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Senator Max Wise's Legislative Update - Fri 26 Jan 2018 Senator Wise reports on past week of Regular Session of General Assembly  . Foremost has been concern for tragedy in Marshall County, KY.
Also notes on pressures on independent rural pharmacies. Changes in requirements for licensed electricians and qualifications discussed below. Personal political commentary/opinions of the writer By State Senator Max Wise, (R-Campbellsville) 16th District: Adair, Clinton, Cumberland, McCreary, Russell, Taylor, and Wayne Counties Words cannot begin to express the shock and sadness felt throughout the Commonwealth and around the country on Tuesday when an active shooter opened fire at Marshall County High School in Benton, Kentucky, taking two innocent students' lives and injuring 18 others. It was a senseless act of violence committed by another student that we cannot even begin to understand. We can only pray that this act somehow strengthens the Marshall County community and the state of Kentucky as a whole. I offer my sincerest condolences to all the friends, families, teachers, and students of Marshall County in this most difficult time. Marsy's Law This week marked the first bill to be passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Senate Bill 3, also known as Marsy's Law, was passed by the full House on January 24. The bill, which establishes more protections in the judicial system for victims of crimes, is a constitutional amendment that will be placed on November's ballot for voters to approve. Through this bill's legislative journey, members of the Senate and the House heard compelling testimony from advocates and lawmakers alike on the need for this law, and I was proud to vote for it in the Senate. When Marsy's Law appears on your ballot in November, I encourage you to support the measure. Discussion of Pharmacy Benefit Managers effect on Rural Pharmacies We had a discussion in committee about Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), basically an extension of the Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) which have transformed healthcare in Kentucky for the worse. Local Medicaid pharmacists are being denied payments by these PBMs and MCOs at the same time that they are posting record profits. There is zero transparency and accountability for these conglomerates, and rural medicine is paying the cost, literally and figuratively. Testimony in committee shared that PBMs have been strategically denying payment to local pharmacies, which creates extreme financial insecurity. Meanwhile, they simultaneously send out letters offering to buy out local pharmacies to alleviate a financial burden that they caused in the first place. Those letters, by the way, are paid for with taxpayer dollars. They are robbing communities of money by squeezing out local pharmacies and using taxpayer money to do it. Senate Bill 5, which I proudly sponsor, will move pharmacy reimbursements away from PBMs and back under the umbrella of Medicaid Services. This will give us the transparency and accountability we currently lack. I support any legislation that holds the hulking PBMs and MCOs accountable for what they are doing to good people in our state. The Senate Standing Committee on Judiciary also heard one of my bills, SB 57. This piece of legislation allows a person injured by an act of terrorism to file a claim for damages against the terrorist. It also establishes a crime of terrorism as a capital offense that will be punished by imprisonment for life without probation or parole and that a person convicted of terrorism cannot be released early. I am proud to sponsor this bill, which puts in place protections for Kentuckians if there is every a terror attack on our Commonwealth's soil. The bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee and is headed to the full Senate for a vote. The Senate passed a number of bills from the floor this week including Senate Bill (SB) 71. This bill allows health educators to teach abstinence as the best method to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. Opposition to the measure tried to paint this bill as preventing other sex education from being taught, which is simply untrue. Abstinence will be taught alongside other methods of STD and pregnancy prevention, and SB 71 will not inhibit the freedom of educators to teach these other methods. Senate Bill 78 would change requirements for licensing electricians The third piece of legislation to pass was Senate Bill 78. It would allow an applicant to sit for the electrician-licensing exam if the applicant has four years of experience or two years of experience plus an acceptable training course in electrical work. Under the current law, the qualifications to sit for the exam are greater. The second clause in SB 78 would also create a nonrenewable provisional license for an applicant with a minimum of six years of experience in the trade. The provisional license holder would then have one year to pass the exam. And a third clause would allow some electricians, whose licenses have lapsed, to retake the exam and get their licenses reinstated. Supporters of SB 78 said it would ease a shortage of licensed electricians across Kentucky. Opponents, however, said the measure amounted to lowering of standards for electricians - a move they said was a public safety risk. We also passed SB 56 which reorganizes the members of the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission to better serve its constituents without government interference. Thanks to First Responders to Marshall County tragedy As we continue to pray for Marshall County, I would also like to thank our first responders who put their lives on the line every day to ensure the public's safety. Without them, many of these tragic situations could be much worse. This week, hug your friends and family and thank a first responder. People who want to give lawmakers feedback on issues under consideration can call the Legislative Message Line at (800) 372-7181. Those who prefer to offer their feedback in Spanish can call the General Assembly's Spanish Line at (866) 840-6574. Citizens with hearing impairments can use the TTY Message Line at (800) 896-0305. If you have any questions or comments about these issues or any other public policy issue, please call the toll-free line at 1-800-372-7181 or email me at Max.Wise@LRC.ky.gov. You can also review the Legislature's work online at www.lrc.ky.gov. This story was posted on 2018-01-27 04:56:20
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New member of AC Election Commission: Vicky Pike Adair Republican party meeting cancelled, rescheduled KY House accepts Hoover's resignation from Speaker post Rep. Jody Richards retiring from House Senator Max Wise's Legislative Update - Fri 5 Jan 2018 Election 2018 - Photo additions to latest list of candidates Changing Party registration? Just 2 more days to do so Election 2018 - Several updates Christmas Day 25 Dec 2017 Election 2018: More changes in 2018 AC Candidate list Election 2018 - No AC candidate filings Wed 20 Dec 2017 View even more articles in topic Politics |
 
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