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SubscribeMetro Council President David Yates (D-25) has announced the Chairs and Vice Chairs of the Metro Council’s Standing Committees for 2017.
Several of the Metro Council’s nine Standing Committees will be merged to efficiently address the priorities and needs for Metro Government.
“I believe it is important for the Council to continue to be a diligent, deliberative, legislative body. As we begin a new year it is important that our committees are focused on the needs of the people of Metro Louisville,” said Yates. “These changes will provide our members more time to focus their attention on addressing the major issues of our community. I sincerely thank my colleagues who have agreed to lead our committees as Chairs and Vice -Chairs.”
Among the changes:
Community Affairs & Housing has been merged with Health & Education
Contracts and Appointments has been merged
Sustainability & Parks has been merged with Public Works & Transportation
Government Accountability & Ethics has been merged with Intergovernmental Affairs
President Yates will chair two committees: the Committee on Committees and the Committee of the Whole. The President of the Metro Council is also an ex officio member of all other committees.
Chairs and Vice-Chairs for Metro Council Committees in 2016
Committee on Committees:David
- David Yates (D-25) Chair
- Bill Hollander (D-9) Vice Chair
Committee of the Whole
- David Yates (D-25) Chair
- Bill Hollander (D-9) Vice Chair
Appropriations NDF’s and CIF’s:
- Rick Blackwell (D-12) Chair
- Angela Leet (R-7) Vice Chair
Budget:
- Marianne Butler (D-15) Chair
- Kevin Kramer (R- 11) Vice Chair
Contracts & Appointments
- Mary C. Woolridge (D-3) Chair
- Marilyn Parker (R-18) Vice Chair
Community Affairs, Housing, Health & Education
- Barbara Shanklin (D-2) Chair
- Dan Johnson (D-21) Vice – Chair
Government Accountability, Ethics and Intergovernmental Affairs:
- Pat Mulvihill (D-10) Chair
- Julie Denton (R-19) Vice – Chair
Labor and Economic Development:
- Cheri Bryant-Hamilton (D-5) Chair
- Stuart Benson (R-20) Vice Chair
Planning, Zoning, Land Design, and Development:
- Madonna Flood (D-24) Chair
- Glen Stuckel (R-17) Vice Chair
Public Safety:
- David James (D-6) Chair
- James Peden (R-23) Vice Chair
Public Works, Parks, Sustainability, & Transportation:
- Cindi Fowler (D-14) Chair
- Brent Ackerson (D-26) Vice Chair
For a second time, Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes has been appointed to the executive board of the National Association of Secretaries of State. She will serve as the Southern Region vice president, a position she held in 2015. The post represents the organization’s 14 Southern states and the District of Columbia.
“I am again honored to represent the Southern states on the NASS executive board,” Grimes said. “I enjoy a great relationship with my colleagues in the South and I look forward to working with them to shine a spotlight on the initiatives our states are implementing and the issues that are important to us.”
NASS President Denise Merrill, the secretary of state of Connecticut, installed Grimes after Natalie Tennant resigned the post when her term as West Virginia’s secretary of state ended.
“It has been a pleasure to get to know and work with Secretary Grimes as fellow secretaries of state,” said Merrill. “We are very pleased she has agreed to join the NASS board and help us promote the important work and interests of our members. Secretary Grimes is known as an innovator, a coalition-builder, and a hard worker, and I know she will again be a wonderful representative for all of our Southern state offices.”
As Southern Region vice president, Grimes will represent Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia on the NASS executive board.
Founded in 1904, NASS is the oldest nonpartisan professional organization of public officials in the U.S. Membership is open to the 50 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. territories. NASS serves as a medium for the exchange of information between states and fosters cooperation in the development of public policy. The association has key initiatives in the areas of elections and voting, state business services, international relations and state securities regulation, as well as several well-established awards programs.
The U.S. Senate has confirmed President Obama’s nomination of Chief Justice of Kentucky John D. Minton Jr. to the State Justice Institute’s board of directors. The president nominated Chief Justice Minton in July and the Senate confirmed the nomination Dec. 10. His term on the board is through Sept. 17, 2019.
