Beyond Recycling: Community Ecologies and Sustainable Business

Sustainability Lunch and Learn:

Community Ecologies & Sustainable Business

Jim Shields 

of Commonwealth Computer Recycling with

KY Pollution Prevention  &  Sustainable Business Networks 

Thursday, 

1/24/08

Join us for a light buffet

Workshop and Lunch Fee: $10.00 

(Low income waiver available.)

Adena Center at Webster University, Louisville, KY

Galen Building, 2nd Floor, Zorn Ave. and River Rd., Louisville, KY, USA

• What can our households, companies or community organizations do now to go beyond recycling? 
  
• How do neighborhoods and local business networks work together to create community ecologies? 
  
• What is the economy of scale of effort needed for entire neighborhoods and communities to profitably undertake total recycling, and go beyond to sustainable materials and energy economies?
  

Jim Shields is a leader in the recycling industry, who has chosen to "give back" by pioneering recycling services which are certified throughout the local and global recycling supply chain. Sustainable Business Networks is creating learning partnerships for green and local living economies.

This program qualifies for CEU credit in the Program in Sustainability Studies of the Adena Center at Webster University.

Links:  

www.recyclelouisville.com    

www.kppc.org

www.sustainablebusinessnetworks.blogspot.com 

Please RSVP to 502 410-2786 or communitybiz@yahoo.com

To learn more: http://adenacenter.blogspot.com 

About the Living and Learning for Sustainability series

Please download a printable poster about this event, and put it up at your office, community center or coffee shop. Thanks! Please also forward this announcement to a friend by clicking on the envelope icon below.

Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farm January 16-18, 2008

Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farm January 16-18, 2008

From Open Living & Learning: Sustainability Education  www.sustainabilityeducation.blogspot.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact:

Shari Hawley, Conference Publicity Coordinator

Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (Southern SAWG)

5008 Cross Ridge Ct

Woodstock, GA 30188 

678-494-0696

ssawg_conf@bellsouth.net

website:  www.ssawg.org

SOUTHERN SAWG CONFERENCE TO THREE-PEAT IN LOUISVILLE

The Practical Tools and Solutions for Sustaining Family Farms conference returns to Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky, January 16-19, 2008.

Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group (Southern SAWG) holds its seventeenth annual conference in Louisville, Ky., January 16-19, 2008 in the beautiful downtown Galt House Hotel and Suites. 

Joel Salatin, this year’s keynote speaker, will address the entire gathering at the Saturday evening Taste of Kentucky Dinner on the topic “Healing the Planet, One Plate at a Time.” Earlier in the schedule Wendell Berry, Kentucky farmer and renowned author, will be part of a conversation on the necessary work of sustainable agriculture.

The conference attracts over 1,200 farmers and advocates working toward sustainable food systems in the South. The two full days of regular conference sessions start a half day earlier this year on Friday morning with even more practical sessions from which to choose.

The day and a half of pre-conference offerings begin on Wednesday at noon and include; eight intensive short courses, five field trips and five new hands-on activities. Then, on Friday morning, the conference begins and includes 62 practical sessions to choose from. This year we’ll also offer twenty U-Pick networking meetings for sharing and learning from each other. Plus, visit the exhibit hall and meet vendors whose products and services provide support to producers.

The conference sessions will cover sustainable production for horticulture and livestock producers, direct marketing strategies, business management, farm policy issues, and community food systems. The thing that sets the Southern SAWG Conference apart from others is the focus on PRACTICAL information. This is obtained though sessions led by presenters with real experience and through the tremendous networking that is possible when 1,200 of the South’s most innovative practitioners in sustainable agriculture are together at this event.

The complete conference schedule is available at www.ssawg.org or call 678-494-0696 to request a brochure.

Join us in the Bluegrass State for the always PRACTICAL Southern SAWG conference!

Southern Sustainable Agriculture Working Group, Inc. (Southern SAWG) is a 501(c)3 organization founded in 1991 to promote sustainable agriculture in the southern United States.

