By Bailey Ludlam

FRANKFORT, Kentucky: Speaker of the House Greg Stumbo (R) filed a redistricting bill on February 19. The piece of legislation itself has no specific redistricting plans attached to it, but would allow for lawmakers to add a finalized plan later in the session.^[1]

Redistricting is a major issue in northern Kentucky, where a population growth of 38 percent in the last decade necessitates more representation. Boone County’s current Representative Sal Santoro (R) represents nearly 65,000 people, around 50 percent more than the state law-mandated size of 43,000.^[1]

Following the state Supreme Court’s rejection of the legislative maps in 2012, the Legislature was required to pass new maps prior to the 2014 elections. On February 10, the Kentucky State Legislature approved a congressional redistricting compromise. The plan passed 29-7 in the Senate and 58-26 in the House. Governor Steve Beshear (D) signed the plan on the same day. These events came just one day after a lawsuit was filed asking the courts to take over the congressional redistricting process.^[2]

January 30, 2013

By George Sousouris

Lexington, KENTUCKY: To the delight of many local officials across the state, Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear has endorsed an amendment to the state constitution that would allow the creation of local-option sales taxes, something municipalities have been clamoring for as a way to fund city and county projects. Of the proposal, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said, “With all the needs we have with our roads and sidewalks and infrastructure, that could take care of it pretty quickly because our general fund cannot…So the governor’s voice in this effort is really big.”^[1][2]

The bill, which has been filed by Sen. Kathy Stein (D), would need to be approved by a 3/5ths majority in the House and Semate, and then would be voted on by the people in 2014, the next regularly scheduled general election.^[1]

January 14, 2013

By George Sousouris

Lexington, KENTUCKY: The Kentucky State Legislature convened briefly last week and started off the 2013 session by reelecting Rep. Greg Stumbo (D) Speaker of the House, and electing a new Senate President in Republican Robert Stivers.^[1]

This session will only last for 30 days, but undoubtedly pension reform will be brought up as one of the highest legislative priorities. At a major event held by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce marking the start of the legislative year, Rep. Jeff Hoover (R) stated that restructuring the pension system should be the legislature’s number one priority, a sentiment echoed by the Chamber.^[2]

By Ballotpedia’s Congressional team

MADISON, Wisconsin: Kentucky had six U.S. House seats on the ballot in 2012. There were five incumbents who sought re-election on November 6, 2012. Of those five, four won re-election. In the 6th district, Democratic incumbent Ben Chandler was defeated by Republican nominee Andy Barr leading to Republicans controlling five of the six districts in the state. The incumbent from the 4th district did not run for re-election.

Here are the candidates who won election in Kentucky.

District	General Election Candidates	Incumbent	2012 Winner	Partisan Switch?
1st	Charles Kendall Hatchett  Ed Whitfield	Ed Whitfield	Ed Whitfield	No
2nd	David Lynn Williams  Brett Guthrie  Craig Astor  Andrew R. Beacham	Brett Guthrie	Brett Guthrie	No
3rd	John Yarmuth  Brooks Wicker  Robert DeVore Jr.	John Yarmuth	John Yarmuth	No
4th	Bill Adkins  Thomas Massie  David Lewis	Geoff Davis	Thomas Massie	No
5th	Kenneth Stepp  Hal Rogers	Hal Rogers	Hal Rogers	No
6th	Ben Chandler  Andy Barr  Randolph Vance	Ben Chandler	Andy Barr	Yes

National picture

Both chambers of the United States Congress remain split after the November 6, 2012 election. Democrats increased their majority in the U.S. Senate while cutting into the Republicans majority in theU.S. House. Of the 435 candidates who won election to the U.S. House, 85 of them were challengers, which represents 19.5 percent of U.S. House members. Of those 85, 50 are Democratic and 35 are Republican. A total of 27 incumbents were defeated — 10 Democratic and 17 Republican.

November 27, 2012

By George Sousouris

Lexington, KENTUCKY: A legislative task force assigned with making recommendations concerning the state’s public pension system has made some harsh suggestions, including removing cost of living increases for retirees. The legislature must also pay more into the system in coming years and trim benefits if it is to solve a looming gap in the Kentucky Retirement System, according to the the Kentucky Public Pensions Task Force. While the General Assembly is not yet in session, this panel voted on a package of reforms that will be introduced as bills when legislators resume work in 2013.^[1]

The unfunded liability now exceeds $30 billion, and the panel argued that the state must begin offering new government hires 401(k)-style packages, rather than traditional pension plans, if it is to make the system sustainable.^[2]

A member of the panel, Senator Dorsey Ridley (D), stressed the importance of making reforms, and said “This issue is Kentucky’s fiscal cliff. I think we’ve made a bold statement to address this issue, and I really think it’s time we move forward so that we can assure current retirees we won’t have some future date out there where we have to tell them we have to cut your pensions to make ends meet.”^[2]

October 15, 2012

Edited by Greg Janetka
This week’s tracker features a look at pre-filed bills in Alabama and Kentucky that could become major issues in 2013.

Weekly highlight

Alabama recalls

While the majority of state legislative recall efforts around the country have failed, most recently the ones targeting four Louisiana representatives, oneAlabama state senator is trying to give citizens in his state to power to recall elected state officials.