“I congratulate Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John Minton on his confirmation to serve on the State Justice Institute Board of Directors,” said U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky. “Chief Justice Minton has served with distinction in Kentucky’s judiciary for over two decades, and I can think of no better candidate to help improve the quality of state courts nationwide. As president of the Conference of Chief Justices, he has earned the respect of his colleagues to spearhead innovation and best practices across the country. I believe that Chief Justice Minton will be an asset to SJI and continue to make Kentucky proud.”
Chief Justice Minton said he appreciates the Senate’s confirmation. “I’m eager to begin working with my fellow board members to award grants that benefit state courts,” he said. “SJI grants make it possible for many state court systems to engage in programs they might not otherwise be able to afford. With the SJI’s assistance, state courts have been able to educate judges about domestic abuse, address human trafficking, implement juvenile justice reforms and much more.”
See SJI’s confirmation announcement about Chief Justice Minton.
The Supreme Court of Kentucky hosted the SJI Board of Directors when it met in April 2016 to select grant recipients.
SJI is a federal non-profit corporation that awards grants to improve the quality of justice in state courts and foster innovative, efficient solutions to common issues faced by all courts. Some areas SJI is currently focusing on with grants are language access in state courts, technology, self-represented litigants and juvenile justice. SJI is governed by an 11-member board of directors appointed by the president and confirmed by the U.S. Senate. The SJI board is comprised of six state court judges, one state court administrator and four members of the public (must be two from each major political party).
Gov. Matt Bevin has signed into law seven historic bills sent to his desk by the Kentucky General Assembly, following a record-setting first week of work in Frankfort.
The legislation includes transformative measures protecting the lives of unborn children, positioning the Commonwealth for economic growth, strengthening the University of Louisville’s governing structure and establishing a new era of transparency for public servants.
“This is truly a new day in Kentucky, as our General Assembly has worked in an unprecedented manner to advance the people’s business,” said Gov. Bevin. “It is an honor for me to sign into law these historic pieces of legislation that protect our most vulnerable, guarantee important freedoms for workers and set our Commonwealth on a course for unparalleled opportunity and prosperity.”
Pro-life legislation includes Senate Bill 5 (protecting children after 20 weeks of gestation) and House Bill 2 (requiring an ultrasound before a pregnancy is terminated).
Pro-business measures include House Bill 1 (providing right-to-work guarantees to all Kentucky workers), Senate Bill 6 (paycheck protection for employees of labor organizations) and House Bill 3 (repealing prevailing wage requirements for public works projects).
Senate Bill 12 authorizes a fresh start for the University of Louisville board of trustees, and Senate Bill 3 opens state legislator pensions to public scrutiny for the first time.
All of these laws contain emergency clauses and thus, take effect immediately.
Important Notice: Please be advised that House Bill 2, the Ultrasound Informed Consent Act, as passed by the Kentucky General Assembly, was signed by Governor Matt Bevin and became effective on Monday, January 9, 2017. This bill requires a signed form before a patient can have an abortion.
The link to the form is here: http://chfs.ky.gov/NR/rdonlyres/246DB74A-7FAA-4C73-A971-BC2EA7C8FA4A/0/HB2form.pdf.
For more information on House Bill 2 use this link: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/17RS/HB2.htm
Gov. Matt Bevin’s Communications Office announced the launch of a new interactive website—www.BevinAnnualReport.com—highlighting the accomplishments of the Bevin Administration’s first year in office.
“We are excited to unveil this innovative look back at a hugely transformative year in the Commonwealth,” said Communications Director Amanda Stamper. “We invite you to take a moment to browse the site and read about the great accomplishments that have helped make Kentucky shine during Gov. Bevin’s first year in office.”
The site, titled “A Fresh Start,” recaps the Bevin Administration’s numerous achievements of 2016, grouped into six primary priorities:
- Strengthening Kentucky’s Financial Foundation,
- Growing Our Economy,
- Creating a Healthier Kentucky,
- Protecting Our Communities,
- Investing in Education and Workforce Development, and
- Serving Those Who Serve Us
The report includes statistics and details about key programs and projects, a comprehensive photo gallery, and a seven-minute year in review highlight video.
Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes is calling on fellow elected officials, beginning with Kentucky constitutional officers and members of the General Assembly, to help restore trust in public institutions after a recent report on Kentucky’s civic health shows trust in media in the Commonwealth at an all-time low.
