the more expensive and
evasive colonoscopy if a patient opts not to do a fecal test.
February 18, 2015
Weather prompts
change to Legislative Calendar
Concerns about the winter storm and hazardous driving conditions
have prompted a change in the Kentucky General Assembly's
Legislative Calendar for Thursday, February 19.
Under the change, the House of Representatives is not scheduled to
convene tomorrow.
The Senate is scheduled to go into session tomorrow at 2 p.m.
Up-to-date Legislative Calendar information can be found online at
February 16, 2015
Kentucky Senate and
House will not meet in session tomorrow
FRANKFORT – Due to inclement weather and concerns about hazardous
road conditions, the Kentucky Senate and House of Representatives
will not convene on Tuesday, February 17.
Tuesday's legislative committee meetings have also been canceled.
As of now, both chambers are scheduled to convene on Wednesday,
February 18, with the Senate going into session at 2 p.m. and the
House at 4 p.m.
February 13, 2015
February 13, 2015
Smoking ban bill
clears House hurdle
A bill that would ban smoking and use of e-cigarettes both indoors
or within 15 feet of public places and workplaces statewide passed
the Kentucky House today by a vote of 51-46.
It now goes to the Senate for consideration.
"I'm acutely aware that the issues we vote on in this General
Assembly impact not just the people in our backyard but throughout
the entire state," said House Bill 145 primary sponsor Rep. Susan
Westrom, D-Lexington, who told her colleagues that she rejected
the idea of statewide smoking restrictions 14 years ago in her
early years as a state lawmaker.
Westrom said the fact that 950 people die each year in Kentucky
from illnesses cause by second-hand smoke helped change her mind,
leading her to begin filing smoke-free bills five years ago.
"This bill just requests that a smoker step outside 15 feet (from
a workplace or public building). Fifteen feet isn't too much to
ask," she said.
House heroin bill
heading to Senate
FRANKFORT— A bill that would use both treatment and incarceration
to reduce the devastating effects of the heroin trade in Kentucky
today passed the House by a vote of 98-0. The bill now goes to the
House Bill 213 would create more treatment options for addicts
while establishing tiered penalties for traffickers, with the
greatest prison time for those felons who sell over a kilo of the
drug. The bill also includes a "good Samaritan" provision that
gives immunity to both those who call for emergency help to help
someone who overdoses.
The bill also makes the rescue drug nalozone more readily
available. The drug can reverse the effects of a herion overdose
if promptly administered.
The bills also would and allow local governments to set up needle
exchange programs to stave off Hepatitis C and HIV infection from
shared needles.
The Senate has also taken up an anti-heroin measure this year. The
chamber approved Senate Bill 5 on Jan. 8 and sent the measure to
the House for consideration.
Recent news reports indicate that there were nearly 200 deaths
caused by heroin overdose in the Commonwealth in the first nine
months of 2014.
KY Senate places bet
on horse racing themed lottery
A bill authorizing the Kentucky Lottery to begin selling a game of
chance based on the results of live horse racing cleared the state
Senate today.
"There is no secret that our signature horse race industry has
experienced serious decline over the last two decades due to the
lack of exposure," said Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, who
sponsored the legislation, known as Senate Bill 74. "Even in
Kentucky it is not readily accessible. Online wagering does not
reach beyond the committed horse player, and most Kentuckians do
not live near a race track … ."
For $2, players would receive one ticket containing three numbers
randomly selected by a computer, Adams said. The winner would be
determined by the outcome of a predetermined horse race and not
ping-pong balls falling randomly down the chute.
February 12,
Major House proposals
forwarded to Senate
FRANKFORT—Two proposed amendments to the Kentucky Constitution and
a bill to give immediate protections to dating violence victims
passed the state House tonight and are on their way to the Senate.
House Bill 1, sponsored by House Speaker Greg Stumbo,
D-Prestonsburg, and House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover,
R-Jamestown, is a proposed constitutional amendment that would
allow statewide voters to authorize state lawmakers to give local
voters the right to approve up to a one-cent temporary sales tax
on agreed-to local projects. The other, HB 70, sponsored by Rep.
Darryl Owens, D-Louisville, and Rep. George Brown, Jr.,
D-Lexington, would allow statewide voters to decide on the
automatic restoration of voting rights for certain non-violent
felons who have served their sentence.
HB 8, sponsored by Rep. John Tilley, D-Hopkinsville, and Rep. Joni
Jenkins, D-Shively, would, for the first time under Kentucky law,
allow dating couples to receive immediate civil protection from
domestic violence, sexual abuse, or stalking in the form of an
"interpersonal" protective order. It would also streamline the
process to obtain protective orders for other victims, and would
allow an order to be expunged from someone's record if the order
is dismissed by a judge.
February 12, 2015
Pediatric cancer
research bill personal for one Senator
October 16, 2006, was supposed to be a great day for Sen. Max
Wise's family. His wife was having the grand opening of her dental
office in Campbellsville.
It was also the day Wise had to take his 6-month-old son, Carter,
to the pediatrician. Two days before, Wise's wife had found a golf
ball-size budge on Charter's abdomen while bathing the infant.
Wise wasn't too worried; Carter just received a clean bill of
health during a routine checkup.
After examining the budge, however, the pediatrician looked up at
Wise and said, "Does cancer or tumors run in your family?"
