House passes university bonding bill after long debate

Ryan Alessi @ PolWatchers reports:

The state House, for the fourth year running, passed a measure allowing public universities to sell bonds for constructing campus projects without those moves counting against the state government's total debt.

While the bill -- sponsored by Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville -- passed the chamber unanimously by a 91-0 vote, it only sailed through after a lengthy debate over the concept of prevailing wage.

Rep. Tim Moore, R-Elizabethtown, said on the floor that he considered attaching an amendment to Damron's university bonding bill that would repeal prevailing wage, which sets a minimum pay rate for construction workers on public projects....

...But it sparked a stream of opposition from Democrats...

Rep. Rick Nelson, D-Middlesboro, said "whether you're building a school house or an outhouse, you still deserve a living wage that you can provide for your family."

The normally mild mannered Rep. Jim Wayne, D-Louisville, rose to politely chide Moore, a freshman lawmaker, saying he would give Moore some latitude for a honeymoon period...

...Moore later joked that he understands the honeymoon period in Frankfort is short -- like "a one night stand."

On the merits of the actual bill, Damron described it as a way to give universities more financial flexibility while still allowing the General Assembly oversight...

Stein to Shoot Down Guns-on-campus Bill

Kathy Stein says Bob Damron's campus gun totin' bill (HB 114) won't get past her committee. Good.

Jody Richards says it won't get past him either. Doubly good.

Damron dangles universtiy presidents with the Bond Bill. Typical.


This (and photo) from the Courier-Journal:

Campus gun bill is likely to die

Various officials oppose proposal

FRANKFORT, Ky. -- A bill that would allow people to bring guns onto college campuses -- and use them if they were threatened -- may die in a legislative committee amid growing concerns by educators and others.

"This is a really bad idea," said Centre College President John Roush, whose private college in Danville bans firearms. "It would run counter to our tradition and the principles on which we operate our community."

Other university presidents also oppose House Bill 114. And while it has more than 50 co-sponsors in the 100-member House, it is stuck in the Judiciary Committee because the chairwoman opposes it.

Rep. Kathy Stein, a Lexington Democrat who heads the committee, said HB 114 is "way too broad" and she doesn't plan to call it for a committee hearing or vote.

Kentucky law allows post-secondary schools to ban firearms on their campuses. HB 114, sponsored by Rep. Robert Damron, D-Nicholasville, would change that.

It would let people bring guns to campus in their vehicles and also would apply to other university property, such as sports arenas or hospitals. In addition, gun owners could remove firearms from their vehicles to defend themselves, their property or someone else.

Damron supported past successful gun legislation, including Kentucky's concealed carry law. He said in an interview that he simply wants to allow responsible gun owners to keep their weapons in their cars when they drive to work or school.

"This is not a big deal," he said...

...Stein's plan not to hear the bill angered Damron, who accused her in an interview of "sticking a knife" in his eye and called her "gun control Sally." Stein said she believes Damron's comments were "inappropriate" but added that she's not upset. "I have a very thick skin. I've been called worse by better." ...

...Some critics said the bill could lead to "road rage" incidents on campuses similar to the 2007 shooting in a Louisville parking lot that left a man brain damaged after he and another driver pulled guns at a stop sign...

...The presidents of Kentucky's public universities generally have limited their comments on the bill to saying they want to retain the authority to ban guns on their campuses...

...Stein said university officials may be worried about offending Damron, who also is sponsor of a bill that would allow state universities to issue bonds for construction projects without state approval. That's something major universities have been desperately seeking in recent years.

Stein called it "inappropriate" to link the two issues.

Damron said the public universities' opposition to the gun bill shows they are "out of step" with public opinion and could well affect whether lawmakers decide to approve the bond bill...

...Damron said that if he can't get the bill sent to a more favorable committee, he may try to force a vote on the House floor without a committee hearing by getting at least 25 lawmakers to sign a discharge petition...

...But House Speaker Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green said he won't remove the bill from Stein's committee -- where it was sent by House leadership -- and doesn't
support it....

Damron's on-campus gun lunacy

Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville is surprised by opposition to his plan to increase the number of deadly weapons on our college campuses.

