Reviewing The 2011 Legislative Session

Despite the need for a special session, the General Assembly’s legislative pace this year more or less matches last year’s.In regular sessions, Kentucky lawmakers meet for 60-days in even-numbered years and 30-days in odd numbered years, so the 2011 session lasted 30-days.During that time, lawmakers introduced 653 bills, and approved 102 of them. That’s in line with the 2009 session, when 101 bills were approved.Governor Steve Beshear vetoed a couple of bills this year, but the Republican-controlled Senate adjourned early, so lawmakers couldn’t override the vetoes.Because the General Assembly failed to balance Medicaid during the regular session, Beshear immediately called a special session, which effectively ended March 24th, when the Democratically-controlled House adjourned and went home.The Senate still intends to reconvene on Wednesday, which is sure to reignite festering arguments over legislative pay for the special session.