“Harvest the Power”A Green Film Festival

“Harvest the Power”

A Green Film Festival

 

Movies and Discussion

Focusing on Sustainable Living, Environmental Justice, and Stewardship 

January 23rd – March 21^st  -- Wednesdays 7:00 – 8:30 pm 

Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church

4936 Brownsboro Rd.  Louisville, KY 40222 

Free -- Open to the public 

  Jan 23 -- The Great Turning: From Empire to Earth Community - David Korten suggests we face a choice between two contrasting models.  

  Jan 30 --  Kilowatt Ours, A Plan to Re-Energize America – Shows Southeast  electricity sources and how conservation and renewable sources lower energy use 

  Feb 06  -- Mountains Mourning - Brings immediate focus to the effect of mountaintop removal coal mining on the land and its people. 

  Feb 13  --  The True Cost of Food - Sierra Club animated movie about the extended costs of commercial food. 

  Feb 20  --  Til The River Runs Clear - The story of the clean-up of the Hudson River in the 60's; An "inspiring tale of activism." 

  Feb 27  --  Escape From Affluenza -  This PBS special provides practical solutions to  epidemic  stress, waste, over consumption and environmental decay 

March 05 – The Next Industrial Revolution– An Invitation To A Revolution - Brings together ecology and human design 

March 12 – Mercury Rising - Sierra Club film about mercury in the environment by Kentucky film producer, Chris Korrow 

March 19 – Monumental, David Brower's Fight For Wild America – “Brower invented modern American environmental activism. This film tells you how and why." John Nielson, NPR 

For questions, call (502) 425-6943

NEWS from the KENTUCKY SOLAR PARTNERSHIP and the KENTUCKY SOLAR ENERGY

NEWS from the KENTUCKY SOLAR PARTNERSHIP and the KENTUCKY SOLAR ENERGY SOCIETY

1. SOLAR PV WORKSHOPS IN LOUISVILLE JANUARY 16 – 18Seats are still available! Register today! 

TO REGISTER: http://www.kysolar.org/solar_photovoltaic_workshops.htm#intro_pros January 16 – 17 : Introduction to Solar Photovoltaics For Electrical Contractors, Solar Installers, and Building Design Professionals, 8:00 am – 5:00 pm, $170. *  The workshops qualify for CEU coursework from the Program in Sustainability Studies of the Adena Center at Webster University.

Location: University of Louisville Shelby CampusRegistration includes lunch. AIA members will be able to submit self-reporting forms for Continuing Education Units.January 18 : Solar PV Electrical Code Primer For Code Officials, Installers, Inspectors, and Building Professionals8:00 am – 12:00 pm, $40 AIA members will be able to submit self-reporting forms for Continuing Education Units.  * Other professionals and the public can sign up on-site to to get CEU credit from the  Program in Sustainability Studies of the Adena Center at Webster University.

Location: University of Louisville Shelby CampusJanuary 18 : Introduction to Solar PV For Consumers1:30 pm – 5:30 pm, $25Location: University of Louisville Shelby CampusPre-registration is required. Registration forms can be downloaded from the link below. A limited number of scholarships are available based on financial need. Please call to inquire.
TO REGISTER: http://www.kysolar.org/solar_photovoltaic_workshops.htm#intro_pros

2. FEDERAL ENERGY BILL PASSES WITHOUT RENEWABLE PORTFOLIO STANDARD AND WITHOUT EXTENDING SOLAR TAX CREDITS The President signed an Energy Bill into law in December 2007. To learn about what is and is not in the bill for renewable energy, see http://www.solar-nation.org/2007/12/19/petropolis-dc/#more-119

3. KSP WORKING TO SUPPORT STATE INCENTIVES FOR ENERGY EFFICIENCY AND RENEWABLE ENERGY. KSP and the Kentucky Solar Energy Society are working alongside other organizations to promote legislation in Kentucky’s 2008 General Session to provide much-needed incentives for solar energy, other renewables, and energy efficiency. Last summer Representative Steven Riggs proposed an amendment to the 2007 Energy Bill (HB1) which would have provided rebates for solar water heaters. Unfortunately, the amendment was not included in the final bill. In December Representative Rick Nelson pre-filed legislation to provide residential energy incentives, including solar tax credits. Other related bills may be presented in the months to come. We’ll keep you posted on the progress of this and related bills. To read Rep. Nelson’s bill, visit: http://www.lrc.ky.gov/record/08RS/HB149.htm Representatives Nelson and Riggs should be commended for their leadership and support for sustainable energy. The Kentucky General Session runs from January until April. Let your Legislators and Governor Beshear know that you support State incentives for renewables and energy efficiency!

