FRANKFORT, KY (June 8, 2022) – Senate Leadership recently announced the appointment of Sen. Robby Mills (R-Henderson) as co-chair of the newly established Executive Branch Efficiency Task Force, which will conduct business through the 2022 Interim of the Kentucky General Assembly.
The task force was created to study the effectiveness of the current executive branch cabinet procedures for administering services to Kentuckians. In addition, the task force will study the efficacy of the existing cabinet and its agencies in delivering government services to Commonwealth residents, along with the allocation of work and responsibility among employees and the potential division, realignment, consolidation, or placement under the authority of each cabinet’s individual board.
“Helping find ways to make our government work as effectively as possible is one of the reasons I chose public service, and I’m excited to examine ways to improve operations within the executive branch. This is inclusive of many different offices and a lot of dedicated state employees – there is a whole lot of bureaucracy too,” Mills said.
“I’ve represented constituents on the local and state level, and I’ve learned that state government can be difficult to navigate when constituents need help. It can also be frustrating if you’re an employee tasked with serving the public. Ensuring the best environment, practices and structures exist is an important goal if we are to provide the best service to Kentucky residents, as well as meeting the taxpayer’s expectations.. I am eager to explore how we can improve these efforts.”
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.
“As the chair of the Senate State and Local Government Committee and with 18 years serving as a City Commissioner in Henderson, Robby is familiar with the operations of government at all levels,” Senate President Robert Stivers said. “He will be vital in the success of this task force, and I am grateful to have him as the co-chair.”
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 Executive Branch Efficacy Task Force is one of six new task forces established to conduct business through the Interim.
Additional task forces include:
- 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.
- Bourbon Barrel Taxation Task Force — Created to study the current ad valorem tax rate structure for bourbon barrel sales in the commonwealth to increase tax revenue and new jobs by developing an ideal tax rate structure.
- The Cabinet for Health and Family Services Organizational Structure, Operations and Administrative Task Force — Created to study the organizational structure, operations and administration of programs, policies and procedures within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
- 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 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 Sen. Robby Mills 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.
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Senator Robby Mills, R-Henderson, represents the 4th District, which includes Henderson, Hopkins, Union and Webster Counties. Sen. Mills serves as the chair of the Senate Standing Committee on State and Local Government. He also serves as a member of the Senate Standing Committees on Veterans, Military Affairs, and Public Protection; Economic Development, Tourism, and Labor; and is a liaison member on the Budget Review Subcommittee on General Government, Finance, and Public Protection. Additionally, Sen. Mills serves as a member of the Public Pension Oversight Board.