Kentucky Statutes 7.090 – Legislative Research Commission — Membership — Vacancies — Meetings — Vote required to act — Compensation — Director — Qualifications — Personnel — Work-related incentive program — Notice of issue involving General…
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(1) There is created a Legislative Research Commission as an independent agency in the legislative branch of state government, which is exempt from control by the executive branch and from reorganization by the Governor. The Commission shall have the duties, responsibilities, and powers assigned to it or authorized it by the General Assembly, by statute or otherwise.
(2) The Legislative Research Commission shall be composed of the President of the Senate, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives, the majority and minority floor leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the majority and minority whips of the Senate, the majority and minority whips of the House, and the majority and minority caucus chairs of the Senate and House of Representatives. Any vacancy in the Commission shall be filled by the remaining members who are of the same chamber membership and political party affiliation as the person having vacated Commission membership. If the vacancy is in the membership of the House of Representatives, the successor shall be from the House, and if the vacancy is from the Senate membership of the Commission, the successor shall be from the Senate. A member elected to fill any vacancy shall hold office for the unexpired term of his or her predecessor. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall serve as co-chairs of the Commission.
(3) The Legislative Research Commission shall meet during regular and special sessions of the General Assembly, and during the intervals between sessions at such times and places as the co-chairs may determine. Meetings of the Commission shall be called by the co-chairs on their own initiative, or at the written request of any three (3) members of the Commission. Any action of the Commission shall require an affirmative roll call vote of a majority of the Commission’s entire membership. For attending meetings of the Commission or any of its subcommittees whose membership consists only of members of the Commission between sessions of the General Assembly, the members of the Commission shall be paid their necessary traveling expenses and in addition thereto an amount per day equal to the per diem compensation they receive during any session. For attending meetings of interim joint committees or other Commission subcommittees, members of the Commission shall be paid an amount per day equal to that received by all other members of the committees or subcommittees who are not designated as chairs or co-chairs.
(4) The Commission shall appoint a director, who shall be a person who has demonstrated exemplary moral and ethical leadership while holding a significant leadership position in business, government, military service, or a nonprofit organization or charity, and who shall hold office at the pleasure of the Commission. The salary of the director shall be determined by the Commission.
The Commission shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the employment of personnel necessary to effectuate the provisions of KRS § 7.090 to KRS § 7.110.
(5) Any professional, clerical, or other employees required by any committee appointed by the General Assembly shall be provided to the committee by the Legislative Research Commission. The chair of the committee shall advise the director of the Legislative Research Commission of his or her need for personnel. In the event that the personnel required by any committee cannot be met by the staff of the Legislative Research Commission, the director shall employ personnel as necessary to meet the needs of the committee, and shall fix the rate of compensation of the employees.
(6) The director shall, at the discretion of the Commission and under its supervision and control, provide for the:
(a) Allocation of the work and activities of all employees of the Commission; and
(b) Implementation of a work-related incentive program for employees of the Commission using an employee suggestion system. Employees may be recognized and rewarded for submitting suggestions that result in the improvement of services or in the realization of financial savings by the legislative branch. When an employee suggestion has been adopted and resulted in financial savings to the legislative branch of government, the employee who submitted the suggestion may be compensated through a cash bonus in an amount that is the lesser of ten percent (10%) of the amount saved or two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500).
(7) The director shall inform the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and the Minority Floor Leaders of each chamber of any personnel matter or allegation of wrongdoing involving a member of the General Assembly that has the potential of leading to litigation in which the General Assembly or Legislative Research Commission may be a party. The members so informed shall keep the matter confidential. The director shall inform the members within forty-eight (48) hours of becoming aware of the allegation or situation.
(8) The Commission may, in effectuating the provisions of KRS § 7.090 to KRS § 7.110, contract with any public or private agency or educational institution or any individual for research studies, the gathering of information, or the printing and publication of its reports.
(9) The Legislative Research Commission shall constitute administrative offices for the General Assembly and the director shall serve as administrative officer for the assembly when it is not otherwise in session.
(10) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall have the authority to approve the in-state and out-of-state per diem and expenses for members of their respective chambers.
