Governor vetoes 12 bills
FRANKFORT, Ky. (March 25, 2025) – Gov. Andy Beshear has taken additional action by signing 20 bills. The Governor has vetoed 12 additional bills and returned four more bills without a signature.
“We’ve been laser focused on addressing the everyday needs of our Kentucky families and communities, and the 20 bills I signed do just that,” said Gov. Beshear. “For example, we will soon have new state laws that allow us to require a financial literacy course for high school students, that add protections against unemployment fraud and that further safeguard the distribution of opioid settlement funds.”
The Governor’s vetoes protect Kentuckians from unnecessary tolling on the I-69 Ohio River Crossing project and ensure Kentuckians’ access to clean water.
Gov. Beshear signed the following bills, which will become law on their effective dates:
House Bill 15 lowers the age at which Kentucky drivers can obtain instructional permits from 16 to 15 years old.
House Bill 45 strengthens campaign finance regulations.
House Bill 315 prohibits hostile foreign governments from indirectly owning, leasing or otherwise acquiring an interest in agricultural land in the commonwealth.
House Bill 321 addresses issues related to zoning map amendments.
House Bill 342 requires a financial literacy course in high school.
House Bill 422 makes procedural changes for how emergency regulations are administered through the Commonwealth Office of Technology.
House Bill 443 makes Kentucky Highway 80 in Perry, Knot and Floyd counties part of the Hal Rogers Parkway.
House Bill 537 provides clarity regarding the Opioid Abatement Fund. However, Gov. Beshear continues to raise concerns about how House Bill 6 will impact this bill.
House Bill 682 includes cable operators and broadband providers in the definitions of “utility” for reimbursement of costs associated with relocation of their facilities.
House Bill 701 safeguards the rights of Kentuckians to use and mine cryptocurrencies.
Senate Bill 27 requires the Cabinet for Health and Family Services to create and maintain a Kentucky Parkinson’s Disease Research Registry.
Senate Bill 68 makes several changes aligning with Kentucky Academic Standards. Additionally, it will reduce staff time costs at the Kentucky Department of Education.
Senate Bill 69 creates certification through the Kentucky Board of Veterinary Examiners to license qualified candidates to work in animal chiropractic and equine dentistry.
Senate Bill 129 allows governmental, quasi-governmental and nonprofit entities to purchase properties that have been placed in a tax delinquency diversion program.
Senate Bill 145 changes the period of time for which delinquency charges can be collected on vehicle payment installments.
Senate Bill 162 strengthens protections against unemployment fraud.
Senate Bill 179 appropriates $10 million to create the Nuclear Energy Development Grant Program. The measure aligns with the state’s energy strategy and new U.S. Department of Energy priorities.
Senate Bill 202 creates a licensing and regulatory framework for “intoxicating THC infused beverages” within the 3-tier system regulated by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.
Senate Bill 237 requires certain out-of-state peace officers, who were previously employed in another state for 10 years, to have passed a physical agility test in the state where they were certified.
Senate Bill 244 establishes the Department of Child Support Services and its offices within the Office of Attorney General’s Department of Law.
Gov. Beshear vetoed the following bills, which consistently encroach on the executive branch’s authority:
House Bill 2 – In the Governor’s veto message, he wrote, “At a time when Kentuckians are hurting because of higher prices at the grocery, the pump and for everyday consumer goods, prioritizing tax breaks for purchasers of gold is out of touch with reality for most people in Kentucky.” Read the veto message.
House Bill 90 restricts access to medical care, places barriers on doctors and undermines their clinical judgement, and threatens the life of pregnant women in Kentucky. In the veto message the Governor wrote, “The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists shares these concerns in urging me to veto House Bill 90 and clearly stating that it does not support this bill, contrary to the testimony before a legislative committee on the bill that misrepresented the organization’s position.” Read the veto message.
House Bill 136 would force the executive branch to breach a contract with a vendor opening the government up to costly litigation funded by taxpayers. Read the veto message.
House Bill 399 criminalizes interference with a legislative proceeding which is already subject to existing laws and is therefore unnecessary. Read the veto message.
House Bill 424 would limit employment protections for educators at Kentucky’s colleges and universities. In the Governor’s veto message, he wrote, “Team Kentucky’s goal should be to attract, recruit and retain the best and brightest minds at Kentucky’s universities and colleges…. House Bill 424 does the opposite.” Read the veto message.
House Bill 546 makes changes to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet’s Road Plan, and Gov. Beshear used his line-item veto authority to remove language that would have imposed tolls to fund, in part, the I-69 Ohio River Crossing project. In his veto message, he wrote, “In 2019 then-Governor Matt Bevin supported tolls for the Brent Spence Bridge connecting Covington with Cincinnati, which I opposed. Voters in Northern Kentucky soundly rejected tolls in the election that year. The Brent Spence Bridge project has no tolls and neither should the I-69 Ohio River Crossing.” Read the veto message.
House Bill 566 received line-item vetoes because it prevents the Governor from being able to fulfill his duty under the Kentucky Constitution that the laws are faithfully executed by the president of the Kentucky Horse Racing and Gaming Corporation. Among other concerns, the bill gives employees of the corporation the discretion to ignore the Executive Branch Ethics Code and allows the president of the corporation to hire gaming investigators that have police powers but do not have to have any training. In his veto message, the Governor wrote, “[I]t appears there may have been a significant conflict of interest in how the corporation went about drafting the bill.” Read the veto message.
House Bill 684 limits the forms of valid identification that may be used to allow a voter to cast a ballot, making it harder for Kentuckians to participate in the voting process. Read the veto message.
House Bill 694 breaks the promise made to Kentucky teachers in 2010 to fully fund health insurance for retirees by requiring teachers to pay a higher rate much longer than the law calls for. The Governor’s veto message says, “Breaking this promise is unfair to the teachers we rely on to guide our children and the future of the Commonwealth.” Read the veto message.
House Joint Resolution 30 seeks to appropriate funds through a resolution instead of through legislation. Because of that, Gov. Beshear line-item vetoed language to provide more flexibility for completing projects. Read the veto message.
Senate Bill 28 violates the Kentucky Constitution and will lead to the disclosure of confidential information on economic development projects. Read the veto message.
Senate Bill 89 eliminates protections currently in place to prevent pollution of groundwater and flooding of creeks, streams and rivers. Read the veto message.
The bills that were returned without the Governor’s signature:
House Joint Resolution 15 – The Governor’s action aims to show respect to the 79 faith leaders who opposed the resolution. In a letter, the faith leaders wrote, “We believe that this legislation is a misguided effort that will undermine the religious freedom we cherish as people of faith and leaders of faith communities.” In addition, based on actions in other states, the resolution is likely to be the subject of costly litigation funded by taxpayers.
House Bill 241 – The Governor’s action is due to the General Assembly’s contradiction of their own actions and attitudes toward in-person learning. The General Assembly previously mandated that children return to in-person learning during the pandemic, yet now they are promoting all-virtual learning.
Senate Bill 136 – The Governor’s action is due to the General Assembly not providing any funding to support the bill, which will cost taxpayers $500,000. In response, the state will have to ask a vendor to do programming and IT work for free. If a vendor is unable to do so, the Executive Branch will have to delay implementation until the General Assembly approves the needed funding.
Senate Bill 201 – The Governor’s action is due to the requirement that administrative law judges be confirmed by the General Assembly before they can begin their service. There is concern with not having enough administrative law judges and that members of the Senate may practice before these judges.
One more veto day remains before the General Assembly convenes for the last two days of the 2025 regular session, which concludes on Friday, March 28. Click here to read about bills the Governor took action on yesterday.
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