That is how Wise, who began his first term in the state Senate
last month, described finding out Carter had cancer. Wise,
R-Campbellsville, was speaking today before the full Senate in
support of Senate Bill 82. The legislation, which Wise sponsored,
would allow state residents to donate their income tax returns
directly to pediatric cancer research via a check box on the front
of state tax forms.
February 12, 2015
Senate bill toughens DUI penalties
The state
Senate passed a bill today that would strengthen penalties for
habitual drunken drivers.
Senate Bill
34, sponsored by Sen. Dennis Parrett, D-Elizabethtown, would
change what is known in legal circles as the "look back period" to
10 years from five years. What that means is that if someone is
convicted of drunken driving multiple times in a 10-year period
the penalties for the crimes can be increased.
"I think this
is an excellent tool … for public safety across Kentucky," said
Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Hopkinsville, a cosponsor of the bill.
"As a former prosecutor myself, I've seen these types of cases. I
think this is a much needed change."
If the bill
becomes law, it would be named the Brianna Taylor Act. Brianna was
17 when she died in a car wreck eight months ago in Hardin County.
The Elizabethtown High School graduate was on her way home from a
fishing trip at the time of the crash.
The driver of
the other vehicle is awaiting trial on charges of driving under
the influence, two counts of assault and murder. It was the
seventh time he had been charged with driving under the influence,
but because his last drunken-driving conviction happened more than
five years ago, the latest charge is considered his first under
the legal definition of Kentucky current criminal statutes.
The bill will
now go to the state House for consideration.
February 11, 2015
Senate panel answers call for
telecommunications reform
A bill to
reform telecommunication regulations to reflect the declining use
of landlines in favor of new technologies passed the Senate
Committee on State and Local Government today.
Known as Senate Bill 3, the
legislation would remove requirements that
telephone companies offer basic landline service to everyone so
the money used to maintain that old technology can be used to
increase Internet and mobile phone access, said Sen. Paul
Hornback, R-Shelbyville. He sponsored the bill along with Majority
Floor Leader Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown.
February 11, 2015
Senate panel approves
'prescription' for reducing colon cancer
A state Senate committee today approved legislation designed to
remove barriers to colorectal cancer screening.
Senate Bill 61 would clarify that a fecal test to screen for colon
cancer, and any follow-up colonoscopy, is preventive care and
should be covered by medical insurers, said Sen. Ralph Alvarado,
R-Winchester, the sponsor of the bill. He told the Senate
Committee on Health and Welfare that his legislation mirrors a
sister bill in the state House.
Alvarado, who is a family physician, said the problem is that
insurers often not pay their share for follow-up colonoscopies if
blood is detected in the preventive-care fecal testing. He called
that ironic because the same insurers will pay the more expensive
and evasive colonoscopy if a patient opts not to do a fecal test.
Dr. Whitney Jones testified that SB 61 was a "prescription" to
save lives and money in Kentucky. He said over the last decade
colon cancer diagnoses are down by more than 25 percent in
Kentucky but that the state still leads the nation in colon
"The sole purpose of this legislation is to create a clarifying
law that serves as an unequivocal guide to all parties involved …
about what is and what is not covered in colon cancer screening
services," said Jones, a gastroenterologist from Louisville.
"Kentucky citizens deserve a broader more accessible access
to screening not a narrow restrictive policy that supports other
people's interests."
SB 61 now returns to the full Senate for consideration.
February 10,
Minimum wage
bill approved by House
The Kentucky House voted along largely party lines today to pass
legislation that would gradually raise Kentucky's
government-mandated minimum wage to $10.10 an hour by July 2017.
House Bill 2, sponsored by House Speaker Greg Stumbo,
D-Prestonsburg, passed 56-43. It now goes to the Senate for
Kentucky's current minimum wage, which is tied to the federal
minimum wage, is now $7.25 an hour. HB 2 would increase that rate
to $8.20 this July, $9.15 in July 2016, and the final rate of
$10.10 the following year.
Stumbo said over 390,000 Kentuckians make less than $10.10 an
hour, and that most of those earners are women. He wants to raise
the wage gradually to what he called a "living wage" rate of
$10.10 an hour as 29 other states and Washington D.C. have done,
he told fellow House members. Businesses that gross less than
$500,000 a year (up from the current threshold of $95,000
annually) would be exempt from the wage increase.
February 10, 2015
Bill promotes
donation of game meat to charities
The state Senate passed a bill today to ensure the continued
operation of a nonprofit dedicated alleviating hunger and
malnutrition in Kentucky.
Sen. Robin L. Webb, D-Grayson, who sponsored the legislation known
as Senate Bill 55, said it would prevent any city, county or any
public health department for disallowing the practice of donating
game meat. She said the nonprofit Kentucky Hunters for The Hungry
already provides 60,000 pounds to 70,000 pounds of mostly deer
meat every year that allows food kitchens to serve an additional
560,000 meals.
"This is a wonderful and best use of the resources God gave us,"
Webb said.
She said the bill ensures the game meat is harvested in Kentucky,
properly field dressed and taken to processors certified by the
U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Kentucky Department of Fish
and Wildlife Resources.
Lottery game based on
horse racing advances
Legislation authorizing the Kentucky Lottery to begin selling a
game of chance based on live horse racing cleared the Senate
Committee on Licensing, Occupation and Administrative Regulations
Senate Bill 74, sponsored by Sen. Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville,
could pave the way for Kentucky to become the first state to sell
EquiLottery tickets. It is like most lottery games, except the
winning numbers are determined by the outcome of a horse race and
not by ping pong balls falling randomly down a chute. For the
EquiLottery to remain a pure game of chance, players cannot pick
their own numbers. They are randomly picked by a computer, known
as a "quick pick" in the lottery industry.
