Tagged: 2013 General Assembly

Kentucky's legislative leaders have hope they can finish redistricting before the current session ends later this month.

New legislative districts were drafted and passed last year to reflect the 2010 Census. A judge threw them out, however, saying lawmakers did not properly divide up the state.

The House has already passed a new map of its districts, but the Senate has shown no interest in it.

Speaker Greg Stumbo says he wants the map approved so House lawmakers can know their new districts and make decisions on whether to run for re-election.

With time running short, several key bills, including one to increase Kentucky's high school dropout age to 18, still were pending in the Legislature heading into the weekend.

The odds grow longer with each passing day as lawmakers and the Governor negotiate.

Gov. Steve Beshear told reporters Friday that he hopes compromise legislation on the dropout bill will become law in time.

He said a bipartisan proposal is being crafted that would allow school boards to vote on increasing the age in their districts. After 55 percent of school districts raise the age, the remaining districts will have to follow suit during the next four years.

Gov. Steve Beshear has concluded a meeting with a bipartisan group of legislative leaders without breaking an impasse on pension reform legislation.

The Democratic-controlled House and Republican-led Senate have been at loggerheads on how to shore up the financially troubled pension plans for state and local government retirees.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo called the Friday morning meeting a first step. He's said everyone involved wants to resolve the issue now to avoid the cost of a special legislative session later.

Among the major sticking points: A Senate proposal to create a 401(k)-like retirement plan for new employees and a House proposal to use money from the lottery and horse tracks to boost the state's yearly pension contribution.