Legislative update from Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer
Legislative update from
Sen. Shelley Funke Frommeyer
One of the greatest honors this week was to recognize our Kentucky nurses on Kentucky Nurses Day at our state Capitol, one of the most trusted professions in our nation.
I had the pleasure and privilege of hosting my mom, Rita Funke, on the Senate floor, a woman who began her career as a labor and delivery nurse in 1961.
A mother of 12 children, 44 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren, she's been a role model whose nursing skills and expertise have been put to the test time and again.
My sister, Rita Funke Pritchard, provided tender nursing care for more than 35 years, primarily in the Saint Elizabeth Health System from Business Health. I also had my future daughter-in-law, Madeline Purcell, who is going into her fourth year of nursing school.
I also had the privilege of having Dolores White, our Kentucky Nurses Association President who is a nursing educator at Northern Kentucky University and Kentucky State University.
At the start of this week, the Senate received budget recommendations from the state House of Representatives. House Bill (HB) 1 and HB 6, along with related appropriation and revenue bills, will shape the state’s next two-year operating budgets for the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.
In its unique constitutional role in the budget process, the Senate will review these proposals, crafting recommendations grounded in disciplined use of taxpayer dollars.
The budget bills, particularly the one-time funding proposals from the House, are promising. I believe the Senate aligns with the proposal’s general philosophy, especially the wise use of the budget reserve trust fund.
A decade ago, Kentucky lacked rainy-day funds, but through conservative spending and business-friendly economic policies, the current reserve has soared to a record $3.7 billion.
Moreover, following the historic shift in control of the House from Democratic to Republican in 2017, both chambers now share a unified vision for budgeting, economic policies, and comprehensive tax reform, resulting in replenishing the trust fund alongside a reduction in state income tax, as evidenced by the recent half-percent decrease effective Jan. 1.
Conservative fiscal strategies have positioned Kentucky to prioritize investments in critical areas such as modern and traditional infrastructure, along with stabilizing teacher and state employee retirement systems.
It is imperative that these one-time funds only be allocated to corresponding expenses, rather than being diverted towards establishing new programs that could potentially burden taxpayers in the long term.
We celebrated a state success story this week of reducing tax and regulation on our signature bourbon industry. This growing industry generates $9 billion in total economic impact with Kentucky distillers paying a record $50.2 million in barrel taxes in 2023 alone.
Spirits production and consumption generates at least $348 million in local and state taxes every year and fuels our local economies.
While Kentucky currently operates state programs designed to assist residents in need, the Senate exercises caution in establishing new initiatives, mindful of the challenges confronting existing programs like Medicaid.
Rejecting the tax-and-spend policies of the past century, the Senate directs its focus toward fostering future growth, enhancing economic competitiveness, and fortifying resilience against the uncertainties of the global economy.
I am happy to share that my bill requiring Medicaid coverage for certified midwifery services, Senate Bill 89, has made considerable progress in the Senate. Last week, the bill received a favorable recommendation from the Senate Families and Children Committee and was sent to the full senate for consideration.
I will keep you all updated on what happens next.
BILLS THIS WEEK
As the 2024 Legislative Session approaches its midpoint, the Senate has approved several bills that are now advancing for consideration by the House. Here's an overview of the legislation approved by the Senate.
Education: Senate Bill (SB) 18 would enable school districts to purchase bus equipment meeting federal safety standards from various manufacturers, promoting cost savings and supplier diversity.
The bill would mandate the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) to provide standards to the Finance and Administration Cabinet for monitoring price contracts.
Charitable Contributions: SB 70 seeks to safeguard donor intent in charitable contributions by requiring organizations to honor donor-imposed restrictions unless compelled otherwise.
Donors or their representatives, upon notifying the organization of a violation, can initiate legal action seeking relief within four years. Courts may order remedies aligning with the charitable purposes expressed in the agreement.
Workforce Development: SB 127 aims to strengthen Kentucky's aviation and aerospace workforce pipeline by establishing scholarship funds and fostering collaboration between public programs and industry partners.
The bill creates the Kentucky Aerospace, Aviation, and Defense Investment Fund to address workforce demands and support collaborations, addressing a projected global need for nearly 800,000 new pilots over the next two decades.
Health Care: SB 145 seeks to allow Kentucky health facilities and Medicaid-enrolled health care providers to submit their current and prospective employees to child abuse and neglect or adult abuse background checks.
The checks would utilize the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Human Services’ existing child abuse and neglect and adult caregiver misconduct registries.
Child Welfare: SB 151 aims to incorporate new foster care supports and services for relatives and fictive caregivers to access funding support in their care for a child. The bill would allow children to suggest potential relatives or fictive kin caregivers to a district court if they are removed from their homes.
Additionally, it would set criteria for when a relative or fictive kin caregiver can apply to be certified as a child-specific foster home through the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
KEEPING UPDATED
Please check out the KYSenateRepublicans.com website to find press releases from the Senate Majority Caucus. Information on our members, myself included, can be found there and other helpful information.
You can find the status of legislation by calling 866-840-2835 or receiving legislative meeting information at 800-633-9650. You can also watch and follow legislative activity at KET/org/legislature and Legislature.ky.gov.
Thank you for your continued interest and engagement in the 2024 Regular Session, and it is a privilege to represent you in Frankfort.
Please don’t hesitate to contact my office if I can assist you. You can email me at shelley.funkefrommeyer@lrc.ky.gov or reach my office toll-free at 1-800-372-7181.
Senator Shelley Funke Frommeyer, R-Alexandria, represents the 24th Senate District, including Bracken, Campbell, and Pendleton Counties and part of Kenton County. She is a member of the Senate Appropriations and Revenue; Economic Development, Tourism and Labor; Education; and Health Services committees. Frommeyer is also a Capital Projects and Bond Oversight Committee member. Additionally, she is a Co-Chair Budget Review Subcommittee on Justice & Judiciary.