Pension reform bill likely this week

Rep. Jason Petrie

All indications are that there will be a pension reform bill filed in the state House or Senate this week and local legislators agree it will be more popular than the one unveiled last fall that never gained much momentum.

Senator Whitney Westerfield says he believes it will be more popular with state employees and teachers.

Representative Jason Petrie of Elkton says it will be significantly different from the original bill.

Representative Myron Dossett of Pembroke reminds that the pension bill and budget process go hand-in-hand.

Pension reform has to happen this session, according to Representative Walker Thomas, who says it also has to be in a form that Kentucky can afford.

Representative Lynn Bechler acknowledges some budget cuts that come along with pension reform will be painful, but some may be necessary.

Bechler and the other lawmakers have committed to making any transportation funding cuts to local school districts as small as possible—as those cuts will mean reducing the number of staff and teachers in many cases.