FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Kentucky lawmakers chose to keep their old rules of operation, despite calls for more transparency in the bill-passing process.
"We should not forget that we're here for only one purpose - and one purpose only - and that is to serve the public," said Sen. Reggie Thomas as he proposed operational changes.
Thomas' recommendations come from the League of Women Voters of Kentucky. A recent study from the group found that Kentucky lawmakers are increasingly using "fast-track maneuvers" that limit transparency and citizen participation.
"Simply put - Kentucky legislators have been increasingly fast-tracking bills through the legislative process in ways that leave little or no time for citizens, and sometimes legislators, to read the bills and give input to legislators before those bills are voted on and become law," said Becky Jones, the first vice president of the League of Women Voters of Kentucky, in November when presenting the report.
"What we found is that 25 years ago, less than 5% of bills that became law used one or more of these fast-track maneuvers to quickly get bills out of committee, voted on, and passed. However, our research revealed that by 2002, the percentage of fast-tracked bills began to dramatically increase," added Jones. "So much so that by 2022, 24% of bills that passed the Senate and 32% of bill that passed the House had been fast-tracked to their final vote in ways that essentially cut out public scrutiny or input."
The report points to four procedural maneuvers that undermine citizen participation, according to the League.
Those procedures are:
- Replacing bills with substitute versions on short notice with little time for review
- Holding required "readings" of bills before any committee has considered the bill, which allows fast-tracking the bill for passage with no time for public input
- Holding "floor" (full House or Senate) votes on bills the same day those bills were approved in committee
- Holding floor votes on free conference committee reports (which may contain new bill language) on the same day the reports are filed
So, the League recommended the following changes:
- Holding the three required bill “readings” on three separate days after a standing committee sends the bill to the whole House or Senate for a vote
- Making committee substitute bills available online at least one full day before the committee meeting where the substitute will be considered
- Allowing at least one full day between the last standing committee action on a bill and the House or Senate floor vote on the bill
- Allowing at least one full day between free conference committee revisions to a bill and the House or Senate floor vote on that changed bill
Thomas' pitch for the recommendations was unsuccessful on Tuesday. He was disappointed by the decision because he believes the changes would be good for democracy.
"These are just common-sense suggestions and rules that we should adopt so that we can hear from the public," Thomas told LEX 18 News.
However, Senate Republican leaders the rules are a tradition that has been used - regardless of which party has been in charge.
"The method of committee substitutes, amendments have been a tradition," said Stivers. "And whether it's a good tradition or a bad tradition, it's still a tradition."
The Kentucky House also rejected the proposed changes on Tuesday.
