Bill to reclassify Midway as fourth-class city left hanging as legislature adjourns until April 14

Legislation to reclassify Midway as a fourth-class city, giving it more power to manage its own affairs, was among the bills left hanging as the General Assembly adjourned yesterday for almost two weeks. Legislators will return April 14 to reconsider any bills vetoed by Gov. Steve Beshear and pass other legislation that would not be subject to an override of a veto, including an Executive Branch budget.

Among the bills in the balance is House Bill 325, which would move Midway from the fifth to the fourth class of cities. It would do likewise for Guthrie in Todd County and Junction City in Boyle County. It would also move from sixth to fifth class, Sadieville in Scott County and Wurtland in Greenup County. None of the cities appear to meet the minimum population of 3,000 that Section 156 of the state Constitution set for a fourth-class city, but Section 156A repealed that section and gave the General Assembly power to reclassify based on other criteria. The Midway City Council requested the classification. For an item on that, click here.

The bill originally dealt only with new restrictions for the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of Counties, but the Senate amended it to include the classification measures. After considering and then dropping a floor amendment related to the original bill, the Senate passed the bill yesterday, 33-3. The House adjourned without taking up the revised bill, but could pass it on April 14  or 15. However, Rep. Carl Rollins, D-Midway, above, said House leaders have a high threshold for suspending the rules to send Beshear more bills in the veto-override session, and the sponsor of HB 325 is unhappy with what the Senate did to it.