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HB 43 passes House - no texting while driving
House leaders moved ahead with plans to come up with several workable budget scenarios for our Appropriations & Revenue committee to review and choose from as the budget process moved forward. Creating a workable plan under current revenue and spending constraints will admittedly be hard. But we believe it is doable, and that we can come up with ways to let certain state functions move forward despite dwindling state dollars.  Presently, we are looking at a $395 million deficit in 2011 and a $750 million deficit in 2012. 

We passed a number of important measures this week as the complexity of bills being considered continues to mount. The filing deadline has passed, opponents have come out of the woodwork for many of us and the work pace increases.

Much discussion on the House floor was heard as a bill banning text messaging by drivers of all ages and banning cell phone use by drivers under age 18 passed by an 80-16 vote. Violators of House Bill 43 will face a fine between $20 and $100 for each offense beginning in 2011.  The bill requires young violators with driver’s permits or intermediate driver’s licenses to wait an additional six months before applying for their permanent operator’s license.  HB 43 will allow drivers to use cell phones in emergencies; by emergency personnel as part of their official duties; texts to report illegal activity, or texts to summon help in an emergency. 
 
In an impassioned revelation, my legislative brother, Rep. Keith Hall, from the Eastern Kentucky coal fields, shared his opposition to this bill, his preference for less government interference in our lives,  his opposition, that is, until his wife received a cell phone call.  One call.  That was all it took – and Rep. Hall became a staunch supporter of HB 43.  She was driving.   In the time it took her to look down for her cell phone, a driver pulled out in front of her. . .  When Rep. Hall received that cell phone call to come to the scene, finding his wife being prepared for the ambulance, he knew.   Fortunately this was not a fatal accident, but why must one more father, mother, child, sister or brother die because we have not made this preventable tragedy our priority?  It should be and I am proud to be a co-sponsor of this bill.
 
Kentucky is spending tremendous resources to treat children with severe psychiatric disorders in out of state facilities.  House Bill 231 will create a new level of licensed psychiatric residential treatment facilities for special-needs Kentucky children.  The bill will set requirements for operation of the facilities, which could be located across the Commonwealth by qualifying applications.  Presently, these special-needs children are now being cared for in states as far away as Utah and Texas.
 
HB 133 was also passed.  This prohibits wage discrimination against a person of the opposite sex who is paid less for doing a job of comparable worth!

Stay informed of action on bills and meetings this session by checking
www.lrc.ky.gov, or call the LRC toll-free Bill Status Line at 866.840.2835. The LRC toll-free Meeting Information Line is 800.633.9650. Connect with me directly at reginald.meeks@lrc.ky.gov or at 502.564.8100.

Pray for the safety and success of our President and his family.              

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