REPORT OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Recent legislative activities concerning bills of interest to the KDA:

First, House bill #256, the Kentucky Board of Dentistry Dental Practice Act Revision did pass the Legislature.  The bill passed on March 29 and took an unusual path to that end.   No action was taken on the bill due to the fact that Rep. Tom Burch simply did not call it up for a hearing.  During the first week of March, Mr. Brian Bishop, Mr. Mike Porter and the hygienists' lobbyist were advised that Mr. Burch wanted to meet, along with Rep Atkins chief of staff.  They did meet and Mr. Burch proposed a committee substitute that was totally unacceptable.  It contained denturity language.  Due to the KDA’s long standing opposition to any law dealing with this, Mr. Porter  went the bill’s sponsor, Rep Keith Hall and requested it be withdrawn.  At that time the bill was dead, however on March 18, not at the request of the KDA, the bill  was brought up again in the form of a Committee substitute on HB 179, which had previously passed the House and was in the Senate. A hearing was held on March 26 and the bill passed out of the Senate.  On March 29 the House concurred with this new version, so HB 256/HB179 passed.  The Denturity study language was added at the last minute and despite efforts to take it out,  the bill was written and it was too late.  The writing of regulations has begun and the Board will be kept informed as the regulations are proposed.

The KDA sponsored House Bill 425 unfortunately died as well, primarily due to a late effort by organized labor to kill it.  The Bill passed the House on a vote of 95-2, but was alive in Senate after Senator Tom Buford agreed to hold a hearing in the back of Senate chambers.  The bill did pass out of the Senate Banking and Insurance committee, but was not called for floor action.

It is extremely important that the KDA work to identify KDA members who want to serve on the  Dental Board and more fully protect the interests of the KDA.