OPINION: BAKER: Agricultural, rural Kentucky issues prioritized by legislature

Nita Johnson, The Sentinel Echo, London, Ky.
·3 min read

Apr. 27—Though the session is now over, and we are just weeks away from the beginning of the legislative interim, I still return to my office in Frankfort and work throughout my district to represent your best interests.

As the dust settles on this year's regular session, and the new air of spring fills the commonwealth, I cannot help but to reflect on the action we as legislators took this session to preserve one of Kentucky's most vital industries.

Agriculture is undoubtedly the lifeblood of our state and an industry that provides both an economic and social foundation to a rural state like ours. That is why the legislature passed legislation that tackles ongoing agricultural issues. In the 2023 session, we had several key pieces of legislation relating to agriculture. This week, I would like to walk you through some of these bills:

—Revitalizing rural communities, Representative Richard Heath — HB 9 establishes the Government Resources Accelerating Needed Transformation (GRANT) Program to provide support and grant funding available to communities impacted by the loss of coal-related jobs. In addition, the bill also provides $2 million in funding in the next fiscal year and directs the Department for Local Government to partner with the Kentucky Council of Area Development Districts to administer the program.

—Recognizing agriculture's impact on Kentucky, Rep. Brandon Reed — HB 76 recognizes the economic and cultural impact of the state's agricultural industry by setting aside months and dates to mark individual subsets.

For example, March is National Agriculture Month, April is National Soybean Month, and May is National Beef Month.

—Expanding access to agricultural equipment, Rep. Amy Neighbors — HB 130 grants the Kentucky Agricultural Development Fund the ability to offer heavy machinery in their Shared-Use Equipment Leasing program, allowing farmers to use this leased equipment across county lines.

—Increasing access to commercial drivers licensing, Rep. Chris Freeland — HB 320 allows out-of-state applicants who have both an operator's driver's license and a commercial driver's instruction permit to take the certified driver's license (CDL) skills test for Kentucky. The cost for Kentuckians to take the CDL skills test will remain $50 and out-of-state applicants will have a $150 cost, which is the same cost as surrounding states.

—Reorganization of the Office of State Veterinarian, Sen. Jason Howell — SB 48 restructures the Office of State Veterinarian to include a more in-depth scope for animal and emergency services.

—Providing guidelines for the state vehicle fleet, Sen. Jason Howell — SB 281 sets a timeframe in which the state vehicle fleet must be replaced and grants the Office of Fleet Management the ability to use alternative fuel powered vehicles.

Agriculture in Kentucky is alive and well, and I am proud to be part of a force fighting to preserve our state's agricultural legacy. From horses and cattle to grain and produce, agriculture is an asset to all Kentuckians.

We have much to thank our producers for, and I hope by passing this legislation we will continue to keep this state on a path to support them for years to come.

I would like to hear from you regarding your interest in any of the issues before the Kentucky General Assembly, agricultural or otherwise. Feel free to reach out here at home anytime or through the toll-free message line in Frankfort at 1-800-372-7181. If you would like to receive regular email updates on what is going on in Frankfort, feel free to send me a request via my legislative email at shane.baker@lrc.ky.gov. For more information, please visit the legislature's website at www.legislature.ky.gov.