Key leader remains critically ill as Kentucky General Assembly convenes Tuesday
Kentucky lawmakers start their 2020 General Assembly at noon Tuesday without one of their top leaders — House Majority Floor Leader John “Bam” Carney.
Carney, R-Campbellsville, has been hospitalized in Louisville since Dec. 23 with a severe case of pancreatitis and infection. He has shown improvement in recent days but remains “very sick” and in an intensive care unit, according to his brother.
To compensate for Carney’s absence from the legislature, the duties of majority floor leader will be handled by House Speaker Pro Tem David Meade, R-Stanford, upon approval of the House GOP caucus, several House members said Monday.
House Speaker David Osborne’s office did not return phone calls Monday seeking comment.
The floor leader handles legislation during debate on the House floor, plans the daily legislative agenda and consults with members to gauge party sentiment. The speaker pro tem primarily presides over the House when the speaker is not present.
Few, if no, pieces of legislation are expected to be passed in the House in its opening days. If Carney has not returned by later in the month, the majority Republicans in the chamber may choose an acting floor leader.
All 100 state House seats and 19 of the 38 state Senate seats — those in odd-numbered districts — are up for election this year. The filing deadline in the secretary of state’s office for legislative candidates is 4 p.m. this Friday, Jan. 10.
Carney, who has represented the 51st House District made up of Adair and Taylor counties since 2009, has not yet filed for re-election.
The secretary of state’s office said a candidate may have someone else file his or her papers but the candidate must sign them, along with two witnesses.
A friend of Carney, Rep. Kevin Bratcher, R-Louisville, said he understood that Carney had his filing papers ready before he became ill.
Carney’s sister-in-law, Kelly Benningfield Carney, said in a Facebook message Monday that “I have not heard” if the lawmaker will file for re-election.
Carney’s brother, Mark Carney, said in a Facebook post that Carney, while still on a ventilator, has been able to communicate since last Thursday by shaking his head yes and no, winking his eyes and moving his hands and fingers.
He is dealing with pneumonia and all of his organs are still not functioning at full capacity, said the brother.
