Legislative round-up: Clock stops, Beshear disappointed, and pension, ethics bills dead

As the annual legislative session in Kentucky wound to a close yesterday evening, members of the House and Senate scrambled to salvage bills from the scrapheap. Ryan Alessi reports legislators froze their clocks for a half-hour to avoid a midnight deadline for the end of session. Despite the tactics, many highly-touted bills did not survive. Among the legislative casualties were a pensions package and an ethics reform bill. Alessi also reports last-minute efforts pushed through $75 million in water and sewage reports. Governor Steve Beshear's assessment of the session reported by Polwatchers was succint:

"I think in many ways it's been a disappointing session."

Beshear's attempts this session to legalize casino gaming and to significantly increase cigarette taxes were unsuccessful. The Governor reportedly tried to help push through pension reform shortly before midnight on Tuesday, to no avail.