"I've never bought a lottery ticket in my life but maybe if it is
tied to the given results of a horse race I might," said Majority
Floor Leader Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, a cosponsor of the bill.
"For decades now, horse racing, which is regulated by government,
has had to compete with the state government and seen its market
share declined because of … the proliferation of the lottery long
before there were casinos."
He called EquiLottery an innovative idea to "marry" horse racing
and lotteries.
Dating violence bill
clears House panel
A proposal that would allow dating couples to seek civil
protective orders in cases of domestic violence, abuse, sex abuse,
or stalking has passed the House Judiciary Committee.
House Bill 8, sponsored by House Judiciary Chairman John Tilley,
D-Hopkinsville, and Rep. Joni Jenkins, D-Shively, now goes to the
full House for consideration.
February 10,
KTRS bond bill
clears House budget committee
A proposal to authorize up to $3.3 billion in bonds to reduce the
growing $14 billion unfunded liability of the Kentucky Teachers'
Retirement System's pension fund cleared the House Appropriations
and Revenue Committee today.
House Bill 4, sponsored by House Speaker Greg Stumbo,
D-Prestonsburg, would authorize the Kentucky Asset/ Liability
Commission to issue the bonds in fiscal year 2015-2016 to reduce
the system's unfunded liability. Combined with existing KTRS funds
to pay off bond debt service, the bond issue is expected to help
the pension system pay off its unfunded liability over a 30-year
period, say the bill's supporters.
Local option sales
tax proposal clears House committee
A House committee has approved a proposed local option sales tax
constitutional amendment that, if approved by the state's voters,
could help cities and counties fund local building and
infrastructure projects.
House Bill 1, sponsored by House Speaker Greg Stumbo,
D-Prestonsburg, and House Minority Leader Jeff Hoover,
R-Jamestown, was approved this morning by the House Elections,
Constitutional Amendments and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee.
It now goes to the full House for consideration.
If passed, the bill would place a constitutional amendment on a
statewide ballot allowing state lawmakers to give local
governments the power to levy up to a penny of local option sales
and use tax for specific projects with local voter approval. The
tax would be eliminated when the project is paid off.
"It's fairly simple," said Stumbo. "It allows local people to
choose whether they want to be taxed. It allows them to make the
decision and dedicate the funding sources to a particular project.
When the bonds are satisfied then that particular tax goes away."
February 9, 2015
Colorectal screening bill goes to Senate
The House today voted 66-29 to require health
plans to cover complete colorectal cancer screenings and lab tests
without deductible or coinsurance costs if performed by
participating health providers.
House Bill 69, sponsored by House Health and
Welfare Chairman Tom Burch, D-Louisville, would apply to health
benefit plans issued or renewed as of Jan. 1, 2016 that cover
individuals who are age 50 or older or under age 50 with a "high
risk for colorectal cancer," per American Cancer Society
"Screening is a low cost alternative to
colonoscopy with a follow-up colonoscopy only needed if indicated.
However, some people are being charged copays for the follow-up
colonoscopy," which can lead to huge bills for preventative
screening, said Burch. His bill, he said, specifies that plans are
required to cover the "complete" colorectal exams without
additional costs.
Rep. Robert Benvenuti, R-Lexington, questioned
why the legislation—which will increase "the total cost of health
care in the Commonwealth," according to a financial impact
statement attached to the bill—applies only to private health
plans and not the state employee health plan.
"If this is good public policy, then it should
apply not only to private health care plans but to the state
employee plan as well," he said. "If the science supports this
bill, and if it's (in your all's opinion) good to impost an
additional covered requirement on insurance companies which you
know will raise to some extent premiums, then it ought to be good
enough for our state employee plan."
Benvenuti wanted the House to consider a floor
amendment to address that issue, but his motion to suspend the
rules to consider the amendment failed on a 45-45 vote.
Rep. Mary Lou Marzian, D-Louisville, who is a
nurse, said screening colonoscopies are considered an "essential
benefit" under the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare, and
delivered to patients without deductible or coinsurance costs to
patients. There is often an additional cost, however, if a polyp
is found and removed.
"Often it is coded incorrectly and you may get
an $800 bill for that," said Marzian. "So the issue is the
(screening) is covered and, if a polyp is removed, that should
also be covered, is what the physicians testified is what is
HB 69 now goes to the Senate for its
February 6, 2015
State Senate passes pro charter
school legislation
Legislation to
allow charter schools in Louisville and Lexington passed the state
Senate today after supporters of the bill said it would help close
the achievement gap in those urban areas.
Senate Bill 8
would set up a five-year pilot program for as many as five charter
schools in Louisville and Lexington, said Sen. Mike Wilson,
R-Bowling Green, who sponsored the bill along with Sen. David P.
Givens, R-Greensburg. The aim of the bill, the sponsors said, is
to help give poor and minority children assistance in improving
test scores and closing the achievement gap.
The schools
would be funded on a per-pupil basis out of state money, Wilson
said. If the charter schools did not meet set accountability goals
after five years, they could be shuttered. Wilson said for-profit
companies could manage the schools, but the students would have to
be taught by certified teachers.
Kentucky is
only one of eight states that do not have charter schools, Wilson
Sen. Ray. S.
Jones II, D-Pikeville, explained why he was one of 12 senators who
voted against SB 8.
