FRANKFORT, KY (April 9, 2008) – Gov. Steve Beshear today signed into law four bills passed by the current session of the Kentucky General Assembly. The new laws include measures relating to corporation income tax and limited liability entity tax, changes relating to plastic container labeling requirements, long-term care insurance and trauma care.

HB 259, sponsored by Rep. Jeff Greer (D-Brandenburg), created the Kentucky Long-Term Care Partnership Program that encourages individuals to obtain long-term care insurance by allowing them to still qualify for Medicaid services without exhausting all of their assets and resources. This will allow these individuals to protect come of their personal assets, up to the benefits of the policy, from estate recovery.

“No longer will the elderly who have worked all their lives to have a home and some money saved be forced to lose all of those assets in order to access long-term care,” said Gov. Beshear. “This bill is a significant step in helping consumers plan their retirement with more confidence in their long-term financial viability. I want to congratulate Rep. Greer and thank him for recognizing this opportunity and pushing this legislation.”

HB 371, sponsored by Rep. Bob DeWeese (R-Louisville), provides a mechanism by which an office of trauma care will be created and charged with developing trauma prevention programs, a trauma registry, continuing education for professionals and a coordinated trauma network.

“It’s not often you can say that a specific piece of legislation has the potential to save lives. But, in this case, it’s true,” said Gov. Beshear. “Many areas of Kentucky, particularly rural areas, lack good trauma care, something that contributes to higher rates of death and permanent disability as a result of violent accidents. With the work of Rep. Bob DeWeese, we now have legislation that can address this in a meaningful way.”