(11) The Legislative Research Commission shall display the national motto “In God We Trust” directly above and behind the chairman or chairwoman in each committee room used by members of the General Assembly in the Capitol and Capitol Annex and behind the dais of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the
President of the Senate. The display shall be consistent with the historic and patriotic display of the national motto located directly above and behind the dais of the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
Effective: July 14, 2022
History: Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 74, sec. 1, effective July 14, 2022. — Amended
2014 Ky. Acts ch. 75, sec. 9, effective July 15, 2014; and ch. 79, sec. 1, effective July 15, 2014. — Amended 2006 Ky. Acts ch. 34, sec. 6, effective March 24, 2006. — Amended 2003 Ky. Acts ch. 185, sec. 11, effective March 31, 2003. — Amended
1994 Ky. Acts ch. 486, sec. 12, effective July 15, 1994. — Amended 1982 Ky. Acts ch. 129, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1982; and ch. 443, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1982. — Amended 1976 Ky. Acts ch. 83, sec. 11, effective March 29, 1976. — Amended 1974
Ky. Acts ch. 353, sec. 1; and ch. 370, sec. 1, effective June 21, 1974. — Amended
1972 Ky. Acts ch. 172, sec. 1, effective June 16, 1972. — Amended 1966 Ky. Acts ch. 36, sec. 1, effective June 16, 1966. — Amended 1960 Ky. Acts ch. 134, sec. 1, effective March 26, 1960. — Amended 1956 (1st Extra. Sess.) Ky. Acts ch. 7, Art. XII, sec. 1, effective March 29, 1956. — Amended 1954 Ky. Acts ch. 9. sec. 1, effective June 17, 1954. — Created 1948 Ky. Acts ch. 15, sec. 1, effective June 17,
1948.
(2) The Legislative Research Commission shall be composed of the President of the Senate, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the Speaker Pro Tempore of the House of Representatives, the majority and minority floor leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives, the majority and minority whips of the Senate, the majority and minority whips of the House, and the majority and minority caucus chairs of the Senate and House of Representatives. Any vacancy in the Commission shall be filled by the remaining members who are of the same chamber membership and political party affiliation as the person having vacated Commission membership. If the vacancy is in the membership of the House of Representatives, the successor shall be from the House, and if the vacancy is from the Senate membership of the Commission, the successor shall be from the Senate. A member elected to fill any vacancy shall hold office for the unexpired term of his or her predecessor. The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall serve as co-chairs of the Commission.
Terms Used In Kentucky Statutes 7.090
- Action: includes all proceedings in any court of this state. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
- Allegation: something that someone says happened.
- Caucus: From the Algonquian Indian language, a caucus meant "to meet together." An informal organization of members of the legislature that exists to discuss issues of mutual concern and possibly to perform legislative research and policy planning for its members. There are regional, political or ideological, ethnic, and economic-based caucuses.
- Chambers: A judge's office.
- Charity: An agency, institution, or organization in existence and operating for the benefit of an indefinite number of persons and conducted for educational, religious, scientific, medical, or other beneficent purposes.
- Contract: A legal written agreement that becomes binding when signed.
- Floor leaders: The Majority Leader and Minority Leader are elected by their respective party conferences to serve as the chief Senate spokesmen for their parties and to manage and schedule the legislative and executive business of the Senate. By custom, the Presiding Officer gives the floor leaders priority in obtaining recognition to speak on the floor of the Senate.
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Litigation: A case, controversy, or lawsuit. Participants (plaintiffs and defendants) in lawsuits are called litigants.
- President pro tempore: A constitutionally recognized officer of the Senate who presides over the chamber in the absence of the Vice President. The President Pro Tempore (or, "president for a time") is elected by the Senate and is, by custom, the Senator of the majority party with the longest record of continuous service.
- State: when applied to a part of the United States, includes territories, outlying possessions, and the District of Columbia. See Kentucky Statutes 446.010
- Statute: A law passed by a legislature.
- Whips: Assistants to the floor leaders who are also elected by their party conferences. The Majority and Minority Whips (and their assistants) are responsible for mobilizing votes within their parties on major issues. In the absence of a party floor leader, the whip often serves as acting floor leader.
(3) The Legislative Research Commission shall meet during regular and special sessions of the General Assembly, and during the intervals between sessions at such times and places as the co-chairs may determine. Meetings of the Commission shall be called by the co-chairs on their own initiative, or at the written request of any three (3) members of the Commission. Any action of the Commission shall require an affirmative roll call vote of a majority of the Commission’s entire membership. For attending meetings of the Commission or any of its subcommittees whose membership consists only of members of the Commission between sessions of the General Assembly, the members of the Commission shall be paid their necessary traveling expenses and in addition thereto an amount per day equal to the per diem compensation they receive during any session. For attending meetings of interim joint committees or other Commission subcommittees, members of the Commission shall be paid an amount per day equal to that received by all other members of the committees or subcommittees who are not designated as chairs or co-chairs.
