Bevin: Pension relief bill ready for lawmakers to consider. Special session coming ‘soon.’

Gov. Matt Bevin said Tuesday a pension bill to provide financial relief for regional universities, health departments, mental health centers and other quasi-governmental agencies is ready for lawmakers to consider in a special legislative session he plans to call soon in May.

Bevin said he briefed university presidents about the bill Tuesday morning with his staff. House members held a conference call on the bill.

Rep. Jerry Miller, R-Louisville, said House Republican members received an overview of the bill Tuesday but still have not seen a copy of it.

“By tomorrow afternoon, every single member of the House and Senate in both parties will be well aware of what’s in this bill.,” Bevin said to reporters in the Capitol Rotunda after signing a proclamation to declare May as beef month in Kentucky.

On April 9, the Republican governor vetoed the Kentucky General Assembly’s bill to offer the pension relief by letting the agencies keep their contribution rates into the pension system much lower as they gradually buy their way out of the state retirement system.

He said a better bill could be developed and mistakes like wrong dates could be corrected.

Bevin said then he will call a special legislative session by July 1 to give lawmakers another chance to address the soaring pension costs facing the agencies.

Bevin said Tuesday the new bill is “easier to follow” and gives more options to the quasis “so they will have more chance what their and their employees’ future looks like.” He did not elaborate.

Asked if the special session will start next Monday, Bevin said, “Probably not Monday. We want to give people time to digest it. Butsoon. If we are not careful, we are running up against graduations, Memorial Day, people’s vacations. Why muddy the waters for no good reason? The intent would be sooner than not in the month of May.”

Bevin has said a special session could last a day but lawmakers have said it will take five days to pass a bill to give the measure its necessary readings. The Legislative Research Commission said Tuesday a special session would cost taxpayers an estimated $66,434 a day, putting the total tab at $332,170.

Regional university presidents have urged quick action to resolve the pension relief issue, saying they are struggling to put together budgets for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.

Miller said he is hopeful the final bill will match the overview House Republicans received Tuesday and that Republicans, who control the House, will be able to get enough people to commit to voting for the bill before next week.

This story was originally published April 30, 2019 at 2:22 PM.