Meredith named co-chair of Cabinet task force | Grayson County

Senate Leadership recently announced the appointment of Sen. Steve Meredith, R-Leitchfield, as co-chair of the newly established The Cabinet for Health and Family Services Organizational Structure, Operations and Administrative Task Force, which will conduct business through the 2022 Interim Session of the Kentucky General Assembly.

The task force will study organizational structure, operations and administration of programs, policies and procedures within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. It will also receive input from cabinet officials as well as advocates and recipients of its services and programs.

“The Cabinet for Health and Family Services is the largest cabinet within our state government and touches the lives of every single resident across Kentucky,” Meredith said. “I’m optimistic about our efforts to examine ways to improve the health outcomes of the Commonwealth, control health care costs within Medicaid and adequately protect and serve our most vulnerable citizens. We will be diligent in our efforts and encourage and appreciate the input of all stakeholders.”

The task force will report findings to the Legislative Research Commission by Dec. 1. for referral to the appropriate standing committee with jurisdiction over the policy area.

“Prior to entering public service, Sen. Meredith spent his entire professional career in the healthcare industry,” Senate President Robert Stivers said. “Steve brings a vital level of private sector expertise to this task force and I am grateful to have him lead this collaborative effort.”

A legislative task force is also known as a special committee. They are established by the Legislative Research Commission and function primarily during the interim, typically studying a specific topic. The CHFS task force is one of six new task forces established to conduct business through the Interim.

Additional task forces include:

The Bourbon Barrel Taxation Task Force — Created to study the current ad valorem tax rate structure for bourbon barrel sales in the commonwealth.

The Benefits Cliff Task Force — Created to review the impact of the public assistance benefits cliff on labor force participation, employment, wages, and benefit duration and usage in the commonwealth and develop public policy recommendations to support working families in transitioning off of public assistance into gainful employment and self-sufficiency.

The Early Childhood Education Task Force — Created to conduct a comprehensive review of the commonwealth’s early childhood caregiving and educational structures and operations.

The Emergency Medical Services Task Force — Created to study the provision of emergency medical services in Kentucky.

The Executive Branch Efficiency Task Force — Created to study the effectiveness of current executive branch cabinet working procedures for administering services to citizens of the commonwealth.

The 2022 Interim Session will serve as a primer for the 2023 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly, as legislative efforts in the months ahead will be a critical element in the crafting of potential legislation.

Visit legislature.ky.gov for details on Meredith and more information on legislative committees, such as membership and scheduling. Tune in to live interim coverage at ket.org/legislature or via the Legislative Research Commission YouTube Channel. Archived legislative footage can be accessed there and at KET.org/legislature/archives.

— Submitted