Senate budget vote on tap for this week

CREDIT STU JOHNSON

Members of the Kentucky Senate are expected to vote this week on a two year budget. A vote before the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee could come as early as Tuesday. Senate consideration of pension reforms have stalled.

WEKU’S Stu Johnson asked Senate Majority Floor Leader Damon Thayer if the biennial budget document could include pension provisions. “Nothing structural, I mean, obviously the funding of pension systems, all eight of them, is including in the budget,” said Thayer

“But nothing in the reform area?” Asked Johnson.

“No the reforms are in senate bill one and senate bill 66 and they reside comfortably in their various committees right now, awaiting further action,” responded Thayer.

Longtime Senator Robin Webb of Grayson says most all of the work on a senate budget plan has been done by GOP leaders behind closed doors. She anticipates the spending plan brought before committee members this week to look much like what Governor Bevin proposed without any significant revenue generating provisions. The House approved revenue bill did include a cigarette tax and a levy on opioid distributors.