And yet, in less than 24 legislative days, we did just that -- andmore. These landmark successes are the highlights of a long agenda forthe short amount of time we had. Better still, they were enacted the right way: By working together across party lines, by guaranteeing open debate and by following well-tested rules that made sure we would not make a misstep in the sometimes frantic last moments of the session, as unfortunately has happened in past years.

This does not lessen the importance of the issues that were still unresolved during the veto period last week. On the contrary, rushing through them would have short changed public debate and likely produced unintended consequences.

If we had taken these issues up, the legislature would have faced a ticking clock to consider such prominent subjects as:

Whether to give a $25 million taxpayer subsidy to help current homeowners buy or build new homes, during a time when our schools and health and human services are struggling.

What approach we should take to issue bonds for mega-projects like the Louisville bridges.

Whether to make Kentucky more open to nuclear plants and allow drilling on state- and university-owned property without any study.

Whether tax incentives for the Kentucky Speedway should encourage the hiring of Kentucky workers to build the NASCAR race track expansion.

These are important issues, all worthy of debate and public input, but none are true emergencies and none should be rushed.

The Louisville bridges project, for example, is fully funded in our road plan during this fiscal year and next, and according to the Transportation Cabinet will not be delayed by waiting on this legislation.

The NASCAR race incentive is also an important priority, but surely no one disputes that these generous tax breaks should go to support Kentucky workers. The House will not budge from its protection of jobs for hard-working Kentucky families.

Ecclesiastes tells us "to every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven."

With that in mind, the House will give full consideration to these issues in the months ahead, and the end result will be better legislation.

None of this, however, should cloud the fact that many of the laws from the 2009 regular session will have a positive impact on the state for generations. What the House, Senate and Gov. Beshear were able to accomplish during this time was truly historic.

GREG STUMBO

Speaker of the House

of Representatives

Frankfort, Ky. 40601