4. GERMANY TO REQUIRE RENEWABLES FOR HEATING NEW & EXSITING HOMESA new law in Germany will require all new and existing homes to install renewable energy heating systems. New homes will have to meet 14% of their total energy use for heating and domestic hot water with renewables and existing homes will have to meet 10%. The government is allocating $517 million per year for grants to assist homeowners in meeting these goals. The solar water heating industry is expected to play a major role in helping Germany meet these goals.To learn more: http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=50746

5. FRANCE SETS AMBITIOUS RENEWABLE ENERGY TARGETS The French government has committed to meeting 20% of the nation’s total energy consumption with renewables by 2020. Their goals include increasing installed wind capacity from 810 MW in 2006 to 25,000 MW by 2020, installing 3,000 MW of solar PV, and 5 million solar thermal units by 2020. To learn more: http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=50971

6. FRANKFORT CITY COMMISSION UNANIMOUSLY ENDORSES US MAYORS AGREEMENT FOR CLIMATE PROTECTION On Monday, December 17 the Frankfort, Kentucky City Commission voted unanimously to endorse the US Mayors Agreement for Climate Protection and take steps to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions within the City and wider community. The Commission was acting on recommendations presented to them by the Mayor’s Task Force on Energy Efficiency and Climate Change. KSP and Appalachia - Science in the Public Interest helped facilitate the work of the Task Force and looks forward to supporting the City’s implementation of the Task Force recommendations.

Andy McDonald,
Coordinator
KY Solar Partnership,

Appalachia - Science in the Public Interest
2235 Gregory Woods Rd.
Frankfort, KY
502-227-4562
www.kysolar.orgwww.a-spi.org

--The Kentucky Solar Partnership is a project of the non-profit organization Appalachia - Science in the Public Interest. Working for healthy land and sustainable communities in Kentucky and Central Appalachia.

Subject: KFTC ALERT: Citizen Power in the 2008 General Assembly

Subject: KFTC ALERT: Citizen Power in the 2008 General Assembly
Date:Wed, 09 Jan 2008 20:45:42 -0600
From: "KFTC"

KFTC ALERT: 2008 General Assembly Underway!
The Kentucky General Assembly began its 2008 regular session on Tuesday
with many important issues on the table and many ways for citizens to
help influence positive outcomes.

KFTC will have a citizens lobbying presence in Frankfort on most
Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from now through March. We invite all KFTC
members, allies and friends to lobby with us on any days that you are
able to do so. With so much at stake, it's very important that there
be a strong citizen lobbying presence in the General Assembly, plus it's
informative and fun since we do it in groups. Call any KFTC office or
reply to this email and we'll help get you involved in a great lobbying
experience.

We also ask you to make a particular effort to be with us on our
special lobby days:

Thursday, February 14 -- I LOVE MOUNTAINS RALLY and LOBBY DAY
Come lobby all day or come for the rally at 11:30 a.m. in the Capitol
rotunda to oppose mountaintop removal and support legislation to stop
the dumping of mining wastes into our headwater streams (House Bill 164)!
Register at http://www.kftc.org (click on the registration link) or
call your nearest KFTC office to let us know you're coming.

Wednesday, January 30 -- TAX JUSTICE LOBBY DAY
Come lobby all day to support tax reform legislation that will ask less
of low-income families (through an Earned Income Tax Credit) and raise
$400 million in new revenues by expanding the sales tax to certain
services, restoring the estate tax, and making the income tax system more
progressive (no bill number yet)!

Thursday, February 28 -- RESTORATION OF VOTING RIGHTS LOBBY DAY
Come lobby all day to support legislation that will allow voters to
decide, through a constitutional amendment, whether to automatically
restore voting rights to former felons upon completion of their sentences
(House Bill 70).

You'll be able to track the status of these and other bills that KFTC
is working on at: http://www.kftc.org/our-work/general-assembly. And
check the General Assembly blog for frequent reports from members lobbying
in Frankfort.

