Legislative Advocacy

The Chamber’s No. 1 strategic plan goal is to be the leading business advocacy group in the region. This is done by building rapport with elected officials at all levels. The Chamber’s Advocacy Task Force spearheads these efforts. Rallying members’ collective interests in Frankfort and Washington D.C. is Chamber advocacy!

CONTRACT LOBBYIST:
The Chamber is one of the few in Kentucky to contract with a lobbying firm during the Kentucky General Assembly. The Frankfort Capital Link team that includes Owensboro natives “Smitty Taylor” and Russ Woodward works for the Chamber.

LEGISLATIVE POLICY POSITIONS:
Each year, the Chamber surveys its members on a variety of issues. Results from the survey are used by the Advocacy Task Force to craft pro-business and pro-Owensboro legislative policy positions. These positions are communicated to the governor and legislators.

INITIATIVES FOR THE NEW KENTUCKY (INK):
Governor Steve Beshear signed HB3—sweeping reform of Kentucky’s economic incentives plans—on August 12, 2009 in Owensboro. Thebill includes credits for qualifying manufacturers, high-tech firms and small businesses as well as tax credits for film and Broadway show production in the state. Many of these provisions were policy priorities of the Chamber during recent legislative sessions.

TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT:
The Chamber has been the leading advocate of highway projects in the region. This includes the Congressional designation of the Audubon and Natcher parkways as future Interstate spurs. Additionally, the Chamber lobbied for construction funding of the U.S. 60 bypass extension in eastern Daviess County that will be the final piece of a new 100-mile, four-lane corridor connecting I-64 and I-65.

INTERSTATE 69:
Through its work with the C-LINK alliance of 12 chambers of commerce in ten northwestern Kentucky counties, the Chamber is advocating the development of the I-69 corridor through Kentucky.

LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEE MEETINGS:
The Chamber has hosted two legislative committee events since 2006 bringing law makers from across the state to Owenboro.

DOWNTOWN OWENSBORO REDEVELOPMENT:
The Chamber supports the ongoing work to transform Owensboro’s downtown. In May of 2009, the Chamber took 26 members to Greenville SC to see how proactive downtown development can make an entire community prosper.