"Given the
lack of funding we have in our public schools … it would be
irresponsible to create a system of charter schools that would
siphon much needed resources from our public schools," he said.
"To siphon those funds away from our existing school systems would
be financially irresponsible.
SB 8 now goes
before the state House for consideration.
February 5, 2015
bill clears state Senate
– The state Senate passed a bill today by a 31-5 vote that would
change the informed consent process required prior to an abortion.
Senate Bill 7
would require a medical doctor to perform an ultrasound prior to a
woman giving informed consent to having an abortion, said Sen.
Julie Raque Adams, R-Louisville, who sponsored the bill along with
Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Hopkinsville.
disclosure is so important to the health of the mother and her
baby," Adams said. "Kentucky women deserve no less. In closing, we
need to stop chipping away at the right for Kentucky women to
receive the healthcare and the answers they deserve."
Sen. Morgan
McGarvey, D-Louisville, explained his vote against SB7.
"This is my
third session here in the state Senate and I don't think anyone's
opinion has been changed by the debate on this floor in those
three years," he said. "We talked a lot today about the court
decisions and what those mean. We didn't talk about what is
actually in the bill. The one thing I would like to point out, in
explaining my 'no' vote, is that do not see any exceptions for
women who have been the victim of rape … ."
SB 7 now goes
before the state House for consideration.
February 5, 2015
Legislation takes aim
at Kentucky's high stroke rate
FRANKFORT – The state Senate unanimously passed legislation on
Thursday designed to improve care for stroke victims in rural
areas of Kentucky and promote preventive care for the deadly
cardiovascular disease.
The goal of the Senate Bill 10 is to continue the development of a
stroke system of care in Kentucky that facilitates timely access
to an appropriate level of care for stroke patients, said Sen.
Stan Humphries, R-Cadiz, who is sponsoring the bill with Sen.
David P. Givens, R-Greensburg. Humphries testified before the
Standing Committee on Health and Welfare.
It builds on 2010 legislation that required the state to recognize
certified primary stroke centers. The 2010 legislation was
introduced after a study showed Kentucky had the 12th highest rate
for strokes in the nation with 2,500 people dying every year.
SB10 would add comprehensive stroke centers and acute stroke-rated
hospitals to the state's existing primary stroke centers
designation program, formalize the state's responsibility for what
to do with the information and require local emergency medical
service providers to develop pre-hospital assessment, treatment
and transport protocols for suspected stroke patients.
The measure now goes to the House for consideration.
State minimum wage
bill passed House Labor and Industry
A bill that would raise the state's minimum wage from the current
$7.25 an hour to $10.10 over the next three years has passed the
House Labor and Industry Committee.
House Bill 2, sponsored by House Speaker Greg Stumbo,
D-Prestonsburg, would raise the state minimum wage incrementally
to $8.20 on July 1, 2015, $9.15 on July 1, 2016, and $10.10 on
July 1, 2017. Retail and service industries with gross annual
sales of less than $500,000 would be exempt. The current sales
threshold for state minimum wage is $95,000, said Stumbo.
The legislation also includes pay equity provisions that address
wage discrimination on the basis of sex, race, or national origin
"by prohibiting wage differentials for employees who perform
equivalent jobs" with exceptions based on merit, seniority, or
productivity. Stumbo said most minimum wage earners in Kentucky
are women, adding that many are single working mothers.
Twenty nine states and Washington D.C. now have a minimum wage
above the federal level, which is the same amount as Kentucky's
current minimum wage. "I believe it's a bipartisan thing---you see
people on both sides of the political spectrum who support this
because these dollars go back into the local economies," said
Among lawmakers opposing the bill in committee was Rep. Adam
Koenig, R-Erlanger, who said many of those earning minimum wage
are teenagers.
"We're decreasing the buying power of every family in Kentucky
with this," he said.
The last increase in the state minimum wage in Kentucky was passed
by the 2007 Kentucky General Assembly.
Phone deregulation
bill clears House panel
Supporters of a bill approved by a House Economic Development
Committee today say the measure will help lead to growth in
Kentucky's broadband network through deregulation of landline
House Bill 152 sponsor Rep. Rick Rand, D-Bedford, said he rarely
receives calls about landline service but is often asked if an
area has broadband. He said his bill would enable
telecommunications companies to move away from investment in
landline and toward more investment in broadband, wireless, and
voice-over Internet protocol technologies.
"It is a big change. And I think change really is what this bill
is about," said Rand.
A similar bill, Senate Bill 99, sponsored by Sen. Paul Hornback,
R-Shelbyville, passed the Senate last year but died in the House
at session's end.
HB 152 would end Public Service Commission regulation over phone
exchanges that include over 15,000 homes and reduce PSC
jurisdiction in rural areas, while ending PSC authority over cell
phone and broadband complaints from consumers.
"If you live in a rural area and have a traditional phone line you
can keep it, period.
If you live in an urban area you also have significant layers of
protection under this bill," AT&T Kentucky President Hood Harris
told the committee.
Speaking with Rand in favor of the bill was Harris and Lee County
Schools Superintendent Jim Evans, who told lawmakers that
broadband in Lee County is unavailable outside of the schools but
is needed in the broader community. Speaking against the bill was
Kentucky Resources Council head Tom FitzGerald, who said HB 152
would allow AT&T and other basic exchange carriers to discontinue
landline service to communities with over 15,000 homes.
