As expected, Kentucky’s Republican-dominated legislature flexed its muscles Thursday and voted overwhelmingly along party lines to override Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of a bill to halt his restrictions on conversion therapy and keep Medicaid from covering transgender medical care. They also overturned Beshear’s veto of a bill that clarifies the state’s abortion ban.
House Bill 495 will become law immediately because it has an emergency clause.
HB 495 was sponsored by Rep. David Hale to overturn Gov. Beshear’s conversion therapy executive order that some opponents say infringed upon free speech, religious liberty and parental rights. It received the GOP-dominated support in advancing to the governor’s desk where he vetoed it.
But the lawmakers had the final say and showed it in overwhelming fashion in the first of two days where they can override his vetoes.
Early Thursday afternoon, the House voted to override the veto 78-20 along party lines.
A few hours later, the Senate voted 31-6 to override the veto.
In 2024, Beshear signed an executive order to end the practice on Kentucky minors. Faith-based counselors balked at the move.
“Conversion therapy has no basis in medicine or science and causes significant long term damage to our kids, including increased rates of suicide, anxiety and depression,” Beshear wrote in his veto message. “As leaders and policy makers, we should be in the business of protecting our citizens and kids from harm, not subjecting them to discredited methods that jeopardize their health, well-being and safety.”
David Walls, executive director of The Family Foundation of Kentucky, said Beshear’s executive order was “a one-sided counseling ban.” He applauded lawmakers for their action.
“Today’s vote to override Gov. Beshear veto of HB 495 is a win for free speech, religious liberty, and for fiscal and moral sanity. Gov. Beshear’s brazen ‘conversion therapy’ executive order was a one-sided counseling ban that directly attacked free speech and Christian convictions. Overturning this unconstitutional order ensures that Kentucky counselors and pastors can once again share the truth about God’s design for gender and sexuality.
“Further, the idea that state taxpayers should be footing the bill for gender mutilating treatments of any individual is outrageous. … To use taxpayer funds for such purposes is not only poor stewardship but encourages individuals to undergo irreparable harm to their person. It’s not possible to change a person’s sex, and government has no place in promoting or subsidizing such madness.”
House Bill 90, the abortion law, adds to Kentucky law an itemized list of conditions where doctors can legally end a pregnancy including during hemorrhage, ectopic and molar pregnancies. It also opened the door for freestanding birth centers in Kentucky.
Like HB 495, the override for HB 90 came in large numbers along party lines.
Addia Wuchner, executive director of Kentucky Right to Life, applauded the override by lawmakers.
“House Bill 90 ensures comprehensive maternal health care that brings much-needed clarity and expands care options for Kentucky women and the setting where she would like to have her child,” she said. “It provides options and support for women and families facing serious pregnancy complications. And most importantly, HB 90 reinforces in statute that there is no ambiguity in Kentucky law regarding obstetrical care versus intentional abortion, ensuring Kentucky women the maternal healthcare they need and deserve.”
Overrides on higher education bills
Republican lawmakers overturned Beshear vetoes on HB 4 and HB 424 Thursday night.
HB 4 eliminates diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives at Kentucky’s public universities. HB 424 supporters say it is about employment contracts at universities although opponents said it would injure academic tenure at the state’s public universities and colleges.
Both were overridden by large margins along party lines.
By Mark Maynard, Kentucky Today
