The Kentucky House got to work early Friday morning on the first day of the special session called by Governor Matt Bevin, sending three bills that would provide pension relief to quasi-governmental agencies to a committee.
Republican Representative Myron Dossett of Pembroke says House Bill 1 is the legislation proposed by Governor Bevin.
House Bill 2 is the legislation proposed by Democrats and Dossett doesn’t believe it would address the root cause that created the pension woes.
House Bill 3 was also proposed by a House Democrat and would simply freeze current contribution rates for agencies such as health departments and domestic violence shelters—which Representative Dossett says isn’t enough.
Representative Walker Thomas of Hopkinsville says the governor’s bill is all but certain to be the one making it out of the State Government Committee Saturday and he expects a vote on the House floor Monday.
House Minority Floor Leader Rocky Adkins told Republican leaders he appreciated them giving the Democrats’ pension bills a hearing, saying the governor shouldn’t get to write the legislation by himself.
Many quasi-governmental agencies will have to cut personnel and services or close completely without another year of relief from a spike in contribution rates.