Published: March 24, 2009 08:34 am      

State economic incentive bill hangs in limbo

FRANKFORT — The 2009 General Assembly may have finished its work, although several pieces of legislation, including a major economic incentive bill sought by Gov. Steve Beshear, hang in the balance.

Senate President David Williams, R-Burkesville, and Senate Minority Leader Ed Worley, D-Richmond, told reporters late Monday afternoon House leaders had informed them earlier in the day their chamber is unlikely to take up any more legislation when the General Assembly comes back to town Thursday and Friday to consider any vetoes by Beshear.

The House passed a set of new rules this session, including deadlines for passage of bills. The rules say the veto days may only be used for that purpose and not to pass bills. The rule could be suspended by a majority vote of 51. House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said House Democrats will caucus first thing Thursday to ask members what they wish to do.

House leadership has “not taken a position on that,” Stumbo said. “Our caucus told us they wanted the rules adhered to in this session. We’ve done as good job as we can do in adhering to the rules.” He also said the House could enroll any bills already passed in the House if the Senate passed them without amendment.

Williams and Worley, however, seemed surprised by the news from House leaders, including Stumbo, Speaker Pro Tem Larry Clark, D-Okolona, Majority Leader Rocky Adkins, D-Sandy Hook, Democratic Whip John Will Stacy, D-West Liberty, Democratic Caucus Chair Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville, and Minority Leader Jeff Hoover, R-Jamestown.

“It appeared to me they had no intention whatsoever in dealing with other bills,” Worley said.

Stumbo believes the remaining bills can wait, either for a special session or the next regular session in January.

“Personally, I don’t believe putting those issues on the back burner hurts any of those issues.”

Among the bills left hanging which were thought to have a chance of passage are the economic incentives bill sought by Beshear, which includes authority for some convention centers such as the one in Corbin to sell alcohol, and incentives to bring a NASCAR Sprint Cup race to Kentucky; a bill to create a financing authority for bridges over the Ohio River in Jefferson County, a budget cleanup bill, which includes emergency funding for public defenders and more money for prosecutors, and a campaign finance bill.

“We understand the position of House leadership and appreciate their willingness to get direction from the caucus on how best to move forward to complete what has been a productive legislative session so far,” said Beshear in an e-mailed statement. But he then ticked off several pieces of legislation he would like to see passed, including the economic incentives bill.

“All of these initiatives have garnered broad support and I hope that, together, we can find a way to move forward on these important issues,” he continued.

Worley pointed out it made little sense for the House to appoint conference committee members to work out differences on the economic incentive legislation if it was not prepared to act on the conference committee report. Stumbo countered that doing so was simply preparation in case the House suspended its rules.

Stumbo said House leaders repeatedly heard during the recess from rank-and-file members their approval that leadership adhered to the new rules. Several of the rules were adopted to avoid last-minute legislation passed as lawmakers raced against the clock on the session’s final day in recent sessions.

But Williams said House leaders had never mentioned the rule or the possibility of not acting on remaining bills when they met to discuss legislation before the recess.

Stumbo said even if no further legislation is passed, the 2009 session was a good one. Williams agreed – to a point.

“I feel like we’ve had a good session,” Williams said. “It could have been a great session if we’d accomplished a few more things.”

Williams said he did not see “any certainty we’ll be back here before next January” when asked if a special session this summer is likely.

Ronnie Ellis writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. He may be contacted by e-mail at rellis@cnhi.com. The Richmond Register is a CNHI newspaper.