Grimes, the Commonwealth’s chief advocate for civic engagement, released the 2016 Kentucky Civic Health Index on Wednesday. The Index, which is available on the Secretary’s website at www.sos.ky.gov, measures the state of engagement and civic literacy in the Commonwealth.
“The foundation of our democracy and our nation depends on trust in our institutions and in each other,” Grimes said. “This new report shows an alarming years-long decline in Kentuckians’ confidence in news and media, and that corrosive distrust is perpetuated by the unadulterated peddling of fake information. Today, I am asking my fellow constitutional officers and members of the General Assembly to sign a pledge to refuse to traffic in fake and fact-less information, and to help restore their constituents’ trust in our public institutions and each other.”
The Index shows the Commonwealth improved in national rankings in social connectedness, community engagement and voter registration since Grimes released the first report in 2012. More Kentuckians are volunteering, making charitable contributions, and registering to vote. However, troubling findings revealed that fewer than half of Kentuckians have confidence in media, a decline of more than 10 percent in three years, and fewer Kentuckians are trusting of their neighbors. Overall, Kentucky ranks 48th in the nation, ahead of only New Mexico (49th), Montana (50th) and Utah (51st), for public confidence in media.
The pledge may be signed on the Secretary’s website, www.sos.ky.gov. All elected officials joining the effort will be publicly listed.
Grimes presented the first-ever Civic Health Index shortly after taking office in 2012. She then undertook an extensive effort to offset what the report showed as declining civic health by launching a 15-stop, statewide roundtable tour to discuss the finding and work toward solutions with Kentuckians.
“While we have made progress over the years, our work to ensure more citizens are active in their neighborhoods, communities, and the Commonwealth is not yet finished,” said Grimes. “I hope all Kentuckians will join me to help to restore trust in our public institutions, to get engaged in civic matters, and to usher in a new era of connectedness.”
Partners on the 2016 Kentucky Civic Health Index are the Secretary of State’s office, the Institute for Citizenship and Social Responsibility at Western Kentucky University, the National Conference on Citizenship, and the McConnell Center at the University of Louisville.
Kentuckians from across the Commonwealth gathered at the State Capitol today to observe Kentucky’s eight Presidential Electors cast their ballots for President and Vice President of the United States.
“The meeting of the electors is a special opportunity to see our democracy in action,” said Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes. “It’s wonderful to have so many people come together to witness our electors cast their votes on behalf of all Kentuckians.”
Pursuant to the United States Constitution, the President and Vice President are elected by the Electoral College, which is comprised of electors from each state. The number of electors allocated to each state is equal to the number of Senators and Representatives the state has in Congress.
Because Republicans Donald Trump and Mike Pence won Kentucky’s popular vote, Kentucky’s electors are those nominated by the Republican Party:
- Robert M. Duncan – State-at-Large
- Jim Skaggs – State-at-Large
- Dr. Michael Carter – 1st Congressional District
- Scott J. Lasley – 2nd Congressional District
- Walter S. Reichert, Sr. – 3rd Congressional District
- Troy M. Sheldon – 4th Congressional District
- Mary D. Singleton – 5th Congressional District
- Dave Disponett – 6th Congressional District
Throughout the United States, each state’s electors meet on the same day in their respective state capitals to cast their electoral votes. Kentucky is one of 21 states in which the electors are not required to vote for the candidate who won the popular vote. Nonetheless, Trump and Pence received all eight of Kentucky’s electors’ votes for President and Vice President, respectively.
The meeting was held in the Supreme Court’s chambers in the State Capitol in Frankfort. In addition to Grimes, Chief Justice John Minton administered the oath to electors and historian Ron Bryant gave a historical overview of the electoral college. The ceremony also featured performances of The Star-Spangled Banner and My Old Kentucky Home by students from Westridge Elementary in Frankfort and the Pledge of Allegiance from students from J. Graham Brown School in Louisville.
The electors’ votes will be transmitted to the President of the U.S. Senate, who on January 6, 2017, will open and read before both houses of Congress the electoral votes from each state. The candidates with the most electoral votes will be declared the next President and Vice President of the United States.