"The day this bill becomes effective, (landline utilities) AT&T,
Windstream … and Cincinnati Bell could immediately stop offering
stand-alone basic telephone service to new and existing customers
in any exchange with over 15,000 housing units," said FitzGerald.
He said landline service in rural areas would also be compromised
unless a customer moves to a home that already has landlines
HB 152 now goes to the full House for consideration.


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Developmental advising is the completely dominant paradigm in the profession today. Its hegemony seems almost never to be questioned. But even with so successful a paradigm, it is valuable occasionally to inquire how it got to be so dominant and whether that dominance is (or ever was) warranted.
Developmental advising was initially presented by Crookston (1972) as an alternative to a construct that he called prescriptive advising, and it gained much of its early plausibility and acceptance from its favorable juxtaposition with the less-attractive alternative. That juxtaposition may still be the key to developmental advising's appeal. The very expression prescriptive advising has a bad sound to it and certainly seems to refer to something that no self-respecting adviser would want to be associated with. If the only alternative to developmental advising is prescriptive advising — as even NACADA's membership application clearly presupposes — then surely developmental advising is the place to be.
I believe, however, that prescriptive advising is a straw man. It is not the correct opposite for developmental advising and certainly not its sole alternative. In other words, the argument (usually not stated explicitly) that says
is unsound because its first premise is false. We will see that the comparison of developmental with prescriptive advising is spurious and that more attractive alternatives exist, which must be thoughtfully evaluated before the developmental model can win by default.
Let us start by looking at prescriptive advising. Prescriptive advising is a style of advising (and also a style of teaching) that is characterized by
Although some writers recently have been noting that a certain amount of prescriptive advising may be necessary, for the most part people in the early 1970s were receptive to the idea of moving away from this top-down model. In both teaching and advising, the times were calling for a different approach. And there was developmental advising, arriving at just the right moment!
But developmental advising is not the appropriate opposite of prescriptive advising. Developmental advising is not a style of advising; it is a theory about the content of advising.
The style of advising that is the opposite of prescriptive advising is what I will call collaborative advising. In collaborative advising, the adviser and student are seen as partners. This style is characterized by
Clearly, the same contrast between prescriptive and collaborative styles can be seen in the classroom as well, and our era has seen much discussion of active learning and collaborative approaches to teaching. The features of Crookston's developmental model that make it seem so superior to the prescriptive approach (see his Table 1) are really features of the collaborative style.
The key question is does embracing the collaborative style require accepting the developmental theory of the content of advising?
The answer is, NO. Most of us want to be collaborative advisers most of the time, but we do not have to subscribe to the developmental theory in order to take this approach. That is because there are other views of the content of advising, different from the developmental paradigm, that are equally collaborative in style and, thus, equally opposed to prescriptive advising.
Specifically, we will now look at what I call academically centered advising, which I propose as a worthy alternative to developmental advising. Developmental advising and academically centered advising are competing theories about the content of advising, though both are collaborative in style. The drawbacks of prescriptive advising as a style are, therefore, not relevant to this comparison.
How are the two models different? In the simplest terms, developmental advising focuses on the student's personal growth and development while academically centered advising centers on the student's academic learning. The following chart, admittedly over-simplified, lays out some of the ways that an academically centered advising paradigm differs from a developmentally centered paradigm, even though they are both collaborative approaches.
Developmentally Centered Paradigm
Academically Centered Paradigm
Goal of advising
Facilitating student's intra-personal growth and development, including cognitive, affective, etc.
Facilitating the student's ability to interact with and draw maximum benefit from the academic program and curriculum.
Paradigm relates advising to ...
College teaching
Who should do it?
Student development staff
Faculty or other academics
How shall they be trained?
Focus on the behavioral sciences, presumably developmental psychology in particular.
Broad but coherent liberal arts education, with almost any liberal arts specialization.
Who should oversee it?
Student Affairs
Academic Affairs
How should we hire advisers?
Look for specialists in the advising field who have studied student personnel or student development at the graduate level.
Look for people who may or may not have advised before, but who are student centered and mentally agile and understand curricular relationships.
This chart is designed to emphasize the difference between an academically centered model of advising and the developmental perspective that is most prominent today. The reader may feel that it exaggerates the differences. This is correct, in the sense that actual practice may combine features of both paradigms; possibly neither is found in its pure form anywhere.
But the purpose of either model is only partly to give an accurate description of current practice; it also seeks to provide an ideal toward which practice might strive. Put differently, a theory of academic advising tries to describe what advising would be at its best, though the activity may only sometimes approximate that vision.
I urge that advisers consider the possibility that advising at its best is like what I have called academically centered advising. I envision the exemplary adviser as someone who
How should the reader decide which paradigm to embrace? Arguments over paradigms tend to be circular, each side presupposing the rightness of its own model as a basis for arguing on its behalf. I would, however, urge two considerations on behalf of the academically centered model.
First, this model has particular appeal for anyone who sees the liberal arts as being at the center of higher education, since it presents the adviser as facilitating the goals of liberal learning.
Second, I think the academically centered model is superior in that it lays out a role for advising that is uniquely necessary in a higher education setting. Advising, I think, ought to be about something that is unique to college. I don't question the need for developmental counselors; in fact every young adult (and perhaps the rest of us as well!) could use one. And that's the point — the thing that college students need more than the rest of us is an academic facilitator.
