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Special session will address unemployment insurance fund

On May 20, Gov. Steve Beshear (D-Ky.) included bills to repair the unemployment insurance fund and expand bourbon sampling laws for the special legislative session set for May 24 to come up with a state budget, according to The Courier-Journal.

Beshear announced the special session two weeks ago after the Kentucky House and Senate failed to agree on a state budget during the regular legislative session, which ended April 15.

The unemployment insurance bill is meant to reduce a deficit of nearly $732 million in Kentucky's unemployment insurance trust fund. The proposal gradually would increase the wage base on which employers pay state taxes and would decrease the maximum benefits.

Business leaders supported the increase because they expect to be hit with a more painful increase in federal payroll taxes if the state continues to borrow from the federal government to pay unemployment benefits.

The bourbon sampling bill would allow distillers and small farm wineries to conduct tastings at events such as the World Equestrian Games in Lexington, Ky.

House Speaker Greg Stumbo (D-Prestonburg) released a statement May 20 saying both bills passed the House during the regular session "and will have no problem doing the same again."

5/24/2010