The Kentucky Legislative Research Commission announced Thursday the 10 legislators who will staff their annexation study task force.
The task force is part of an agreement relating to Kentucky Senate Bill 141, which placed a moratorium on cities’ ability to annex unincorporated county land unless they could demonstrate economic need that could not be met without annexation or if a property owner requested annexation into a city.
Many local leaders viewed the bill as a way of eroding the power of urban jurisdictions in the state.
Annexation occurs when a city absorbs part of unincorporated county land on its borders into the official area of the city, often for the purpose of development.
Historically, cities could do this independently or at the request of landowners who wanted to be included in the city’s political boundaries. Upon the annexation of a land parcel, the city takes responsibility for its infrastructure and services. Many cities in the Northern Kentucky region border unincorporated land.
The task force will meet regularly during the interim session to study the current laws surrounding county annexation and consider whether they should be reformed. The task force must submit their findings to the Legislative Research Commission by Nov. 1. An exact meeting schedule has not yet been set.
Senate President Robert Stivers and House Speaker David Osborne appointed the following members of the General Assembly to the task force:
Sen. Robby Mills, Co-Chair (R – Henderson, Hopkins, Union & Webster Counties)
Rep. Jonathan Dixon, Co-Chair (R – Henderson County)
Sen. Michael J. Nemes (R – Bullitt & Jefferson Counties)
Sen. Robert Stivers (R – Clay, Jackson, Knox, McCreary, Owsley & Whitley Counties)
Sen. Phillip Wheeler (R – Elliott, Johnson, Lawrence, Martin & Pike Counties)
Sen. David Yates (D – Jefferson County)
Rep. Randy Bridges (R – Livingston & McCracken Counties)
Rep. Beverly Chester-Burton (D – Jefferson County)
Rep. Michael Meredith (R – Edmonso & Warren Counties)
Rep. Michael Sarge Pollock (R – Marion & Taylor counties)