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Governor Steve Beshear's Communications Office
Gov. Beshear issues call for Special Session to end budget stalemate
Session to include budget, unemployment insurance and alcohol sampling issues
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Governor Steve Beshear today issued a proclamation calling for a special session to begin Monday, May 24, 2010.
“The compromise proposal I put forward offers a path forward to a budget agreement, and an end to this dangerous stalemate,” Gov. Beshear said. “I am pleased that there seems to be legislative support in both houses to enact a biennial budget next week.”
The Kentucky General Assembly ended the 2010 regular session without agreement, threatening critical state services with a partial shutdown of state government, and jeopardizing significant debt service and other savings counted on by the budget.
The budget items included on the call for the Special Session are:
- Legislation relating to the 2010-2012 Executive Branch budget and the Transportation Cabinet budget, including the revenue measures necessary to support them; and
- Legislation to adopt the Biennial Highway Construction Plan and the Six-Year-Road Plan.
Additional items included on the call:
- Legislation relating to the state’s unemployment insurance system, reflecting the compromise agreed upon by a broad-based task force including business groups, labor representatives, and executive and legislative branch representatives; and
- Legislation for the expansion of alcohol sampling licenses to support the tourism and convention industries.
“The House and Senate appear to be in agreement on these two items, and that agreement was critical to my inclusion of them on the call,” said Gov. Beshear. “In addition, they will both have a permanent and positive economic impact on our state – a resolution to our unemployment insurance fund situation has been welcomed and encouraged by both our business and employee communities, and the sampling legislation will greatly benefit our tourism industry.”
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Download a copy of Governor Beshear's proclamation calling the Special Session (PDF)
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