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Committee adopts amendment creating framework to allocate $5 million for agricultural economic development
Summary
The House Appropriations and Revenue Committee adopted PHS 1 to Senate Bill 28, establishing a loan and grant framework to distribute $5 million for agricultural economic development through the Kentucky Department of Agriculture; the amendment clarifies board composition and finance expertise.
The House Standing Committee on Appropriations and Revenue on Tuesday unanimously adopted PHS 1 to Senate Bill 28, a measure that sets a framework for allocating $5,000,000 for agricultural economic development through the Kentucky Department of Agriculture.
The amendment passed by voice and roll call and the committee reported the bill with a favorable recommendation to the full House after a 20-0 recorded roll. Chair Petrie announced the result: “Senate bill 28 is amended by PHS 1 having received 20 yes votes, 0 nay votes, and 0 pass votes will be reported with favorable expression that same should pass on the floor.”
Senator Jason Howe, identified in the hearing as representing the First Senate District and appearing as the bill presenter, described the bill’s function as putting “the framework around being able to allocate that money through, Commissioner Shell's office and Department of Agriculture. It sets a framework up for the loan program, grant program, this sort of thing.”
Representative Bojanowski asked how the committee substitute differed from the original bill. Howe said the substitute changes board composition to add members with finance and lending experience so the ag development board can better oversee economic development and lending programs: “because we're dealing with finance and lending and the economic development program we would have somebody that had a heightened level and knew how all these programs integrated and fit together.”
The committee hearing record includes staff from the Kentucky Department of Agriculture: Brandon Reed (Executive Director, Office of Agricultural Policy, Kentucky Department of Agriculture) and Jacob Estes (Director of Economic Development, Kentucky Department of Agriculture), who were present for questioning and technical comment but did not propose changes recorded in the committee vote.
The amendment adoption and unanimous roll call conclude committee consideration; the bill as amended will proceed to the full House for further action.
Votes at a glance: the committee adopted PHS 1 to Senate Bill 28 and then adopted the bill as amended. Recorded committee tally: 20 yes, 0 no, 0 pass.