KFTC ACTION ALERTS
We'll be sending regular action alerts while the General Assembly is in
session, usually asking you to call or fax your legislators with
specific messages. Thanks in advance for taking action. It's really a great
boost to hear a legislator say, "I've heard from a lot of people about
this." It makes them more attentive and receptive when we have a
face-to-face meeting with them.

TOLL-FREE NUMBERS
The Legislative Research Commission operates several toll-free numbers
to help citizens stay in touch with their legislators and keep track of
legislative activities. These are a Legislator Message Line to leave
messages for legislators (also available in TTY and Spanish), a Bill
Status Line to check the status of any bill (through the previous day)
and a Calendar Line to receive a taped calendar of committee meetings for
that day.

MESSAGE LINE 1-800-372-7181
TTY MESSAGE LINE 1-800-896-0305
EN ESPANOL 1-866-840-6574
BILL STATUS LINE 1-877-257-5541
CALENDAR LINE 1-800-633-9650

The Message Line is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday thru Thursdays,
and 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. on Fridays during the legislative session.
The Legislative Message Line is only a message line (for the governor
and lieutenant governor, as well as all 138 legislators). You cannot be
transferred to talk to a legislator directly. To do that call
502-564-8100 and ask for the specific legislator you want to talk to.
------------------------------------------------------------
Your financial support is needed and appreciated to pay for KFTC's
presence and activity in the 2008 General Assembly. If you forgot to renew
your support in 2007, now would be a great time to do it. Use this
link to make an online donation. Thanks!
DONATE: http://www.kftc.org/join-buy-donate
------------------------------------------------------------
NOTE: Normally, when the action involved is contacting state officials,
we send the email alert only to Kentucky residents. However, this
message is going to all KFTC members across the country to give anyone
living outside of Kentucky the opportunity to let us know you want to
receive these General Assembly alerts. If so, please reply to this message
with the word "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject field. Kentucky residents will
automatically receive these alerts.
Many Thanks!

Special Elections - Fr Kentuckians for the Commonwealth

KFTC Blog

January-07-2008

Special Elections Tomorrow

Filed Under:

• featured
• Voter Empowerment
• Central Kentucky

There will be two Special Elections for Kentucky House seats tomorrow (Tuesday, January 8th), that were vacated when the Representatives holding those seats won other positions as a result of the 2007 General Elections.

We're encouraging all KFTC members, friends, and others in these districts to take some time to learn about the candidates and vote in tomorrow's Election.

72nd District

(Bath County, Bourbon County, and Nicholas County, and part of Fayette County)

Sannie Overly (D) vs Bryan Beauman (R)

63rd District

(northern Kenton County)

Brent Wolf (D) vs Alecia Webb-Edgington (R)

If you have questions about where to vote, your voting status, etc. you can visit the Kentucky Voter Information Center online or call your local County Clerk.

Bath County Clerk - (606) 674-2613
Bourbon County Clerk - (859) 987-2142
Nicholas County Clerk - (859) 289-3730
Fayette County Clerk - (859) 255-8683
Kenton County Clerk - (859) 392-1600

Three other Special Elections will take place across the state in a few weeks on Tuesday, February 5th.

Public Parks along Floyds Fork Creek, Louisville., KY. USA

by FLOYDS FORK ENVIRONMENTAL ASSOCIATION
Please write, call or email your Councilperson right away to ask for SUNSHINE and protection for our public parks.
If you don’t know who your councilperson is, call 574-6100 Board of Elections. Then Dial 574-1100 to ask for the email, phone #, address, and if you can speak before Metro Council at their next meeting.
· FFEA is holding a meeting Jan. 9 at 6:30pm at Jeffersontown Library, 10635 Watterson Trail.
· Metro Council will vote for new Chairpersons of Committees (perhaps Monday, Jan. 7) and potentially/tentatively there could be a meeting of the Metro Council Committee on Parks, Libraries and Cultural Activities on Jan. 14 (maybe at 3pm at City Hall) – but call 574-1100 to ask if this is correct. Your action is important.
So far, Dec. 10 this committee allowed Dan Jones and Mike Heitz to speak (no citizens could speak) and the Resolution and Contract were “tabled” so citizen groups could speak at the next meeting.
Then on Dec. 12, we spoke before the Meto Parks Advisory Board and they are not scheduled to meet until Feb. – call 456-8131 to ask for any meeting date.
Dec. 13, this could have had its first reading if it had been passed Dec. 10 & Dec. 12 and had final passage Dec. 20.
Please act now – call your councilperson 574-1100
This is the information given to the full Metro Council Dec. 20.

