FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- As temperatures soared outside, there was also plenty of heat inside the State Capitol.
The politics of the pension crisis erupted on the House floor as the special session to craft an emergency pension bill got underway.
House Democrats complained that the proclamation issued by Gov. Matt Bevin to call the special session was too narrow.
Minority Leader Rocky Adkins said the language is so restrictive that Bevin is essentially telling lawmakers what to do.
"This, in my opinion, may be the first step of driving that stake in the heart of legislative independence," said Adkins on the House floor.
House Minority Leader Rocky Adkins being interviewed by WDRB's Lawrence Smith
Republican Speaker Pro Tem David Meade fired back, pointing out that governors have issued very narrow calls in the past, and that Democrats never griped when they were in control.
"Let's stop the rhetoric, and let's get down to business and do what we were elected to do," said Meade.
When the smoke cleared, lawmakers did get down to business by introducing three bills, one filed by a Republican and two by Democrats.
All take different approaches to helping regional universities and so-called quasi-government agencies, such as health departments and rape crisis centers, deal with a crippling increase in pension costs.
The governor rolled out his proposal more than two months ago as a replacement for a measure that he vetoed in April after lawmakers had ended their regular session.
The Republican bill freezes the agencies' pension contribution rate for one year, and then offers several options for the agencies to either stay in or buy their way out of the state pension system.
The bills put forth by Democrats would indefinitely freeze contributions and redirect excess retiree health insurance payments for five years to fund the pension liabilities. Democrats say that would be paid back after the five years by higher annual payments to the retiree health insurance fund.
Adkins hopes the ideas offered by Democrats get a fair hearing.
"We need to work across the aisle, we need the stakeholders involved, we need a bipartisan effort moving forward," Adkins told reporters.
House Speaker David Osborne made no promises, acknowledging the restrictions of the governor's proclamation.
"We're open to all thoughts and ideas, but again, the call is going to limit us to some degree as to what we can do," said Osborne.
The opening session lasted just one hour before adjourning for the day.
Lawmakers return to work at noon on Saturday. The session still expected to wrap up by next Wednesday.
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