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FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) - Gov. Andy Beshear has now vetoed a total of eight bills passed by the 2025 General Assembly, which he described as "bills that harm Kentucky workers or violate our constitution and longstanding laws," all of which were passed in the last two days before lawmakers went on a 10-day recess.
The latest bills Beshear vetoed on Monday include:
--House Bill 6, which he says violates the Kentucky Constitution by giving the Legislative Branch and its employees a veto of administrative regulations issued by the Executive Branch. In the Governor's veto message he wrote, "The Kentucky Supreme Court ruled more than 40 years ago that the General Assembly cannot interfere with the Executive Branch's authority to file regulations to carry out the law."
If overridden and not halted by court action, Beshear states HB 6 will prevent the implementation of numerous bills passed this session. Read the veto message.
--House Bill 398 abandons Kentucky's longstanding policies that protect Kentucky workers. The bill would make Kentuckians less safe in the workplace and hand over much of the authority to regulate, investigate and enforce Kentucky workplace safety and health standards to the federal government. For example, Kentucky workers would lose important safeguards related to fall protection, exposure to toxic and hazardous materials, high voltage electrical lines and bulk hazardous liquid unloading.
In the governor's veto message he wrote, "House Bill 398 will lead to more workplace injuries, with Kentucky workers paying the price."
--Senate Bill 65 is another instance of legislative overreach that violates the Kentucky Constitution, according to Beshear. The bill would void and nullify administrative regulations filed by Executive Branch agencies, including three that were before a subcommittee for informational review only. Read the veto message.
--Senate Bill 84 was vetoed because Beshear believes the bill violates the separation of powers. It prohibits courts from deferring to a state agency's interpretation of any statute, administrative regulation or order. The Governor wrote in his veto message, "The Judicial Branch is the only branch with the power and duty to decide these questions."
The General Assembly can still have the last word on the eight vetoes when they return for the final two days of the session on Thursday and Friday. It only takes a simple majority in both the House and Senate to override the vetoes, and the legislation will become law.
