There may be hope for Kentucky's financially strapped commonwealth's attorneys and county attorneys if a bill to amend the 2008-2010 budget bills can gain passage in the General Assembly this week.

House Bill 1, sponsored by House Speaker Greg Stumbo, and Reps. Larry Clark, Rocky Adkins, Robert Damron, Rick Rand, John Stacy and Robin Webb was returned to the House Appropriations and Revenue committee on June 16 during the 2009 Special Session called by Gov. Steve Beshear to address the states projected $1 billion budget shortfall.

The bill moved from committee status to the House floor for debate Monday around 1 p.m., said Webb late Monday afternoon.

The bill, if passed, would declare an emergency to amend the 2008 Kentucky Acts Chapter 127, the state/executive branch budget, to create a new budget reduction plan for fiscal year 2009/2010 and appropriate additional general funds in 2009/2010 for Commonwealth's attorneys and county attorneys offices. Across the state CA offices were closed and employees furloughed for three weeks during the current fiscal year which ends June 30, 2009.

An exact dollar amount was not included.

The state's Department of Public Advocacy was also facing shortfalls for the current budget year, but received emergency funding in April after predictions of having to shut its doors if additional funding wasn't secured by May 1.

On April 16, Gov. Steve Beshear announced the DPA had enough money to continue operating through the end of June due to a series of cost-cutting measures, the reallocation of existing funds and granting the agency an estimated $2 million from the State Salary and Compensation Fund to allow it to operate through the end of the fiscal year.

At the same time, House Bill 433, which would have provided CA and DPA offices with $4.7 million each to see them through the year failed to gain passage in the General Assembly, because of other earmarked items in the bill's language.

House Bill 1 also contains language granting additional general funds to the Department of Parks, Horse Racing Authority and Department of Revenue.

Another key element of the bill before it moved from the A&R committee on Monday was unpaid holidays for state workers. The language of the bill posted on the Legislative Research Commission's Web site and updated as of June 20, included language for state employees earning less than $50,000 to take three unpaid holidays and state employees making $50,000 or more would take five unpaid holidays.

Webb, an attorney, was on her way to Frankfort after federal court when interviewed and said she wasn't sure how long debate on the bill would take or what amendments may have been included after leaving the A&R committee. She also noted H.B. 1 faces some opposition in the state Senate because it's a companion bill to the slot machine legislation.

"It's hard to predict," Webb said, when asked about the bills chances of passage.

To view H.B. 1, go to www.lrc.ky.gov.

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