The 2019 General Assembly saw progress on many issues important to the business community. On Wednesday, the Kentucky Chamber announced the recognition of 13 legislators who displayed conspicuous actions which helped ensure success this legislative session.
“The business community feels it is important to highlight the efforts of legislators who went out of their way to help create a positive Kentucky business climate,” said Kentucky Chamber President and CEO Dave Adkisson. “These 13 legislators took conspicuous action to further the Chamber’s agenda.”
Below are the legislators selected for this year’s MVP awards and highlights of how they went to bat for the business community this session:
- Senate President Robert Stivers sponsored Senate Bill 7 to clarify Kentucky’s arbitration statutes by restoring the right of employers to have arbitration agreements as a condition of employment upon hiring an individual.
- Sen. Damon Thayer worked diligently to ensure the passage of several tax “fixes” important to the business community.
- Sen. Steve West sponsored Senate Bill 8, legislation making changes to the panel dealing with the termination of ineffective teachers, a longtime priority of the Kentucky Chamber.
- Sen. Whitney Westerfield sponsored legislation strengthening laws on driving under the influence important to many Kentucky Chamber members.
- Sen. Brandon Smith sponsored Senate Bill 100, legislation to update private net metering laws to ensure costs remain fair for all energy consumers, and showed leadership for the business community on several issues.
- House Speaker David Osborne demonstrated leadership for key business issues and shepherded several top Chamber priorities to passage.
- Rep. Bam Carney showed leadership in passing key business issues including arbitration and carried a floor amendment to address concerns of the business community on legislation making changes to Kentucky’s education accountability system.
- Rep. Kim Moser sponsored legislation to ban tobacco use on school campuses and a bill to protect patients from misleading advertisements.
- Rep. Jason Nemes carried arbitration legislation on the House floor to put Kentucky back on a level playing field.
- Rep. Russell Webber sponsored legislation seeking to make changes to the state’s unemployment insurance system to make Kentucky more competitive with surrounding states.
- Rep. Adam Koenig sponsored legislation to legalize wagering on sporting events, which will make Kentucky more competitive and generate revenue for Kentucky’s woefully underfunded pension systems.
- Rep. Sal Santoro sponsored legislation to bring critical infrastructure investment to Kentucky.
- Rep. Jim Gooch carried Senate Bill 100, legislation to update private net metering laws to ensure costs remain fair for all energy consumers, on the House floor and championed the issue for many years.
In addition to monitoring the progress of bills that directly relate to the strength of the Commonwealth’s business community, the Chamber tracks how each legislator votes on these bills. The Chamber’s MVP Award recipients displayed more than just a business-friendly voting record, but went out of their way to support an issue critical to the business climate in Kentucky.
To see how the MVP Award recipients and other legislators voted on business issues during the 2019 Kentucky General Assembly, view the Chamber’s Results for Business publication here.