Kentucky Gov. Paul Patton (D) is taking another run at reforming the state's black-lung program, vowing to push "in the strongest of terms" for a rollback of current rules."For the coal industry, that's one of the biggest, if not the biggest, issue we'll see," Kentucky Coal Association president Bill Caylor told COAL Daily.At the beginning of the 2002 legislative session this week, Patton told lawmakers that he intends to introduce a bill that would broaden black-lung eligibility rules so more miners could qualify for benefits. It mirrors legislation pushed by Patton in the 2001 session but later killed by state Senate Republicans.
展开▼
