Governor Andy Beshear continues to review dozens of bills passed in the 2021 session. While the governor has signed some measures into law, including four KLC initiatives, he stated at a Monday news conference that he has also vetoed several measures, with more vetoes expected.
Legislators passed more than 170 bills before they broke last week for a 10-day veto recess. The governor has 10 days (excluding Sundays) to act on a measure once he has received the bill. The last day Beshear can act on any bill passed so far this session is Friday, March 26. If the governor does not act on a measure, it will take effect without his signature.
The 2021 session resumes March 29, and legislators must adjourn by 11:59p.m. EDT on March 30. The Republican supermajorities can override any veto with constitutional majorities ‒ 51 votes in the House and 20 votes in the Senate. Measures the governor vetoed on Monday [House Bills 275, 394 and 518 and Senate Bills 93 and 228] pertain to gubernatorial authority.
While legislators can pass bills during the final two days of the session, any veto the governor issues for those measures would stand.
As of Monday, Governor Beshear had signed 65 bills into law, including the following KLC initiatives:
- House Bill 179, sponsored by Representative Phillip Pratt (R-Georgetown), amends alcohol regulatory licensing fee legislation passed in the 2019 session to clarify that cities and counties that voted to go wet with a local-option election held between July 15, 2014, and July 15, 2018, can enact the fee.
- House Bill 238, sponsored by Representative DJ Johnson (R-Owensboro), helps cities find qualified people to serve on utility commissions by allowing a minority number of commissioners to reside outside city limits.
- Senate Bill 80, sponsored by Senator Danny Carroll (R-Paducah), strengthens Kentucky’s police decertification law.
- Senate Bill 88, sponsored by Senator Phillip Wheeler (R-Pikeville), modernizes how cities file boundary changes with the Secretary of State’s Office.
Governor Beshear said he will release more information on Tuesday regarding measures he has acted on pertaining to public protection, and he intends to address education bills on Wednesday.
