Gov. Beshear allows bill weakening coal mine safety to become law without his signature
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear has allowed to become law House Bill 196, which will reduce from two to one the number of mine emergency technicians, or METs, who must be present at Kentucky coal mines when there are 10 or fewer miners working.
The bill, passed overwhelmingly in the Republican-dominated legislature, went to the secretary of state’s office on Monday without Beshear’s signature or veto. It became law on Tuesday.
A mine emergency technician is a miner trained and certified to provide basic medical care in case of injury or sickness. The 40 hours of training required for METs is free and provided by the state.
Supporters of the bill said weakening the law will financially help coal companies that can’t always find two trained METs for every shift.
Opponents said the change will put miners at risk. They cited the 2005 death of David “Bud” Morris, who received inadequate medical care from the sole MET on duty at his Harlan County mine after he was struck from behind by a loaded coal hauler.
Morris’ widow, Stella, pleaded with lawmakers during her legislative committee testimony this year to keep the requirement for two METs at all coal mines. A second and more competent MET might have saved her husband’s life had he been on site, Stella Morris said.
“For the last 19 years, I’ve had to deal with the fact of knowing had there been another medic on duty that day, we may still have Bud here,” Stella Morris said. “My son wouldn’t have had to grow up without his father.”
Kentucky lawmakers, including some with personal ties to the coal industry, have been trying to weaken the requirement for two METs in smaller coal mines since shortly after they first enacted the law in 2007, partly in response to Morris’ death.
The bill that succeeded this year was sponsored by state Rep. John Blanton, R-Salyersville.
Beshear called the bill “a mixed bag” because it reduces the number of METs at small coal mines but increases the number at some large mines. For underground mines only, it adds one additional MET for each additional 50 miners at underground mines that have over 50 miners.
This story was originally published March 26, 2025 at 1:29 PM.