Some proponents of developmental advising have been acknowledging lately that there is a place in their practice for prescriptive advising — sometimes you just have to tell the student that this is how it is. In the same spirit, I would acknowledge that the academically centered model could leave room in its ideal practice for a bit of the developmental perspective. Even my exemplary adviser will benefit from some knowledge of theories of human development to help him or her choose strategies, though I'm not convinced that the finest details of these theories are critical.
But this acknowledgment yields no ground on the question of which is the better theory of advising. Granting that advising can be enhanced by some knowledge of student development is a far cry from saying that facilitating the student's growth and development is the purpose of advising. That purpose, I hold, is the one described by the academically centered paradigm and pursued by the exemplary adviser described above.Reference
Published in The Mentor on November 22, 1999, by Penn State's Division of Undergraduate Studies
Available online at dus.psu.edu/mentor
Privacy and Legal Statements | Copyright | © The Pennsylvania State University | All rights reserved

subset: commoncrawl


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BC Arthritis
In the US, BC Arthritis (aspirin/caffeine systemic) is a member of the drug class analgesic combinations and is used to treat Fever and Pain.
US matches:
Ingredient matches for BC Arthritis
Acetylsalicylic Acid is reported as an ingredient of BC Arthritis in the following countries:
- United States
Caffeine is reported as an ingredient of BC Arthritis in the following countries:
- United States
Important Notice: The Drugs.com international database is in BETA release. This means it is still under development and may contain inaccuracies. It is not intended as a substitute for the expertise and judgement of your physician, pharmacist or other healthcare professional. It should not be construed to indicate that the use of any medication in any country is safe, appropriate or effective for you. Consult with your healthcare professional before taking any medication.
Further information
Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.


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*Ray Lewis has been receiving a lot of attention lately, being the fierce football player he is; his animated personality; and bringing his team so close to the Super Bowl.
But a family hasn't forgotten the pain he's caused them 13 years ago.
The Baltimore Ravens linebacker pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice after being charged with two counts of murder.
On the morning of Jan. 21, 2000, Richard Lollar of Akron, Ohio was stabbed to death outside of an Atlanta nightclub, along with his friend Jacinth Baker. Their murders remain unsolved.
According to USA Today, Lewis was the only suspect to plead guilty in relation to the case and was originally charged with two counts of murder. However, he struck a deal with prosecutors in exchange for a testimony against two of his cohorts that evening.
But he never directly linked Reginald Oakley and Joseph Sweeting to the murders and therefore was acquitted.
Though the event took place over a decade ago, the Lollar family still grieves and wants justice served.
Read more at USA Today.


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Emory Alzheimer's Disease Research Center 6th Forum
Emory Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
Tuesday, October 29, 2013 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (EDT)
Event Details
Save the Date for our 6th Forum scheduled for October 29, 2013. Topics will include an overview in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's Disease, how to access VA and Medicare benefits for individuals with Alzheimer's and related dementias, research updates and improving access to and utilization of community services and resources.
Tentative Agenda
9:00 - Registration
9:30 - Welcome
10:00 Session 1
11:00 - Session 2
Break for Lunch
Lunch Session
1:00 - Session 4
2:00 - Adjourn
When & Where
The Carter Presidential Center
453 Freedom Parkway
Tuesday, October 29, 2013 from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM (EDT)
Add to my calendar
Emory Alzheimer's Disease Research Center
The Emory University Alzheimer's Disease Research Center is the only comprehensive care clinic for Alzheimer's disease and related memory disorders in Georgia. We are one of just 27 Alzheimer's Disease Research Centers (ADRC) in the country as designated by the National Institutes of Health. Everything we do is patient-centered to provide a compassionate and collaborative approach to early diagnosis, treatment and state-of-the-art care. For more information visit www.alzheimers.emory.edu.


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Sean Lennon doesn't have any movies playing in theaters.
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A Sutton and Epsom Rugby Club player is set to run in all 32 London boroughs in 32 days after a friend was killed in a bike accident.
Sam Rowley, who previously played with him for the Cheam Chargers basketball club in Morden, was 33 when he fatally crashed into a car at 40 mph during the Classic Oxfordshire Sportive in May 2016.
Now James Earlby, from the Ridgeway in Epsom, will run a 5K in each borough - both in Sam's memory and in a bid to raise funds for The Big Cheese Charity.
James Earlby
The 32-year-old chartered secretary, who plays second row for the rugby side, said: "He was a basketball player [with the Cheam Chargers], that's how we met.
"He was a very happy go-lucky, kind of guy and he had a slogan like, 'Why wouldn't you do something?' He was always up for doing something.
"We lost a good friend so I sort of had this idea in my head that I was 32-years-old, there are 32 London boroughs, everyone has done a marathon so why not run for 5km in each of them?"
Mr Rowley was from Putney, in Wandsworth, and his brother paid tribute to him during an inquest into his death last May.
The Big Cheese Charity provides financial support to children and teams who don't have the equipment to play basketball, a sport which Mr Rowley loved.
A total of £1,316 – including Gift Aid – has been raised so far at the time of writing, which is above the £1,000 target and Mr Earlby has completed half of the boroughs so far – 16 out of 32.
At the inquest, brother Alex Rowley said: "He was a funny and warm-hearted brother, a very popular person who had many friends.
"Life was going well for him and his work was too – the loss of Sam has hit us all very hard."
Mr Earlby will also complete a 33rd run in the City of London, where he works, as it is not considered a London borough, while running 'en masse' in kit with a mixed basketball team on April 14.
To see the JustGiving page, click here.


