On Friday, January 9, the 2015 General Assembly completed their organizational session and adjourned until February 3, 2015. During the first four days of the session, both the House and Senate elected their respective party leadership. Committee chairs and committee assignments were also finalized. The Senate passed four pieces of legislation regarding heroin, administrative regulations, informed consent, and right-to-work.

For a complete list of House and Senate leadership and individual committee assignments along with the contact information for each House and Senate member please click here.

The General Assembly will reconvene on February 3, 2015 to continue this thirty-day session which is scheduled to conclude on March 24.

Annual Commercial Vehicle Safety Training

Some of our members have received a letter from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (click here for a copy of the letter) regarding a mandatory commercial vehicle safety training course. This training course is a result of Senate Bill 96 which was passed during the 2013 session of the General Assembly. However, this legislation also exempted farm plates and farm limited plates from this annual safety course. (click here for a copy of KRS 281.907). Section seven of this KRS contains the exemption for farm tags.

Some bills of interest:

SB 29: E. Harris, J. Bowen - AN ACT relating to motor fuels taxes and declaring an emergency.

This bill would amend KRS 138.210(10) to set the minimum value for the average wholesale price of gasoline used for computation of the motor fuels tax at $2.354 per gallon.   If this bill passes it would raise the floor of the average wholesale price of gas from the current $1.786. Raising the floor of the average wholesale price would help minimize the impact to road fund revenues.

2015 KFB State Priority Issue

Recommend sufficient funding be made available to maintain quality rural roads across the Commonwealth.

HB 157: M. Meredith, R. Quarles, R. Bunch, J. DeCesare, R. Heath, J. Kay, K. King, S. Miles, D. Osborne, B. Rowland, S. Rudy, J. Shell, W. Stone, S. Westrom - AN ACT relating to the taxation of drugs used in the production of cattle, sheep, swine, poultry, llamas, alpacas, buffalo, aquatic organisms, cervids, ratite birds, or equine.

This bill would exempt drugs and over-the-counter drugs if used in the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment, or prevention of disease in beef cattle, dairy cattle, sheep, swine, poultry, llamas, alpacas, buffalo, aquatic organisms, cervids, ratite birds, or equine.

2015 KFB State Priority Issue

Recommend production items associated with the equine and poultry industries, as well veterinary medicine and vaccines be exempt from the sales and use tax.

HOW TO CONTACT YOUR LEGISLATORS

During the week, you may reach your representative and senator in Frankfort by calling 502.564.8100.

If you do not desire to talk to your state legislator immediately or you just want to leave a message, you may dial toll-free 800.372.7181. An answering service will take your message for your representative or senator. The legislative calendar information line is 800.633.9650, the bill status line is 866.840.2835, and the Governor's office number is 502.564.2611.

YOUR LOBBYISTS

The following are registered to lobby for Kentucky Farm Bureau for the 2015 session: Jeff Harper, Public Affairs Director, extension 5104; Bryan Alvey extension 7218; Tony Sholar, extension 5121, and David S. Beck, extension 5101. If you would like to call your lobbyists during the evening, call 502-352-4280 at the Frankfort headquarters or call 502.495.5000 and key in their extensions.

If you would like to contact one of your lobbyists during the day, please call Sara Stivers at 502.495.5121 and she will put you in touch with one of them.