Kentucky General Assembly - Week in Review

Frankfort Week in Review: February 15, 2013

AARP Kentucky at Work in the 2013 General Assembly

It was a full week in Frankfort for AARP grassroots citizen advocates, volunteers and staff talking with members of Kentucky’s General Assembly. Local volunteers traveled from east and west to meet with their representatives on key issues for our members, seniors and Kentucky consumers.

These volunteers add an important personal connection with legislators in the fight on the issues that matter to them and their families. We couldn’t do it without them.

Special Note: Watch KET’s Kentucky Tonight:

Future of Telephone Deregulation - with host Bill Goodman.

Monday, Feb. 18 @ 8:00 p.m. (ET) Watch online: www.ket.org/live

Join the conversation: questions and email your comments to kytonight@ket.org  or  use the message form at www.ket.org/kytonight.  Viewers may also submit questions and comments on Twitter @BillKET, #kytonight, or on KET's Facebook page.  All messages should include first and last name and town or county.

The phone number for viewer calls during the program is 1-800-494-7605.

• Scheduled guests:

-       Ron Bridges, state director of AARP Kentucky

-       Patrick Turner, a lawyer for AT&T

-       Tom FitzGerald, director of the Kentucky Resources Council

-       Gary Gerdemann, executive director of the Kentucky chapter of Citizens for a Digital Future

Senate Bill 9: Nursing Home Residents

Adult Abuse and Neglect – Oppose Senate Bill 9 (Sen. J. Denton) Creates a new system to review nursing home residents’ claims of wrong doing or neglect by an appointed “Medical Review Panel.”  Requires residents pay additional filing and processing fees to submit their case to the panel.

Progress: AARP and other consumer advocates testified in against the bill in Senate Health and Welfare Committee. However, Senate Bill 9 passed along party lines in the full Senate. The bill now goes to the full House for debate.

Take Action:  Ask your Representative/Senator to oppose “Medical Review Panel” system and protect nursing home residents’ and their families’ rights.

Senate Bill 88: Telephone Deregulation

Protecting Consumers – Oppose Senate Bill 88 (Sen. P. Hornback) Removes consumers’ legal rights while phasing out Public Service Commission’s authority to regulate affordable basic landline phone service and creates new limitations on investigating consumer telecommunication issues.

Progress: AARP, Kentucky Resources Council and consumer advocates testified against the bill in the Senate Economic Development Committee. Senate Bill 88 passed in the full Senate and the fight now goes to the full House for debate.

Take Action:  Ask your Representative/Senator to oppose deregulating basic telephone services.

House Bill 73: Background Checks

Background Checks –Support House Bill 73 – (Rep. C. Rollins) Requires the Cabinet for Health & Family Services to create a National and State Background Check Program for new employees of long-term-care facilities; providers and representatives of the cabinet performing inspections of long- term-care facilities; require a registry check of the nurse aide abuse registry and any other registry identified in administrative regulations.

Progress: House Bill 73 was set for a floor vote the House, but some last minute floor maneuvering has held the bill up and has been returned to committee with a fiscal note.

Take Action:  Ask your Representative/Senator to support this over-due resource for protecting vulnerable persons from those who have abused or exploited vulnerable patients.

Senate Bill 2: Pension Reform

Public Pension Reform – Oppose Senate Bill 2 (Sen. D. Thayer) AARP is committed to ensuring that any reforms made to state pensions safeguard the financial security of current and near-retirees – many of whom do not have the opportunity to pivot their retirement strategy.

Progress: Senate Bill 2 passed in the full Senate and now goes to the House State Government Committee (Chair Rep. Brent Yonts) for more debate.

Take Action:  Ask your Representative/Senator to protect the retirement security of Kentucky’s public employees, especially when they didn’t cause the problem.

Stay Connected:

AARP Kentucky Online: aarp.org/ky • Facebook.com/AARPKentucky   Twitter: @AARPKY • email kyaarp@aarp.org

 

Governor Steve Beshear:  1-502-564-2611

Connecting with Lawmakers: Legislative Message Line: 1-800-372-7181  (Monday – Thursday: 7:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.  Friday: 7:00 a.m. -6:00 p.m. ET)

TTY Messages 1-800-896-0305 • Español 1-866-840-6574


Find your representatives in the General Assembly online: www.lrc.ky.gov


 

Bill Status Line:                       1-866-840-2835  ● Calendar (Meetings):      1-800-633-9650

TTY Message Line:                 1-800-896-0305 ●  En Español                       1-866-840-6574

See all legislation being tracked by AARP Kentucky http://klsreports.com/Report_Custom.aspx?sid=wQoEl4%2bt%2biM%3d&rid=Rbcr6FjakIk%3d

 

 

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