A Bill Only a Cockroach Would Love

Buried on page 4 of the D section of the Herald Leader is this insight into how the legislature really works.

FRANKFORT-- Lawmakers could more easily agree on permanent changes to the state's laws behind closed doors and without seeking public input under a bill approved yesterday by the House budget committee.

It’s been an open secret for a long time in Frankfort on how the budget process works. It’s usually done in a back room at the last minute. Most of our so called representatives have no idea what is contained in the bill and fewer have even look at the exact language in the bill.

This coupled with a statement at the beginning of the bill that allows this piece of legislation to supersede all state laws.

But you have to marvel at the arrogance of the House Budget Committee Chairman Harry Moberly when it comes to the budget process.

House Bill 184 would correct the court's misinterpretation of the law, said committee chairman Harry Moberly, D-Richmond.

House Bill 184 would:

…. the General Assembly has the power to suspend, modify, amend, create, repeal, and repeal and reenact statutes in the budget bill…..

This is the kind of bill we don’t need. Less transparency in government, good for making deals in back rooms, bad for allowing the citizens to know what is going on in Frankfort.