10/8/03 - HB255, a bill intended to aid Kentucky truckers facing heavy usage taxes in the state, is dead.
House lawmakers failed to concur with Senate amendments to the bill, effectively killing it.
It would have exempted trucks from the usage tax while not increasing the fees.

3/6/03 - Efforts are moving forward in Kentucky to aid truckers facing heavy usage taxes in that state.
The current tax can run up to $6,000 on a $110,000 truck.
Amendments exempting truckers from the tax were added to two bills, HB255 and HB293.
HB255 passed the Senate 30-1 March 5 and is on its way back to the House. If the House concurs with the amendment, it will go to the governor for his signature.
HB293 was given a stamp of approval by the Senate Appropriations and Revenue Committee, which passed it on to the Rules Committee. That panel must approve the measure before it can go to the full Senate.
Both bills would exempt trucks from the usage tax; HB293 would increase registration fees on trucks to make up for the lost revenue, while HB255 would not increase the fees.
For either bill to make it back to the House or become law, it must first pass the Senate by today.
For bill status, call 1-877-215-0023.

3/4/03 - State senators have added a provision to a bill that would give truckers a break from heavy usage taxes in the state.
The tax relief had been offered earlier in HB349. However, that bill's prospects were considered uncertain, and supporters said they hoped to amend its provisions into a bill in the Senate.
That effort bore fruit March 3 when a provision to exempt large trucks from the state's usage tax was added to HB255. The amendment to the bill would not increase registration fees, and it would charge a county clerk fee of $10, not $20.
The measure has been sent to the Senate Rules Committee, which will vote this week on whether to pass it to the full Senate.
Under the rules for this session, for an amended bill to become law, it must first pass the Senate before Thursday, March 6, and then pass the House.
It is vital you contact the Senate Rules Committee members as well as members of the full Senate and let them know how important this bills is to you as a Kentucky trucker.

Senate Rules Committee members to contact:

Sen. David L. Williams, Chair
Sen. Daniel Kelly, Vice Chair
Sen. Charlie Borders
Sen. Bob Jackson
Sen. Richard Roeding
Sen. Elizabeth Tori
Sen. Johnny Ray Turner
Sen. Ed Worley

For contact information for the committee members and the full Senate, visit www.lrc.state.ky.us/senate/senmembers.htm, or call OOIDA's membership department at 1-800-444-5791 and they'll look it up.