"I never imagined this was going to be a major battle," Damron told the Herald-Leader.

But Damron's lack of imagination is the least of his problems. In this case, his single-minded devotion to the National Rifle Association's wild west agenda yields a casual disregard for the safety of our students and the campus community.

Opposition from numerous (if not all) Kentucky university presidents lead to a blanket accusition from Damron that Kentucky colleges have become "bastions of liberalism." Oooooooooo.

But just how is Damron's brilliant solution supposed to work?

Damron fantasizes that he's protecting folks who work at the University of Kentucky who may be afraid of walking to their cars in the dark after work.

His solution is to put more guns on campus - while keeping the guns that might protect his constituents while they walk to their cars just out of their reach.

Or perhaps he envisions shootouts in the parking lot, where the issue isn't whether you have a gun, but whether yours is big enough.

If HB 114 passes, I'm thinking about sending my daughter to school with body armor and an assault rifle with a big clip.

Eastern Kentucky University President Doug Whitlock who is licensed to carry a concealed weapon told H-L that before he would support a change in the weapon ban, "I would have to be convinced that having firearms on campus contributes to safety rather than adding to the risk."

Me too. And I'm decidedly not convinced this move would protect my daughter, or my students, in the least.

To become law, the House Bill 114 would have to get past Kathy Stein, chair of the House Judiciary Committee, who objects to "meddling in the affairs of the universities and community and technical colleges..."

Damron hopes to work around Stein. And began laying groundwork by bestowing on Stein the moniker "gun-control Sally." To augment his name-calling offensive he is bringing in a professional NRA arm-twister next week.

But Stein should shoot down House Bill 114. She should shoot it dead.

Damron invites us to pack heat on campus

It seems that no matter how much I prep over a break, It's still tough to blog at the beginning of the semester. So much to do. It's hard to keep organized.

So, if you'll excuse me for a moment - I'd like to check to make sure I've got everything I need to meet the needs of my students on campus today.

Got up.
Took the dogs out.
Showered...etc.
Ironed my pants.
Gathered student papers that need grading today.
Organized my bag.
Kissed Rita goodbye.

OK, I'm set.

OH WAIT ! I almost forgot.

I still need to get the .357 magnum out from under my pillow and take it to school. Because if I'm not packin,' the terrorists win.

This from the Herald-Leader:

Bill would allow guns on campus

State Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville, signed up 44 co-sponsors Tuesday for his bill that would allow people who park on public university property to keep a legally registered gun in their vehicle.

Currently, this can be prohibited by weapons policies set by the state universities.

"All this bill does is say you're going to be treated like everyone else," Damron said. "Anywhere else you can have a gun in your car." ...

...The University of Kentucky bans guns on campus. And UK spokesman Jay Blanton said the university wants to retain its authority to set its
policy.

"We believe that policy best serves the safety of our students and employees," Blanton said. "We would hope that the members of the Kentucky General Assembly recognize that the university administration and board of trustees are rightfully suited to manage and set policy that is in the best interest of the campus."

Guns at universities became a national issue after the mass shooting last spring at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., where a student gunman killed 32 people and then himself.

Morehead State University President Wayne Andrews said the bill "gives me great concern. I think we need to tread very lightly with the issue of weapons on campus." ...

But when Damron is thinking more clearly, he proposes things like this:

Higher ed would get spending flexibility
SPENDING, BOND HURDLES WOULD BE GONE

FRANKFORT --State universities would have more flexibility to spend their own money if bills approved overwhelmingly Tuesday by the House budget committee become law.

The proposals would allow universities to bypass the state budget when financing construction projects with their own cash. The schools could also issue bonds that wouldn't count against the state's debt limit, although they would still need lawmakers' approval for those projects.

However, lawmakers would not be forced to pick and choose among projects simply because the state can't afford to take on more debt.

"We would be looking at those projects on their merit only," said Rep. Bob Damron, D-Nicholasville, sponsor of House Bills 111 and 177.

In 2006, Former Gov. Ernie Fletcher vetoed more than $300 million in projects, most of which were university projects that would have been paid for with revenue generated by the universities -- not taxes....

This also from the Herald-Leader.