King donates special session pay to Red Cross

Since taking office last year, State Rep. Kim King (R-Mercer) has insisted that legislators should not be paid for budget-related special sessions.

Mallory Bilger

Hobert Judd, right, accepts a check from State Rep. Kim King on behalf of the American Red Cross. King donated her pay from this year’s special session to the Red Cross.

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On April 24, she put her money where her mouth is and announced that the pay she will receive from the recent special session will be donated to the American Red Cross.
And not just her net pay. King said she will donate her gross pay, even though she has already paid taxes on the amount.
“Last time I donated the money to Kentucky Right to Life,” King said. “This year I’m donating to the Red Cross. With all the storm damage, I’m sure their resources have been depleted.”
One of King’s first efforts after being elected was to sponsor legislation to ban lawmakers involved in budget-related special sessions from being paid.
She sponsored House Bill 36 in 2011, and House Bill 413 this year, but said neither ever made it to the House floor for a vote.
That, she blames, on the Democrat-controlled committees that refused to let the bills be heard.
“That’s one of the most frustrating things I’ve learned during my first term, is how much power committee chairs have over any piece of legislation,” King said, noting that it costs taxpayers an estimated $63,000 each day to have legislators in special session.
Another bill King created when she first entered office was House Bill 81, which called for all votes on fiscal measures to be done by roll call.
“It was for anything to do with money,” she said. “It called for a visual account, not just yeas and nays.”
King represents Anderson, Mercer and a portion of Spencer County as part of the 55th District.