Our erstwhile Lege observer, Joanie Prentice, noticed some more shenanigans in Frankfort, and thought we should pass them along.
Seems that in order to get as many bills passed as possible in the few remaining days, the Republican leadership has started adding bills they want to move to other bills that are already moving as amendments. Here’s a partial list, with (I’m sure) more to come.
Anti-LGBTQ bill moved to school guardian bill
HB 304, a bill that forbids schools from using correct pronouns and forces teachers to out students to their parents, has been added to SB 2, the school guardian bill. It was added as House Floor Amendment 1. The House Ed committee is meeting on Tuesday, 3/19, but the bill is not on the published agenda (which, of course, means nothing, since committee chairs can call up any bill they want without any notice to anyone).
Anti-vax bills added to vaccine bill
HB 274 is a straight-forward bill that allows pharmacists to administer vaccines to children 5 years of age or older, with the consent of a parent or guardian. It is up for a vote this Friday, 3/22. Now Senator Lindsey Tichenor has filed two floor amendments to the bill, that merge her anti-vax bills SB 295 (no mandatory vax for student enrollment or for employment) and SB 182 (must allow religious belief exception).
Simple sepsis bill now addresses MCOs
HB 477 is another bill that is addresses a simple problem: the often-missed diagnosis of sepsis in Medicaid patients. But now, Senator Stephen Meredith has added a floor amendment to bolt on his SB 24, which limits Medicaid Managed Care Organizations in the state to 3.
And finally SB 8, this year’s winner for most-bloated bill
The original SB 8 was a minor mule bill of eleven pages that made a seven-word change related to petroleum storage tanks. (Really.)
Now, it is a 124-page behemoth that includes the original bill, but then moves on to these topics:
- The implementation of tax laws, with reporting of same
- Sending money to the Horse Racing Commission
- Also sending money to KCTCS
- And sending some money to the Tourism, Arts, and Heritage cabinet (from harness racing)
- Exempting the sale of bullion from sales taxes (I think)
- Creating a tax credit for the expansion of broadband
- Changing the definition of “general fund appropriation” (apparently to be able to have their income tax cut no matter what)
- Doubling the fee for electric vehicles, including hybrids
There are, no doubt, other examples of this shell game with bills, but these were the ones that came up today. A big Thank You to Joanie Prentice for her watchful eye on all things KYGA!
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