UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 1376
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AN ACT relating to the Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
ď˘Section 1. KRS 7.200 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) The Commission on Race and Access to Opportunity is hereby established within 4
the legislative department of state government. The purpose of the commission 5
shall be to conduct studies and research on issues where disparities may exist across 6
the sectors of educational equity, child welfare, health, economic opportunity, 7
juvenile justice, criminal justice, and any other sectors that are deemed relevant in 8
an effort to identify areas of improvement in providing services and opportunities 9
for minority communities. 10
(2) The commission shall be composed of the following thirteen (13) members: 11
(a) One (1) member appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of 12
the House of Representatives from a list of three (3) names provided by the 13
Prosecutors Advisory Council; 14
(b) Four (4) members of the Senate, two (2) of whom shall be appointed by the 15
Senate President, and two (2) of whom shall be appointed by the Senate 16
Minority Floor Leader; 17
(c) Four (4) members of the House of Representatives, two (2) of whom shall be 18
appointed by the Speaker of the House, and two (2) of whom shall be 19
appointed by the House Minority Floor Leader; and 20
(d) Four (4) members from the private and nonprofit sectors, universities, or local 21
governments who have expertise in social policy related to education, health, 22
economic development, or the law and who shall be appointed for up to two 23
(2) consecutive, three (3) year terms by the following: 24
1. One (1) shall be appointed by the Senate President; 25
2. One (1) shall be appointed by the Senate Minority Floor Leader; 26
3. One (1) shall be appointed by the Speaker of the House; and 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 1376
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4. One (1) shall be appointed by the House Minority Floor Leader. 1
(3) The President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House shall each appoint one (1) 2
co-chair of the commission from among that chamber's members appointed to the 3
commission. 4
(4) Any vacancy which may occur in the membership of the commission shall be filled 5
by the appointing authority who made the original appointment. 6
(5) Members described in subsection (2)(d) of this section who fail to attend fifty 7
percent (50%) of commission meetings in a calendar year may be recommended 8
to the appointing authority for replacement with new members. 9
(6) For any appointment or reappointment of members under this section, the 10
appointing authority shall forward a notice of appointment or reappointment to 11
the commission and the Legislative Research Commission. 12
(7)[(5)] The commission shall have the authority to: 13
(a) Hold monthly meetings during the interim meeting period of the General 14
Assembly; 15
(b) Seek comment, testimony, documents, records, or other information from 16
various government agencies and organizations representing the public to 17
address existing and potential barriers to minority success and empowerment; 18
and 19
(c) Provide research-driven policy proposals and actionable items when areas of 20
improvement are identified. 21
(8)[(6)] A majority of the entire membership of the commission shall constitute a 22
quorum. 23
(9)[(7)] The Legislative Research Commission shall have exclusive jurisdiction over 24
the employment of personnel necessary to carry out the provisions of this section. 25
(10)[(8)] The commission shall publish and submit an annual report to the Legislative 26
Research Commission with recommendations on any potential legislative or 27 UNOFFICIAL COPY 23 RS BR 1376
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administrative actions with respect to their findings. 1