KY lawmakers override Beshear’s budget vetoes, pass abortion bills on final day
On the final day of Kentucky’s 2020 General Assembly, lawmakers risked gathering during the coronavirus pandemic to override Gov. Andy Beshear’s vetoes of parts of five budget and revenue bills and passed two abortion bills.
The Republican-controlled House started the action Wednesday by voting 57-33 to ignore the Democratic governor’s decisions to strike out 18 sections of House Bill 352, the $11.4 billion, one-year executive branch budget bill.
The Republican-led Senate later in the day overrode the vetoes in the budget bill on a vote of 27-7.
Several Democrats in both chambers objected that the vetoes in the budget bill were considered collectively instead of individually.
Beshear said he did not veto any specific appropriations in the budget bills, but said his vetoes were needed to ensure that he has the flexibility to continue Kentucky’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
House budget chairman Steve Rudy, R-Paducah, said on the House floor Wednesday that he did not see how the legislature is restricting the governor’s flexibility.
“If he needs more flexibility, we are willing to work with him,” said Rudy.
Beshear vetoed parts of five budget bills: House Bill 351, HB 352, HB 353, HB 354 and HB 356.
The vetoes included language establishing a renewable chemical tax credit, language dealing with computer services that Beshear said would harm his efforts to handle a massive spike in unemployment insurance claims, language to abolish the requirement that government agencies publish many legal notices in large newspapers, and language that the secretary of state’s approval would be needed before a governor could make changes to an election during a state of emergency.
Beshear also vetoed language that gives the state treasurer authority to approve the use of state aircraft by cabinet secretaries for out-of-state travel.
By early Wednesday afternoon, the House had overriden the vetoes in all the budget and revenue bills except HB 356, the judicial budget. The Senate later did the same.
The Senate also gave final passage Wednesday to House Bill 405, a constitutional amendment that would increase the term of office for Commonwealth’s attorneys from six years to eight years in 2025 and increase the experience requirement to be a district judge from two to eight years in 2022.
The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, said the changes need to be put in motion this year to help with judicial redistricting next year to reduce unequal caseloads in districts.
Voters will decide its fate at the polls in November. The governor has no say over constitutional amendments.
HB 405 is the second constitutional amendment to be approved by this year’s legislature. On Tuesday, the legislature signed off on Senate Bill 15, known as Marsy’s Law, that deals with crime victims’ rights.
Also, the Senate approved an amended House Bill 32 to create a preparedness task force for emergencies like COVID-19. It is to submit recommendations to legislative leaders in December.
The Senate Wednesday night did not confirm former Gov. Matt Bevin’s appointment of Brett Gaspard to the Kentucky Lottery Board. Gaspard, of Northern Kentucky, had been Bevin’s appointments chief.
Two abortion bills approved
In the final hours of the session, lawmakers approved an abortion bill.
Senate Bill 9 is designed to protect infants “born alive” after a botched abortion. Lawmakers added to it provisions from House Bill 451, which would expand powers of Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron to take civil or criminal action against any abortion facility.
The expansion to SB 9 also would give Cameron authority to seek injunctive relief for violations of emergency orders issued by the governor banning elective medical procedures, “including but not limited to abortions.”
That would give Cameron the ability to shut down abortions during the coronavirus pandemic, an action Beshear has not taken.
Sen. Whitney Westerfield, R-Hopkinsvile, predicted Beshear will veto the bill. If he does, legislators will not have a chance to override any veto.
This story was originally published April 15, 2020 at 1:16 PM.
