SB 349 still on life support 

By JOHN HULTGREN
Kentucky EMS Connection

FRANKFORT — The Kentucky House didn't call Senate Bill 349 for a vote last night, but that didn't prevent its Senate sponsorship from attaching some of 349's provisions to another retirement bill in a last minute attempt that ultimately failed.

According to reports from James Ritchey, secretary of the Kentucky EMS Alliance, a tense battle was waged last night and early this morning over Senate attempts to remove EMS from state hazardous duty retirement and other provisions that might have reduced retirement benefits. Ritchey, along with Howdy Curtsinger [president of the Louisville Fire and Rescue union], Sylvan Smith and other representatives of the fire service "fought Senate Bill 349 to the bitter end," Ritchey said.

According to Ritchey, yesterday's events unfolded like this:

• Late in the evening, the House decided not to call SB 349 for a vote.
• About an hour later, the House attached the "high three" provisions for non-hazardous positions and the "rule of 75" to Senate Bill 15.
• The amended SB 15 went straight to the Senate, where Sen. Albert Robinson had the bill immediately placed on the calendar.
• The Senate refused to concur with the House amendments made to SB 15, leading to a conference committee where, according to Ritchey, Sen. Robinson planned to attach many of the provisions from SB 349.
• Sen. Ed Worley and Sen. Marshall Long meet with the Gov. Patton to "see if he is behind the SB 349 deal," Ritchey reported. Apparently the Governor is not.
• Finally, due to the efforts of Sen. Worley, Rep. Larry Clark and Rep. Moberly, the House leadership refused to call SB 15 back up in the House, effectively killing the bill.

Sen. "Albert Robinson has pledged that the deal is not over until April 15," Ritchey said.  "I think he means what he says. However, we do not plan to give up either."

"It might be put out that fire and EMS killed the 'high three' for county and state employees," Ritchey said.  "Not true. We supported that amendment strongly
throughout the session and tonight.  Had the Senate concurred with SB 15 as
amended in the House, the high 3 with a rule of 75 would have been in place for the next five years. Albert Robinson killed the "high three."  EMS and fire did not kill the high three."

"Had Sen. Robinson let the Senate concur with the House, the high 3 would have been in place.  But, he was hell bent on getting SB 15 to conference and attaching many of the provisions SB 349. That would have dealt a fatal blow to EMS, fire, and police recruitment in the future.  We could not let that happen even if EMS were left in the eligibility for hazardous duty retirement.  We can't sell out other emergency services.  Remember the 'United We Stand, Divided We Fall.'  It applies here," Ritchey explained.

"With the help of many of you, we have been able to keep 405 alive and 349 is still on life support. Remember, 349 is not dead yet. We will need to watch until April 15," Ritchey said.

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