TO: Metro Council
FROM: Teena Halbig, Co-Chair FFEA
6505 Echo Trail
Louisville, Ky. 40299
267-6883
teenahal@aol.com
DATE: 12-20-07

As Co-Chair FFEA, I have been active to preserve, conserve and protect Floyds Fork Creek and its tributaries for 16 years. I have served on the private board of Future Fund in 1996 and then on government’s Parks(later, Metro Parks) Advisory Board as a Commissioner (appointed by Mayor David L. Armstrong and reappointed by Mayor Jerry Abramson – serving 4 years up to 2005).

It is important that Metro Council look at several aspects of the bodacious asking of a private 8 member board to take precious public parkland without public accountability and without significant government representation. FFEA recommends an amendment to the agreement making this board subject to Kentucky Open Meetings and Open Records Acts (document attached) as well as other corporations established by 21st Century (example: 21st Century Parks Endowment, Inc. is a separate corporation and should be subject to open meetings and open records. In fact, with the federal monies 21st received, they may already be subject to sunshine and just don’t know it!

I have a petition asking Metro Council to hold a public hearing attached. Please get a good understanding of “easements”.

It is alarming that 21st Century CEO Dan Jones wants to privatize and take control of our 3 public parks: Floyds Fork Park, Tyler-Schooling Park and William F. Miles Park. Everyone was blindsided Dec. 3 with this shocking news. Dec. 10, Metro Council Parks, Libraries and Cultural Activities Committee met as a Resolution and Contract about this matter was on the table; however, citizens were not allowed to speak. Dec. 12, Metro Parks Advisory Board Commissioners met and moved to a larger location to accommodate the crowd and did allow public input. Just as Metro Council Committee members had questions, so did the Commissioners.

At this last meeting, Dan Jones conceded to back off the takeover of public parkland in “perpetuity”. Dan referred to Central Park in New York in both meetings. It is vital that Metro Council knows “The City of New York retains control and policy responsibility for Central Park.” The city has a ‘management contract’ with the Central Park Conservancy that began in 1998 and was renewed for another 8 years on 4-27-06. Millions of dollars are being generated within the parks (much like KY State Fairground vendors for concessions pay a percentage to operate there) that this is generating millions of dollars for government that no doubt results in less taxes being levied on the public! Please think fiscally and investigate or do a study before handing over public land worth millions of dollars that could generate millions of dollars of income for government. “ Private deals can be made with for-profit entities without sunshine that will generate revenues. What about naming rights?
Furthermore, regarding Central Park, “Capital improvements in the Park ... continue to undergo public review (and The Conservancy involves the public in the planning of any improvements) at each stage of development with advice and consent from the Commissioner of Parks & Recreation. The City of NY/Parks & Recreation has discretion over all events in the Park, and that will continue. At present, all revenues generated from concessions in the Park go into the City of New York’s general fund…”

Additionally, there are 8 Advisory boards of community residents and park users that help develop The Conservancy plans – just like Metro Parks does! Master Plans can be changed and the contract does not involve Metro Council in changes!

The Edible Schoolyard: Alice Waters and Jim Busch

From OpenMedia and the Community Communications Working Group:

The Edible Schoolyard

September 28, 2007 - Alice Waters, the founder of the "Edible Schoolyard" movement, spoke at the dedication of the pavilion at the St. Peter Claver / Myzeek Middle School Community Garden, 526 Lampton Street, Louisville, Kentucky. Ms. Waters spoke to the need to create a new generation of gardeners through school - community partnerships, and the need for national leadership to recognize the central value of community based food in the U.S.

