Kentucky News Now – January 24th 2014

LEGISLATIVE PENSIONS

Senate OKs change to legislative pension provision

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Senate has voted to rein in a state law that allows legislative pensions to be "supersized."

The bill cleared the Senate on a 38-0 vote Thursday. It would allow lawmakers to opt out of a provision of a 2005 law that can pad their legislative pensions by taking high-paying judicial or executive branch jobs.

Sen. Chris McDaniel says changing the provision is the "right thing" to do.

McDaniel says the bill would allow lawmakers to make a one-time, irrevocable decision to have their legislative pensions calculated solely on their legislative salaries.

That would prevent their pensions from getting a big boost when they take plum government jobs.

He says the bill could eventually save the state about $6 million.

The bill now heads to the House.

CYBERSECURITY

Ky. House panel OKs cybersecurity bill

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — A Kentucky House committee has approved a bill requiring government agencies to notify people when their personal information is stolen from government computers.

The measure also seeks to strengthen cybersecurity protections.

The legislation cleared the House State Government Committee on Thursday. It appears to be on a fast track in the House, where it has 74 co-sponsors in the 100-member chamber.

State Auditor Adam Edelen helped draft the legislation.

He says governments possess more private information about people than any other entity.

As a result, he says people have a right to be notified when personal data such as bank account and Social Security numbers and health records are lost or stolen.

Kentucky is among four states without such cybersecurity protections.

JOBLESS RATES

Jobless rate fell to 8 percent in December

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Office of Employment and Training says jobless rates for December fell to 8 percent.

The number was down from 8.2 percent in November and the same as the rate recorded for December 2012.

The state's trade, transportation and utilities sector grew by 4,200 jobs in December 2013 and the education and health services sector increased by 300. The leisure and hospitality sector gained 100 jobs as did the mining and logging sector.

Meanwhile jobs in the manufacturing sector lost 700 positions, while the government sector lost 300 jobs and the service sector lost 200.

The information sector remained flat in December.

TRANSYLVANIA PRESIDENT

Ex-secretary of state is finalist for Transy post

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — Transylvania University has chosen four finalists for the school's presidency, including former Kentucky Secretary of State Trey Grayson.

Also named as finalists Thursday are Sacred Heart University Arts and Sciences Dean Seamus Carey, University of Montevallo Senior Vice President for Administrative Affairs Michelle Johnston and American University Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations Thomas Minar.

Grayson told the Lexington Herald-Leader that Transylvania alumni contacted him last year after Owen Williams announced he would leave at the end of this school year. University faculty overwhelmingly approved a vote of no confidence in Williams' leadership last June.

Grayson has been at The Institute of Politics at Harvard University since 2011 and says he has begun to realize that higher education is a passion for him.

The finalists will visit campus starting Sunday.

KENTUCKY SENATE

Bevin goes on attack with anti-McConnell radio ads

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Republican Matt Bevin is airing radio ads depicting Sen. Mitch McConnell as an out-of-touch Washington insider and characterizing their race as a fight for "the heart and soul" of the political process.

Bevin tries to capitalize on his outsider status with the statewide ads, his first of the new year.

He's trying to unseat the five-term Republican Senate leader in the May GOP primary in Kentucky.

McConnell campaign spokeswoman Allison Moore says Bevin came out with the "lame attacks" just a day after he denounced negative campaigning.

One ad pokes at McConnell's longevity. It notes the Cosby Show was new and Cabbage Patch Kids were hot toys when McConnell was first elected to the Senate.

The other ad says McConnell symbolizes a system run by career politicians and their "Washington cronies."

BUS CRASH-LAWSUIT

Bus owner says he didn't know origin of tires

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Court documents show that the owner of a charter bus, which crashed in Louisville and injured 23 students and adults, says he was unaware the vehicle had 11-year-old tires that came from a scrap bin.

The Courier-Journal reports Mike Goad made the comment this month while being deposed by an attorney representing a group of plaintiffs who sued after last year's crash.

Four lawsuits were filed against Commonwealth Bus Service & Transportation Inc. after the bus loaded with high school students blew a tire on June 11 on Interstate 64 and hit a concrete median. The group was returning from a college campus visit.

The company was cited by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in July for violations related to inspections and maintenance. It closed in November.

FILING DEADLINE

Filing deadline is Tuesday for primary election

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — People interested in running for public office have a few more days to file paperwork to be placed on the May 20 primary election ballot in Kentucky.

The secretary of state's office says almost 4,000 candidates have already filed for more than 300 offices on this year's ballot. The deadline is 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Candidates who are required to file with the secretary of state's office are those running for U.S. senator, U.S. representative, state senator, state representative, Supreme Court justice, Court of Appeals judge and circuit and district judge. Candidates for city and county office file with the county clerk in the county of service.

BIG RIVERS-POWER PLANTS

Big Rivers to idle W. Ky. power plant on Feb. 1

OWENSBORO, Ky. (AP) — Big Rivers Electric Corp. says it will idle a western Kentucky power plant on February 1, and a second power plant will cease operating by June 1.

The actions come in the wake of Big Rivers' two largest customers leaving after the entities couldn't come to terms on electric rates.

The loss of the aluminum smelters in Hawesville and Sebree has also led to higher electric rates for the other 112,000 customers in 22 counties in western Kentucky.

Big River spokesman Marty Littrel told the Messenger-Inquirer that about 188 positions will be eliminated when the plants go off-line.

Officials in Hancock and Ohio counties say that the idling of the power plants will take a big bite out of the local economy.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press.