Senate Minority Leader Roger Bedford (D) pre-filed a bill that would make Alabama the 20th state with recall laws. Under his bill, officials would be eligible to be recalled after a year in office due to malfeasance or nonfeasance, lack of physical or mental fitness, incompetence or violation of an oath of office. A recall petition would have to be filed with the Secretary of State and, within 90 days, organizers would have to collect signatures equal to at least 25% of the vote cast for the office in the last election.^[1]

Current Alabama law only allows for the recall of municipal commissioners and mayors.

Kentucky pensions

Like many other states, Kentucky is facing large projected shortfalls when it comes to funding pensions. Democratic state Rep. Steve Riggs has introduced a bill that, he says, wouldn’t solve the problem but would be a step in the right direction.

In a press release on October 8, he stated, “This bill will not solve the sizable pension liability Kentucky is now facing, but I think it is a symbolic gesture that is far more reasonable for my legislative colleagues and me and far more sustainable than our current system.”^[2]

Currently, legislative pensions in Kentucky are equal to 2.75% to 5% of the salary multiplied by the number of years served, while regular state pensions equal 1.1% to 2.5% of salary multiplied by years served. Starting in 2005, retiring legislators holding full-time jobs with the state could base their legislative pension on this higher salary, rather than their actual legislative salary.^[3]

Under Riggs’ bill, lawmakers would be prevented from increasing benefits with other jobs after they leave the General Assembly. Additionally, it would create a 401(k)-style pension plan for new legislators and alter the pensions of lawmakers retiring after the bill takes effect, basing benefits on their five highest paid years rather than three.^[2]

Meanwhile, a group of Republican candidates and an independent candidate recently called for an end to state legislative pensions altogether. They have backed state Rep. David Floyd‘s (R) pre-filed bills which would do just that.^[4]

October 15, 2012

By George Sousouris

Lexington, KENTUCKY: An influx of outside money and some increasingly harsh mudslinging have intensified the race in Kentucky’s sixth congressional district. Campaign finance reports for third quarter fundraising have shown that incumbent Ben Chandler (D) only raised $500,000 to Andy Barr‘s (R) nearly $800,000. This race is a rematch from 2010 in wich Barr lost by a slim 648 vote margin, and he aims to flip the result this time around.^[1]

Groups like the National Republican Congressional Committee and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee have spent more than $1 million on the race, and the latest round of ads against Barr have alledged that has lied about criminal activity in the past, including a dispute regarding a fake driver’s license. The NRCC has bought $616,982 through November 6, while the DCCC $265,012 through October 29.^[2]

September 26, 2012

By George Sousouris

Lexington, KENTUCKY: An outdated tax code rife with exemptions is undermining Kentucky’s long term fiscal health, according to a new study conducted by Governor Steve Beshear‘s (D) so-called Blue Ribbon Commission on Tax Reform. The report, published by economists at the University of Kentucky and the University of Tennessee, forecasts a billion dollar annual deficit by 2020 if the state refuses to make necessary changes.^[1]

The commission looked closely at the state’s hundreds of tax exemptions, which in totality, create a major revenue problem, as well as an inequitable tax distribution. William Fox, one of the report’s authors, argued that the state needs to broaden the base of taxpayers, which will in turn allow for lower overall rates that will improve Kentucky’s economic competitiveness releative to neighboring states. One of the more controversial measured proposed by the group is a large expansion of the sales tax to include many more services, as well as food. However, the authors also propose an across the board income tax cut or flat tax while also removing all or most of the tax deductions in the code.^[2][1]

The prospect of a major overhaul of the tax code has already got many trade groups on edge and prepared to fight to keep their exemptions. During preliminary hearings in the legislature this summer, farmers, realtors, manufacturers and restaurant owners lined up their lobbyists in Frankfort arguing that the tax breaks were necessary to their respective industries’ future. Democrat Rick Rand acknowledged how difficult this task will be, saying “I doubt you can close them without lowering rates substantially or maybe going in and lowering income tax rates…Organizations or interest groups had the muscle to get those exemptions in the first place, so any of them would be difficult to close.”^[2]

September 5, 2012

By George Sousouris

Lexington, KENTUCKY: A report released by Barron’s, a national financial magazine, ranked Kentucky 47th in the U.S. in terms of overall fiscal health. The state ranks above only Hawaii, Illinois, and Connecticut, and remained a far cry from top states like South Dakota, Iowa, and Tennessee.^[1]

Reasons for the low rankings are varied, but in the case of Kentucky, it is primarily due to growing unfunded liabilities in the state’s pension plan. Other important metrics used in creating the list were debt to GDP ratio and bond ratings, and here too, Kentucky did not fare so well. With a debt to GDP ratio of 5.4%, the state ranked higher than all but four other states. According to the magazine’s calculations, the total unfunded pension liability of the states stands at $401 billion, of which $30 billion belongs to Kentucky.^[2]

President of the Senate David Williams (R) blamed the poor economy, stating “Our gross domestic product is not growing. The per capita income in our state is a lot lower than surrounding states.” Unsurprisingly, he also attempted to blame Democrats, who currently control the House and the Governor’s mansion, for their debt restructuring efforts in recent years.

August 30, 2012

By Johanna Herman

Lexington, KENTUCKY: Due to the resignation of U.S. Representative Geoff Davis, a special election for a new member has been set for November 6. The Governor, Steve Beshear chose to schedule the special election on the same date as the general election. Since there is not an additional election date, the district is able to save $500,000 in election costs, since there are other candidate on the ballot they will not incur the entire cost of the election. An election could have been held sooner to fill the vacant position, but the district now has to wait longer for a new representative. The candidates who are scheduled to run in the election are republican Thomas Massie and democrat Bill Adkins.^[1]