An estimated 21% of all adults (45 million people) smoke cigarettes in the United States. Secondhand smoke, also known as environmental tobacco smoke, is a complex mixture of gases and particles that include smoke from the burning cigarette, cigar, or pipe tip (sidestream smoke), and exhaled mainstream smoke.

Agriculture Commissioner James Comer credited industrial hemp supporters for encouraging lawmakers and Governor Steve Beshear to approve historic legislation that will help restore hemp production to Kentucky.

Governor Beshear said he will take no action on Senate Bill 50, allowing it to become law.

Continuing his efforts to help combat Kentucky’s prescription drug abuse epidemic, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell sent a letter to FDA Commissioner Margaret A. Hamburg, M.D., asking her to work to prevent the influx of generic opiates from coming to market that fail to incorporate technologies to reduce the likelihoods of misuse and abuse. In the letter sent today, McConnell wrote, “As I travel throughout Kentucky and meet with constituents, I continue to hear concerns about prescription drug abuse. Foremost in the minds of many of my constituents remains the FDA’s approval of generic versions of extended-release opiates without requiring technologies that reduce the likelihood of misuse and abuse.”

Pendleton County Fiscal Court meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m., April 9, 2013.

Tentative agenda will go as follows: Call to order, prayer, pledge, approval of agenda, approval of minutes, approval of treasure's report, acknowledge Adam Bradbury as NK firefighter of the year, jailer recognition and thanks to legislature, dispatcher recognition week, County Road Aid Contract/Resolution, Justice Center Janitorial Contract renewal, Justice Center Lawn Care Contract, first reading of Flood Plain Insurance Ordinance, USGS Flood Inundation Map Contract, Budget meeting date, Catawba Bridge update, transfers, pay bills, closing remarks by Judge Bertram/magistrate and adjourn.

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By Janet Patton, Lexington Herald-Leader

Legislators reached a last-hour deal last Tuesday to pass a bill to license Kentucky farmers to grow hemp.

The deal between House Democrats and Sen. Paul Hornback, R-Shelbyville, will allow hemp licensing by the Kentucky Industrial Hemp Commission under the control of the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.

Who would do the licensing had been a big snag for House Democrats, who apparently buckled under public pressure.

Agriculture Commissioner James Comer said the bill will leave the hemp commission with the Kentucky Department of Agriculture. The research functions will be performed by the University of Kentucky.

The House voted 88-4 and sent the bill back to the Senate where it passed 35-1.

Agriculture Commissioner James Comer plans to lead a delegation to Washington within a month to seek an exemption for Kentucky producers to grow industrial hemp.

“I will work closely with Senators Rand Paul and Mitch McConnell and Representatives John Yarmuth and Thomas Massie to put Kentucky first in line if and when the federal government allows industrial hemp production,” Commissioner Comer said hours after the Kentucky General Assembly passed Senate Bill 50, state Sen. Paul Hornback’s bill to establish an administrative framework for hemp production in Kentucky. “We are closer to our goal of bringing hemp back to Kentucky than we have been in more than 60 years, and our work continues.”

Agreement fully funds, stabilizes pension system with revenue neutral plan

After weeks of bipartisan negotiation led by Governor Steve Beshear, the General Assembly passed bills stabilizing and modernizing the state’s pension system. The legislative package creates funding to pay the state’s full recommended annual pension contribution without threatening key state services like education and public safety.

The companion bills, House Bill 440 and Senate Bill 2, passed both chambers this evening, eliminating the need for a special session on pension reform.

“The looming pension liability threatened to gut funding for education and all other priorities. It demanded our immediate and bipartisan cooperation,” said Gov. Beshear. “No matter our political philosophies, none of us were willing to put our kids at risk of a stripped-down education. We all agreed we could not simply change our pension plan without paying for it. I’m proud of the bipartisan work that has been done in Frankfort to find a reasonable, practical solution to the pension challenge.”

The 2013 General Assembly session has now thankfully ended.  The most important piece of legislation that passed was Senate Bill 2, the public employee pension reform bill.

The public employee pension system is more than $30 billion in the red. Experts predicted it would run out of cash in five years with the commonwealth forced to go to a “pay as you go” system on pension benefits. The Senate has been ringing the alarm on this issue for several years now and I was very pleased that a bipartisan solution was finally agreed upon. Senate Bill 2 will establish a new-style retirement plan for those entering the system next year and require pre-funding of any future cost-of-living adjustments for retirees. Under the bill, pension benefits for new hires would be calculated in a hybrid ‘shared-risk’ plan similar to a 401(k) that will guarantee a 4% annual return on investment. Further, legislators and judges would be treated the same as regular state employees. The General Assembly is required to fund 100% of the actuarially required contribution (ARC). The new cash-balance plan is more predictable and sustainable than the current defined benefit plan without carrying as much risk for employees as a traditional 401(k). Besides saving the state $10 billion over 20 years, SB2 protects the retirement of current employees and retirees as well as the tax-payers’ financial exposure.  The bill will have no effect on teachers’ retirement, nor will it apply to current employees and retirees except to stabilize their current plan.

For the better part of the past year, there was no doubt what the biggest issue of the 2013 Regular Session would be: Stabilizing our public retirement systems for state and local government employees and their retirees.

Initially, it seemed as if the House and Senate would not be able to find common ground as both sides took different approaches to solve the problem.  With the help of Governor Beshear, however, leaders from both chambers were able to sit down and find a way that most members could support.

The final product is actually two different laws.  The first provides funding to pay down the sizeable liability, with the money coming from several different sources; individual taxpayers should notice little change, though.  At the same time, this revenue plan puts in place a new tax cut for those who trade in their vehicle for a new one.  Before, these buyers had to pay sales tax on the full cost of the vehicle, but now they will have to pay it only on what they owe, saving them potentially hundreds of dollars.  This should help spur more sales of cars and trucks when it is formally put in place.

By the time you read this, the General Assembly will likely have completed its work during this year’s legislative session.

Although the calendar calls for these last two working days to be dedicated only to possible overrides of any vetoes from Gov. Beshear, the House and Senate are also expected to use this time to finalize work on several other bills.  That includes financially stabilizing our public pension systems for state and local government employees and retirees; making it easier to vote for military personnel stationed outside of the country; and ensuring that farmers are ready if the federal government either grants a waiver to grow industrial hemp or legalizes it entirely.  I was proud last week to represent the Kentucky House of Representatives on the Kentucky Hemp Commission at its regular meeting.