Ms. Waters is the owner of the renowned Chez Panisse in Berkley, California, one of the first restaurants to promote local and organic food, revolutionized American cooking by introducing " California cuisine" and is a leader in the global "slow foods" movement. Ms. Waters was in Louisville as the featured speaker at the ninth annual Healthy Foods, Local Farms Conference on Sept. 29 at Bellarmine University in Louisville.

Jim Busch, the Garden Site Manager at the St. Peter Claver Community Garden and Chair of the Jefferson Co., Kentucky Agricultural Extension Committee, explains the relation of the Claver garden to the nearby Myzeek Middle School and the surrounding neighborhood of Smoketown and discusses the future of urban sustainable agriculture.

More information on Claver garden:

Kathleen O'Neil, Active Louisville, kathleenoneil@iglou.com or 502 634 3233

First audio broadcast: WXBH-FM 92.7 Louisville or streaming at: http://wxbh.org/ Broadcast Sunday, September 30, 2007: 9 am, 12 noon, 3 p.m and 6 p.m. and on rotation through October, 2007.

Rough Edit - ~ 26:00

Copyright c 2007 Community Communications Working Group

Production/Host: David West Silverman

Post: John Hicks

Click here to listen to The Edible Schoolyard

Add a Comment

The Edible Schoolyard

Alice Waters and Jim Busch

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Kentucky tax deductions for veg oil

GoodOilBoys@aol.com wrote:

From: GoodOilBoys@aol.com
Date: Tue, 1 Jan 2008 11:54:09 EST
Subject: Kentucky tax deductions for veg oil
To: GoodOilBoys@aol.com

Dear friends,

Please contact your KY state legislators regarding this important legislation. Click the link for contact information and copy/paste the message below:

http://lrc.ky.gov/Legislators.htm

For those of you not residing in KY, please encourage similar laws in your state.

"I am contacting you about new legislation being sponsored by Rep. Jim Wayne and Rep. Larry Clark this January to encourage more alternative fuel use in Kentucky. GoodOil and their customers collect used cooking oil from restaurants that is typically disposed of illegally in sewers or the landfill (most small restaurants are reluctant to pay for rendering service collection and dumpster rental fees).

This valuable resource is used to fuel diesel vehicles, and GoodOil has converted over 50 vehicles at their shop in Louisville. The oil burns 30%-40% cleaner than diesel, costs less than $2 per gallon to process, and is not purchased from foreign sources, so the environmental, economic, and national security benefits are obvious (click this link to the National Veg Oil Board for more information: http://www.vegoil.us/).

This legislation offers tax incentives encouraging diesel owners to convert their vehicles to run on new and used cooking oil. Several other states have already passed similar laws, including Illinois, North Carolina, Arkansas, with many others planning to do so. A recent Forbes magazine survey ranked Kentucky 45th in the US for green initiatives, so please help us make our air cleaner and Kentucky less dependent on foreign oil. This legislation is really a WIN-WIN-WIN opportunity. Thanks!"

Marty Hanka, PEEnvironmental Engineer
GoodOil, LLC
www.GoodOilOnline.com
502-426-5376

2008 Legislative Session Bills Preview from KY Resources Council

2008 REGULAR SESSION: Bills We're Watching: Preview Edition Posted: December 12, 2007
2008 REGULAR SESSION: Bills We're Watching: Preview Edition

This list profiles the environmental, conservation, consumer and general government bills that will be tracked by the Council during the 2008 session. This is the first of many updates, and previews those bills that have been “prefiled” and which will be introduced during the first week of the 2008 legislative session, which begins on January 8 and continues until April 15. The deadline for prefiling bills is

Once the session begins, this list will be updated at least weekly, and will be supplemented with more detailed analysis on key bills.

DO YOU WANT OFF THE LIST? HERE’S HOW

If you do not wish to receive this list, please send an e-mail message to us at FitzKRC@aol.com and you will be removed immediately from the distribution list.

Feel free to forward this to anyone you feel might be interested, and to utilize, reprint or quote from the bill analyses. We ask only that you attribute KRC as the source when you use our analytical material (so we can take all the blame for anything we’ve gotten wrong!)

DO YOU KNOW SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO RECEIVE THESE ALERTS?

Send this to a friend, and tell them to write us at FitzKRC@aol.com if they want to receive e-alerts.

WANT TO READ THE BILLS OR CONTACT LEGISLATORS?

