Uphold the Veto
The Governor has now vetoed several bills on KCC’s “oppose” list. These bills will now go back to the legislature when the General Assembly resumes on March 29-30, where they may or may not vote to override.
Actions to take:
We are asking you to contact your legislators by email or phone (1-800-372-7181) and ask for them to “uphold the Governor’s veto” on these bills. Thank them if they voted with the KCC position previously (you will find a link to their voting record at the end of each bill). If they did not vote with KCC’s position, ask them to “reverse their position and uphold the veto.” Also please contact General Assembly leadership with the same message.
SB93 (KCC Oppose) Authorizes the Commissioner of Agriculture, rather than the Governor, to appoint members of the State Board of Agriculture. See the full veto message on Senate Bill 93 here.
“…Senate Bill 93 violates the Kentucky Constitution by attempting to completely remove the appointing authority of the Governor for the State Board of Agriculture – a board within the executive department.”
HB272 (KCC Strong Oppose) The bill allows water districts and water associations to impose a 10% late fee with no public service commission oversight (even though these districts are regulated by the PSC and they determined that late fees have no real impact). See the full veto message on House Bill 272 here.
“I am vetoing House Bill 272 because it is unconstitutional and puts Kentuckians’ lives at risk by attempting to prevent them from being able to be healthy at home during the COVID-19 pandemic by disconnecting utilities for nonpayment of bills or late fees and penalties….”
ADDITIONAL ACTION: Contact your legislators who supported the bill in their last vote and as them to reverse their position and uphold the Governor’s veto. Cite information provided in the veto language. Then ask your Mayor to contact the Ky. League of Cities to reverse their position on this bill.
HB312 (KCC Strong Oppose) Proposes significant changes to the state's public records law, creating certain state residency standards for open records requests. Allows lawmakers to have a final say over whether to release records relating to themselves. See the full veto message on HB312 here.
“I am vetoing House Bill 312 because it defeats the entire purpose of the Kentucky Open Records Act. The bill would shield the Legislative Branch from providing public records, and would make it the judge of what records it should produce with no ability for a citizen to appeal that decision to a judge. It would also prevent any nonresident of Kentucky from being able to have access to public records.”
HB394 (KCC Oppose) Gives the Fish and Wildlife Commission the sole authority to appoint and determine compensation for a commissioner, not the Governor. See the full veto message on HB394 here.
Time is Running out…Bills to Recommend for "Veto" Still on the Governor's Desk.
Contact the Governor's Office at this link.
HB386 (KCC Strong Oppose) Water Quality: Requires that mixing zones for bioaccumulative chemicals of concern established on or before September 8, 2004, remain in effect until explicitly extinguished by the Energy and Environment Cabinet. This bill would interfere with the Cabinet's authority to exercise its best professional judgment on a permit-by-permit basis to prevent pollutants from accumulating rather than dispersing in Kentucky waterbodies and is special legislation benefiting a single company.
HB207 (KCC Strong Oppose) Energy Use/Local Control: Limits local governments from taking any legislative or executive action that impairs a consumer's ability to use certain fossil fuels. Discourages the transition to clean energy when cities wish to adopt codes that encourage low-carbon options.
SB255 (KCC Strong Oppose) Energy Use: Asks for Kentucky to "become a national leader in emerging industries which use substantial amounts of energy" by including cryptocurrency facilities with a minimum capital investment of one million dollars in Kentucky's energy-related business incentives program.
HB230 (KCC Oppose) . Energy Subsidies: Provides sales and use tax exemption from equipment and energy used for commercial mining of cryptocurrency using blockchain technology (see SB255 above). Our allies at Ky. Center for Economic Policy also oppose this significant tax giveaway.