The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Associate Director, Eileen Harrington, presented Telemarketing information to the Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. The expert told lawmakers that the FTC is moving forward with plans to establish a national “Do Not Call” registry. Consumers in Kentucky and across the nation would have their telephone number added to that registry by simply dialing a toll-free number. The national “Do Not Call” registry should be in operation early next year. In the meantime, the Senate is expected to consider a House Bill regarding Telemarketing. By taking the House Bill and expanding it to include the impending national changes with the “Do Not Call” registry, Kentucky would have model legislation. The most important aspect of our efforts is to ensure that fraudulent and nuisance Telemarketing calls stop. The legislation the Senate considers will be enforceable and will stop the unwanted calls. Following committee approval this past week, the Senate is poised to consider legislation to improve the financial situation of the state’s Medicaid program. The three Medicaid bills passed by the committee address various issues including pharmacy fees and generic vs. name-brand drugs are all addressed. Medicaid has undergone a number of leadership changes over the past few years which have resulted in lapses in accountability and efficiency. Now the agency is facing a huge budget deficit. Medicaid is the $3.2 billion dollar state-federal program that pays for health care for 600,000 poor, disabled and elderly Kentuckians. Families who need affordable
housing could be among the beneficiaries of the Senate’s work. A bill that
would make up to 29,000 more Kentucky families eligible for low interest
home loans won unanimous support and has been sent to the House of Representatives
for consideration. Senate Bill 45 would increase the income limits allowed
for people applying for loans from the Kentucky Housing Corporation (KHC).
The new income caps would be determined by guidelines revised annually
by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. This measure
started as a way to help teachers and obtain home ownership in the communities
where they work.
Buying a home is the biggest purchase most people make in their lives. It usually marks a significant step toward financial prosperity and a greater sense of security. By making sure more families have access to affordable housing, entire communities stand to benefit as growing numbers of people develop a vested interest in the wellbeing of their communities. Kentucky’s economy would also get a boost as more money is generated for the state’s housing market. Another major piece of legislation passed by the Senate last week was a bill that defines a fetus as a person in homicide cases. This would allow criminal charges to be pressed against a person who harms a pregnant woman to the extreme that it causes the death of her unborn child. Under current state law, a child must be born before he or she can be considered a crime victim. In all, more than a dozen bills were passed by the State Senate last week. We’re now one-third of the way through the 2002 legislative session. In order to ensure our area’s interests and concerns have a strong voice at the Capitol, I regularly ask for feedback from people throughout the district I represent. If you would like to comment on an issue, I hope you’ll take the time to share your thoughts with me. You can reach me through the General Assembly’s toll-free message line at (800) 372-7181. You can also learn about some of the legislation under consideration and find contact information for state lawmakers on the Kentucky Legislature Home Page at www.lrc.state.ky.us.
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