Governor wants House to suspend rules

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March 25, 2009

By RONNIE ELLIS The Glasgow Daily Times Wed Mar 25, 2009, 01:38 PM CDT

Gov. Steve Beshear said Tuesday he’s asked leaders of the state House of Representatives to suspend their rules to consider “three or four key pieces of legislation” when they return to town Thursday to consider any Beshear vetoes.

“I have asked them to suspend their rules,” Beshear said Tuesday when asked about the House leadership’s decision not to take up any more legislation unless the members ask them to suspend rules that say it’s too late to take up legislation.

On Monday, Senate leaders expressed surprise and some disappointment that House leaders indicated a new rule to prevent last- minute passage of bills would likely be enforced. Later, House Speaker Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, said rank-and-file members had expressed appreciation for their leaders sticking to rules passed earlier in the session.

But he said Democrats will caucus first thing Thursday and could change their minds. He said he’s fine with suspending the rules but will follow the members’ wishes.

Beshear said “a lot of work has been done” on the remaining key bills and “there’s widespread support for them and it would take only a few hours to get them passed and get them on my desk.”

Among the bills which Senate leaders and the governor had expected to take up in the final two days (Thursday and Friday) of the session were the governor’s bill to revise the state’s economic development incentives, a budget clean-up bill, a bill to set up funding authority for transportation mega-projects like bridges over the Ohio River and campaign finance reporting changes.

The economic development bill, Beshear said, would have an immediate economic impact on the state and create jobs. It also contains incentives to lure a NASCAR Sprint Cup race to the Kentucky Speedway which will have “$150 million to $200 million economic impact” each year.

Stumbo issued a statement through his press spokesman in response to Beshear’s comments.

“We in the House are committed to doing whatever it takes to bring a NASCAR race to Kentucky. NASCAR will find Kentucky is a great place to do business. However, we do have concerns from published reports that indicate such a race may not be allowed until pending litigation involving Kentucky Speedway interests and NASCAR is resolved,” Stumbo said in the statement.

Regarding whether the House should suspend its rules to consider the bills, Stumbo said, “As I said on Monday, any action we take during these veto days will be entirely up to our caucus.”

RONNIE ELLIS writes for CNHI News Service and is based in Frankfort. Reach him at rellis@cnhi.com.

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