House panel OKs public-private partnership bill

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Supporters have made headway with a bill that would allow Kentucky’s government to partner with private sources for a range of projects including big-dollar transportation work.

The legislation would allow for the formation of public-private partnerships in which a private company could construct, finance or operate a public facility.

The bill won bipartisan approval from the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee on Tuesday.

Gov. Steve Beshear vetoed a similar bill last year because of language inserted that would have banned the use of tolls to fund a new Brent Spence Bridge linking northern Kentucky and Cincinnati.

An attempt to insert the anti-toll language into this year’s bill was defeated by the committee on Tuesday.

The bill’s supporters say a public-private partnership would be an option to fund such a project.