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If you want to understand why British newspapers have been so exercised in recent weeks by what they misleadingly refer to as "superinjunctions", read the judgment delivered on June 9 by Mr Justice Tugendhat — one of three High Court judges who specialise in media cases.
Even though Goodwin v NGN Ltd deals with matters that are intrinsically private, the 34-page judgment and many others like it were immediately published online by BAILII, a hand-to-mouth charity that all lawyers rely on but which few are willing to support.
Goodwin is, of course, Sir Fred, the former chief executive of RBS, which had to be bailed out by the taxpayer after taking over ABN Amro. NGN is News Group Newspapers, publishers of the Sun. Incidentally, those who don't like three-letter abbreviations, or TLAs as they are inevitably called, will find all this rather heavy going.
That's because the courts now assign a random TLA to any party whose anonymity they wish to protect during a court hearing. Goodwin was known only as MNB until he was named in the House of Lords on May 19 by Lord Stoneham. As Tugendhat said, the Lib Dem peer was "frustrating the purpose of the court order and thus impeding the administration of justice" by identifying MNB.
The decision given on June 9 did not directly affect Goodwin himself; it involved a former colleague at RBS with whom the banker had a sexual relationship. Although she was initially no more than a name on a confidential schedule, this colleague later became what lawyers call an interested party and was awarded her own TLA, which turned out to be VBN.
That was because Tugendhat was being asked to decide whether VBN could now be named by the Sun. NGN wanted to vary the injunction that Goodwin had obtained against NGN on March 1, a few hours after the newspaper had first approached him.
This, of course, was the injunction that was misrepresented in parliament by a Lib Dem MP and misreported by most of the media. John Hemming told the Commons on March 10 that Goodwin had "obtained a superinjunction preventing him being identified as a banker". As some of us noted at the time, what the court order had actually prevented us from reporting was that a banker had obtained an injunction banning reports of a sexual affair.


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Market participants are virtually certain that the Federal Reserve will announce a substantial amount of asset purchases at the conclusion of its November meeting on Wednesday, according to the latest CNBC Fed Survey.
On average, market participants look for the Fed to announce $457 billion in asset purchases, down from the $490 billion estimated in mid-October.
In written commentary, one survey respondent suggested that the Fed has been trying to reduce market expectations for the latest round of asset purchases—known as quantitative easing—which could explain the lower figure. But the median forecast at $500 billion is unchanged from the prior survey.


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Send us your Ansonville photos:
Ansonville is a town in Anson County, in the Charlotte-Gastonia metro area.
The community was named for George, Lord Anson, British admiral
The latitude of Ansonville is 35.104N. The longitude is -80.109W.It is in the Eastern Standard time zone. Elevation is 331 feet.
The estimated population, in 2003, was 630.
Sections below provide additional information and links about Ansonville demographics, travel and tourism, nearby airports, cemeteries, the Anson County economy, education, environment, genealogy, government, historic sites, libraries, maps, museums, newspapers and other media, nonprofit groups, real estate, recreation, religion, transportation, and weather in the 28007 ZIP code.
1% of Ansonville residents report German ancestry, and 1% report Irish. For more info on local ancestry groups, see the Ansonville ancestry & family history guide.
Post a query on a message board:
Records & databases:
At the time of the 2000 census, the per capita income in Ansonville was $12,754, compared with $21,587 nationally.
3% of Ansonville residents age 25 and older have a bachelor's or advanced college degree.
Median rent in Ansonville, at the time of the 2000 Census, was $244. Monthly homeowner costs, for people with mortgages, were $669.
Anson County supported John Kerry in the 2004 presidential election. For more information, see our Ansonville political report.
The average commute time for Ansonville workers is 29 minutes, compared with 26 minutes nationwide.
Cons: Lack of intelligence...
This is a good place to Farm
General info: Enough said.
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Enter your ZIP or Postal code to find schools near you. Your dream major may be just around the corner!


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The County Executive's Home Page
Important: Following is general information for starting a business. It is designed only to be a handy reference guide to general business requirements, and is not intended to offer legal or financial advice. We suggest that your business plan be discussed with your attorney and your accountant.
How to Get Your Business Started
Before you can select a name for your business, you should consult with your attorney, accountant and banker to determine what type of legal structure is best suited for it: sole proprietorship, partnership or corporation.
An unincorporated business may use the name of its owner, in which case there is no need to file a certificate name. If the name is other than the owner's name a Certificate of Business Name (D/B/A) must be filed with the Suffolk County Clerk . To insure that the business name you would like to use is available, you may check the Suffolk County Clerk's website for Business Certificates and Corporations. Under no circumstances will searches be conducted by phone.
A business which is to be incorporated must file with the state:
Sole Proprietorships, partnerships, corporations (including S corporations) and non-profit organizations must have a federal identification number. Sole proprietors can use their social security number unless they pay wages to one or more employees, or are required to file pension or excise tax returns, such as those for alcohol, tobacco or firearms.
You will need to fill out Form SS-4, the application for employer identification number. To get a copy of this form, or for additional information, call 1-800-829-3676 from Long Island or 1-800-828-1040 from all other areas. For additional assistance, visit the following offices:
Some types of businesses are required by law to obtain licenses and / or permits prior to commencement. Listed below are some of the more common types of businesses requiring licenses and / or permits from agencies or departments of New York state, Suffolk County, or local municipalities.
