From Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeighThe 2009 session of the Kentucky General Assembly is in a two-week recess to give Governor Steve Beshear time to consider possible vetoes.Lawmakers return on March 26, and the session ends on the 27th. But House Speaker Greg Stumbo is already predicting a special session may be necessary in June to address budget concerns. If so, he hopes lawmakers will pass his video slots bill, which he says could raise hundreds of millions of new tax dollars for the state.But even if there is a special session, Senate President David Williams doubts Stumbo’s bill will fly."We have at least one additional vote in the Senate now, on the Democratic side that’s not going to vote for any expansion of gaming. And that makes the numbers, as small as our membership is - one or two or three votes make a difference," Williams said.Only Governor Beshear can call a special session, if he and lawmakers agree one is needed.
Rick Howlett was midday host and the host of LPM's weekly talk show, "In Conversation." He was with LPM from 2001-2023 and held many different titles, including Morning Edition host, Assignment Editor and Interim News Director. He died in August 2023. Read a remembrance of Rick here.