(4) The Commission shall appoint a director, who shall be a person who has demonstrated exemplary moral and ethical leadership while holding a significant leadership position in business, government, military service, or a nonprofit organization or charity, and who shall hold office at the pleasure of the Commission. The salary of the director shall be determined by the Commission.
The Commission shall have exclusive jurisdiction over the employment of personnel necessary to effectuate the provisions of KRS § 7.090 to KRS § 7.110.
(5) Any professional, clerical, or other employees required by any committee appointed by the General Assembly shall be provided to the committee by the Legislative Research Commission. The chair of the committee shall advise the director of the Legislative Research Commission of his or her need for personnel. In the event that the personnel required by any committee cannot be met by the staff of the Legislative Research Commission, the director shall employ personnel as necessary to meet the needs of the committee, and shall fix the rate of compensation of the employees.
(6) The director shall, at the discretion of the Commission and under its supervision and control, provide for the:
(a) Allocation of the work and activities of all employees of the Commission; and
(b) Implementation of a work-related incentive program for employees of the Commission using an employee suggestion system. Employees may be recognized and rewarded for submitting suggestions that result in the improvement of services or in the realization of financial savings by the legislative branch. When an employee suggestion has been adopted and resulted in financial savings to the legislative branch of government, the employee who submitted the suggestion may be compensated through a cash bonus in an amount that is the lesser of ten percent (10%) of the amount saved or two thousand five hundred dollars ($2,500).
(7) The director shall inform the President of the Senate, the Speaker of the House, and the Minority Floor Leaders of each chamber of any personnel matter or allegation of wrongdoing involving a member of the General Assembly that has the potential of leading to litigation in which the General Assembly or Legislative Research Commission may be a party. The members so informed shall keep the matter confidential. The director shall inform the members within forty-eight (48) hours of becoming aware of the allegation or situation.
(8) The Commission may, in effectuating the provisions of KRS § 7.090 to KRS § 7.110, contract with any public or private agency or educational institution or any individual for research studies, the gathering of information, or the printing and publication of its reports.
(9) The Legislative Research Commission shall constitute administrative offices for the General Assembly and the director shall serve as administrative officer for the assembly when it is not otherwise in session.
(10) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives shall have the authority to approve the in-state and out-of-state per diem and expenses for members of their respective chambers.
(11) The Legislative Research Commission shall display the national motto “In God We Trust” directly above and behind the chairman or chairwoman in each committee room used by members of the General Assembly in the Capitol and Capitol Annex and behind the dais of the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the
President of the Senate. The display shall be consistent with the historic and patriotic display of the national motto located directly above and behind the dais of the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
Effective: July 14, 2022
History: Amended 2022 Ky. Acts ch. 74, sec. 1, effective July 14, 2022. — Amended
2014 Ky. Acts ch. 75, sec. 9, effective July 15, 2014; and ch. 79, sec. 1, effective July 15, 2014. — Amended 2006 Ky. Acts ch. 34, sec. 6, effective March 24, 2006. — Amended 2003 Ky. Acts ch. 185, sec. 11, effective March 31, 2003. — Amended
1994 Ky. Acts ch. 486, sec. 12, effective July 15, 1994. — Amended 1982 Ky. Acts ch. 129, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1982; and ch. 443, sec. 1, effective July 15, 1982. — Amended 1976 Ky. Acts ch. 83, sec. 11, effective March 29, 1976. — Amended 1974
Ky. Acts ch. 353, sec. 1; and ch. 370, sec. 1, effective June 21, 1974. — Amended
1972 Ky. Acts ch. 172, sec. 1, effective June 16, 1972. — Amended 1966 Ky. Acts ch. 36, sec. 1, effective June 16, 1966. — Amended 1960 Ky. Acts ch. 134, sec. 1, effective March 26, 1960. — Amended 1956 (1st Extra. Sess.) Ky. Acts ch. 7, Art. XII, sec. 1, effective March 29, 1956. — Amended 1954 Ky. Acts ch. 9. sec. 1, effective June 17, 1954. — Created 1948 Ky. Acts ch. 15, sec. 1, effective June 17,
1948.