Certain occupations require licenses, such as appliance repair shops, contractors, electricians, plumbers, precious metals dealers and second hand dealers. For assistance or more information, contact:
Before you open or relocate a business, visit the Department of Health Services - Business Resource Center to find out what you should know about the Department of Health approval process.
For sanitary requirements for operation of food stores, food storage warehouses, meat or poultry establishments, food serving or vending businesses, mobile food vehicles, and frozen dessert establishments, contact:
Department of Health Services - Business Resource Center - Motels, Hotels, day camps, and other facilities of temporary residence, contact:
All commercial and residential buildings must comply with county health codes. For more information, contact: Suffolk County Dept. of Health Services
Waste Water Management
360 Yaphank Ave., Suite 2A
Yaphank, NY 11980
(631) 852-5700
Vending, peddling or soliciting* (except selling junk or liquor) by veterans in unincorporated areas, contact:
* Necessary requirements:
Businesses Requiring Municipal Licenses Village licenses: There are 30 incorporated villages in Suffolk County. According to state law, each may require a permit. Contact the village clerk in each village in which you will be conducting business to determine if a permit is required. Town licenses: According to state law, each township may require permits. To determine if a permit is required, contact the town clerk of each town in which you will be conducting business.
Businesses that buy merchandise and material for resale must apply for a resale certification to avoid paying sales tax on purchases from suppliers. In addition, a tax authorization must be obtained to collect sales tax from customers. For information on either, contact:
Depending on the nature of a business, it may be required to pay various taxes to New York state. Some more common state taxes are business taxes for incorporated or unincorporated businesses, personal income taxes, lottery tax, truck mileage tax, gasoline or diesel fuel tax, and miscellaneous taxes. For further assistance on state tax guidelines, contact:
All incorporated and unincorporated businesses must file federal tax returns. For further information and assistance, contact:
Property taxes apply only to businesses that own real property. Each town or village regulates its own assessments. For further information and assistance, contact the Town or Village Assessor in each individual town or village in which your business owns property. Click here for a list of Suffolk County towns and villages.
Tax Information for Businesses: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/index.html
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Federal and state law requires that all businesses employing workers, including part-time workers, comply with all regulations involving the following:
For more information, contact:
Local towns and villages have ordinances within their jurisdictions. Some of these ordinances define the procedures for obtaining permits for structural changes in existing buildings zoned for commercial and manufacturing uses, as well as in applying for variances.
Before any additions or structural renovations are made, it is advisable to submit the properly drawn plans for approval to the local municipal building department. The municipality can provide assistance in obtaining the required information.
Upon completion of renovation, a certificate of occupancy should be requested. Building permits and requests for vacancies in unincorporated areas are handled by the Building and Zoning Departments of the town.
Laws require that industrial and manufacturing businesses comply with safety and health regulations. It is suggested that new business owners request an inspection of their premises prior to commencing business operations. For further information, contact:
Where the operation of a manufacturing business produces industrial wastes and disposal, it is important to obtain a permit for this type of operation. For further information, contact:
Law Enforcement personnel respond to thousands of false alarm calls yearly. These unnecessary responses result in an enormous burden in manpower and expense; which in turn reduces the time available to respond to real emergencies.
To help us serve you better, please ensure that your alarmed location is within the Suffolk County Police District prior to registering.
The Suffolk County Police Department responds to 911 calls within the Police District which includes the five westernmost townships in Suffolk County, except for a few village departments. Townships in the Police District are: Babylon; Brookhaven; Huntington; Islip; and Smithtown.
If you are unsure where to call for answers to your specific question, call one of these first:
New York State Empire State Development Corporation
150 Motor Parkway, Suite 311
Hauppauge, NY 11788
(631) 435-0717
website: http://www.empire.state.ny.us
For Federal Government Resources:
General Business Information & Consultation for help in developing a business plan, visit:
Small Business Development Centers (SBDC) -- A cooperative effort between the U.S. Small Business Administration and the State University of New York. It offers assistance with the preparation of business plans and technical assistance to existing and start-up businesses.
For more information, contact any of the following SBDC's:
SUNY Stony Brook: (631) 632-9070;
website: http://www.stonybrook.edu/commcms/sbdc/
Field Offices at: Southampton: (631) 287-0059/283-6000 Ext. 280
Brookhaven National Lab: (631) 344-2393
SUNY Farmingdale SBDC: (631) 420-2765
website: http://www.farmingdale.edu/academics/centers-institutes/small-business-development-center/index.shtml
EAP (Entrepreneurial Assistance Program) - The Entrepreneurial Assistance Program (EAP) establishes Entrepreneurial Assistance Centers in local communities to provide instruction, training, technical assistance and support services to individuals who have recently started their own business or are interested in starting a business. The program's 24 EAP centers are strategically located throughout New York State.
SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives)
Sponsored by the U.S. Small Business Administration
For locations and phone #'s visit:
Financial Assistance
Suffolk County Industrial Development Agency
100 Veterans Memorial Highway
Hauppauge, NY 11788
(631) 853-4802
Additional Resources Online
Suffolk County Department of Labor
Suffolk County villages: Contact Village Clerk.
Suffolk County towns: Contact Town Clerk.
Suffolk County school districts: Contact individual School District. See blue pages in Suffolk County Phone Book.
General Information on NY State Government Resources - http://www.empire.state.ny.us/
United States Government
General Information on the Federal Government
Defense Contract Administration Services Region (DCASR)
201 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 337-0348
For help in accessing government contracts:
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