For a copy of any bill, or to check the status of the bill, to track which committee it has been assigned to for hearing, and other legislative information, visit the Legislature's Homepage at http://www.lrc.ky.gov/legislation.htm

To find your legislators email, go to http://www.lrc.ky.gov/whoswho/email.htm

The phone number to reach a legislator in person is 502-564-8100 (this is not toll-free).

The toll-free meeting schedule information line is 1-800-633-9650. The toll-free message line is 1-800-372-7181, to leave a message for a legislator or an entire committee. The TTY message line is 1-800-896-0305. En Espanol, el nombre es 1-866-840-6574. The toll-free bill status number is 1-877-257-5541.

THE BEST WAY TO REACH LEGISLATORS – IT’S NEVER BEEN EASIER!

Did you know that for a single fax to 502-564-6543, you can reach all of the legislators that you want to contact? You can send a faxed letter, for example, to all Senators and Representatives by listing their individual names on a cover sheet and asking that each get a copy of your letter. The good folks at the LRC fax room will copy your fax and distribute it to all that you list (the recipients must be listed by name.) The LRC web page has a list of all legislators and all committee members.

To email all legislators with one email, send your email to Legislators2008@lrc.ky.gov.

Please note that the Council does not have a position on each bill listed. Some bills are tracked for general interest; others simply to assure that they do not become vehicles for mischievous amendments. Where KRC has taken a position concerning a bill it is indicated with a plus (+) or minus (-). The primary sponsor and current status of the bill are also noted by Committee or chamber.

BR 4 (Wuchner and Burch) (Education)

Would require certain amounts of physical activity as part of elementary and middle school curricula beginning in 2009-10 school year.

BR 9 (Stine)

Would require Kentucky Board of Education to adopt regulations requiring all public preschool through eighth grade programs to implement, no later than the 2008-2009 school year, 30 minutes per day or 150 minutes per week of structured moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

BR 18 (Boswell)

Proposed constitutional amendment to allow casino gaming.

BR 38 (Boswell)

Companion bill setting standards for gambling at horse tracks and casinos if amendment is adopted.

BR 53 (Wilkey)

Would establish process for expungement of criminal records for Class D felonies.

BR 54 (Wilkey, Hoover)

Would create student loan forgiveness program for lawyers working for certain agencies and for legal services organizations.

BR 67 (Glenn)

Would create a lifetime combination hunting and fishing license for Kentuckians over 65 years old.

BR 74 (Thayer) and BR 123 (Owens, Cherry, Larry Clark) (State Government)

Would eliminate gubernatorial primary runoff elections.

BR 117 (Burch) (Health and Welfare)

Would require booster seats for children under 8 years old and between 40 and 57 inches in height and specify penalties.

BR 122 (Damron)

Would prohibit use of public funds for membership in a private organization that holds closed meetings where all members are not permitted to be present.

BR 135 (Stacy, Jenkins) (State Government)

Would establish compensation rules where one legislative chamber adjourns without consent of the other chamber.

BR 157 (S. Lee)

Increases penalty for torture of a cat or dog to a Class D Felony.

BR 171 (Higdon) (State Government)

Proposed constitutional amendment to require revenue and appropriation bills to be introduced in odd-numbered-year sessions, limit all sessions to 30 days, and require 3/5 vote for revenue and appropriations bills.

BR 192 (Thayer) (State Government)

Proposed constitutional amendment to eliminate office of Treasurer and assign duties elsewhere.

BR 194 (Owens, Crenshaw) (State Government)

Would amend state constitution to provide for automatic restoration of voting rights to felons on completion of sentence.

BR 202 (Burch) (Transportation)

Would prohibit use of cell phones in moving vehicles except for emergency use and hands-free apparatus.

BR 206 (Pendleton) (Judiciary)

Extends protections of animal cruelty laws to dogs and cats and makes killing or “causing injury or suffering to any animal” (other than those we hunt, trap, fish or “process” for food) a Class D felony.

BR 244 (Williams) (A&R)

Would create process for establishing a public infrastructure authority for highway and bridge projects, allowing the authority to issue bonds for financing a project and to place tolls on a project and set out procedures for collection and distribution of tolls.

