Two Bills Clear Kentucky Senate Panel

Two key planks of the Senate Republican agenda for the 2011 Kentucky General Assembly have cleared their first legislative hurdle. The Senate Budget Committee said yes to legislation calling for creation of the Council on Revenue Reform. The panel of economic experts would recommend ways to improve the efficiency of Kentucky’s tax code, and then lawmakers would have to vote the plan up or down in the 2012 session. Senate President David Williams, the bill’s primary sponsor, says he’s tired of task force studies that just sit on shelves gathering dust in Frankfort. “That’s already happened. We’ve already had those task forces on tax reform. The recommendations have already been made. No one has come forth with a consensus,” he said.The committee also approved legislation requiring revenue bills to be posted for public review 48 hours before being called for votes. Both measures now head to the Senate floor.