Senate L&O Committee

Information on the membership and staff of the Senate Standing Committee on Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations is available online. Check the daily legislative calendar to see when HB286 is scheduled for a hearing. The leadership of this committee is Senator Gary Tapp (Chair) and Senator Dan "Malano" Seum (Vice Chair).

HB-286 in Senate

HB-286 is now in the Senate. I suspect it will be sent to the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee. Senator Brandon Smith, Senate District 30 (Bell, Harlan, Leslie, and Perry), is the chairman and Senator Tom Jensen, Senate District 21 (Estill, Jackson, Laurel, Menifee, and Powell), is the vice-chair.

Regular Session Update

SB-139, a "stream saver" bill, has been assigned to the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee. HB-396, has been introduced in the House with the same basic provisions. In particular, these bills contain provisions requiring overburden to be returned to mined out areas or permitted disposal sites. In particular: "In no event shall overburden be disposed of in an intermittent, perennial, or ephemeral stream or other water of the Commonwealth."

HB-286 relating to professional geologists had its 3rd reading and passed the House 83-13 (as amended by committee substitute). Next stop should be that it is received in the Senate.

HB-286

A committee substitute has added two provisions:

1) allow a designee to serve in the place of the state geologist on the Board of Registration for Professional Geologists;
2) require geologists who are state or local employees to register with the board beginning on October 1, 2014.

I don't know what the local mandate provision means or why it isn't available.

HB-286

HB-286 is an Act relating to geologists summarized:

Amend KRS 322A.060 to extend renewal and time period for revocation of certificate of registration from annual to biennial; authorize the board to require continuing education as a condition of registration renewal or reinstatement; amend KRS 322A.080 to remove exemption from registration for individuals performing geological work at both the state and local levels; amend KRS 322A.100 to permit the board to impose a $1,000 fine for violation of chapter by a registered geologist.

The bill is currently assigned to the House Natural Resources and Environment committee. Of particular interest is the portion of the bill that removes the exemption from registration for some persons working in the geosciences. I highly recommend you keep track of this bill whether or not you are in favor of it. Register with Billwatch and track the bill.

Remember, the KYGeologist Facebook group and the email list, kygeologist@lsv.uky.edu.