BR 248 (Crimm) (Ag. & NR)

Would create penalty of forfeiture of ownership of animals involved in cruelty and torture cases, and prohibit ownership and possession of animals of the same species for two years.

BR 289 (Thayer)

Comprehensive revisions to campaign finance laws.

BR 302 (Marzian) (Education)

Would create study group to develop Holocaust curriculum guidance for schools.

BR 310 (Wayne and L. Clark)

Would amend state law to redefine “renewable energy facility” to lower the minimum capital investment and electricity capacity for solar or hydropower facilities and for landfill gas used for electricity. KRC will be working with the sponsors and other legislators to revise the criteria for renewable energy facilities.

BR 311 (Wayne, L. Clark)

Would amend HB 1 to require that for a unit to be “carbon capture ready” it must plan for compression of carbon dioxide in addition to capture. Unfortunately, the term “carbon capture ready” even with this change does not adequately limit availability of incentives for coal conversion technologies since any facility is theoretically carbon capture “ready” – the issues are the cost and efficiency, and more significantly, whether the facility has a plan for management or disposal of the captured CO2. BR 315 (Yonts)

Would amend existing law on water districts to revise manner in which districts can extend services and composition and manner of selection of boards.

BR 327 (Owens) (State Government)

Would require reporting of “legal defense trust funds” used by public officials and limit who can contribute.

BR 331 (Carroll)

Would reinstates requirement for motorcyclists to wear helmets.

BR 336 (Carroll)

Would amend state law to require adoption of policies by school districts on harassment, intimidation, and bullying.

BR 349 (Meeks)

Would amend state law to encourage interlocal agreements for cooperation in provision of emergency services among counties.

BR 373 (Tapp)

Would create a certification program for licensure of home inspectors.

BR 387 (Cherry)

Would amend executive branch ethics laws to clarify that an executive agency decision includes a decision by the Public Service Commission pursuant to a request for a change in the rates or service of a utility which results in an order of the Public Service Commission, thus applying lobbying provisions of the code to the Public Service Commission.

BR 439 (Simpson)

Would extend authority to eliminate public nuisances presently held by cities of the first, second classes and consolidated local governments, to third and fourth class cities.

BR 440 (Simpson)

Would amend code enforcement board statute to establish schedule for civil penalties for code violations.

BR 442 (Seum) (Local Government)

Bill responds to use of staff to promote ballot initiative in Metro Louisville, by restricting employees in the classified service in cities of the first class activities involving ballot initiatives during work hours and using public resources.

BR 484 (Higdon)

Probably the most popular prefiled bill, this would prohibit use of automated calling equipment or recorded political telephone messages from or by a political party or campaign.

BR 499 (Cherry)

Would define "harassment, intimidation, or bullying" and require school districts to adopt policies for assisting students who are engaging in disruptive and disorderly behavior, including harassment, intimidation, or bullying of another student.

BR 835 (Denham)

Would require junkyards and other purchasers of ferrous and nonferrous metals and objects containing ferrous and nonferrous metals to keep records of transactions and criminalize failure to maintain a register of purchases of metals and objects containing metal.

BR 839 (Denham)

Would create and define a crime of agroterrorism against an agricultural facility or product.

BR 841 (Denham)

Would revise laws allowing local governments to collect solid waste taxes or service fees and allow local governments to collect delinquent solid waste collection taxes or fees through contract with the Department of Revenue.

BR 897 (Cherry)

Would amend Executive Branch Ethics statutes to include unpaid executive officers under code, and make changes in personnel laws relating to merit employee protection.

BR 899 (Nelson)+

Would create state income tax credits for residential solar thermal and PV system, upgrading insulation, and energy-efficient windows, storm doors and geothermal heat pumps.

BR 924 (Westrom)

Amends existing laws on certification of landscape architects.

BR 937 (Owens & Adkins) +

Appropriates an additional $10 million dollars for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program.

BR 973 (Spencer) +

Would create survivor benefit and education scholarship for spouse and children of coal miners killed in mining accidents, funded from coal severance tax receipts.

BR 1009 (Bratcher)

Would limit development density to 5-acre lots on two-lane rural secondary roads designated as having scenic significance.

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