Gov. Andy Beshear (D-KY) vetoed a comprehensive crime bill, citing the increased cost of incarceration as one of the key reasons for disapproving of the legislation.
“The legislature chose to include these good policies with dozens of other measures in one unwieldy bill that would criminalize homelessness and significantly increase incarceration costs without any additional appropriation,” Beshear said in his veto statement.
HB 5 passed in the Republican-dominated Kentucky legislature last month by a 27-9 vote in the state Senate and a 75-23 vote in the state House. However, it was vetoed by the Democratic governor on Tuesday. Beshear said that while some measures in the bill were good, he decided to veto the bill over concerns about illegal camping statutes and the lack of a fiscal impact statement for the bill.
“Despite the tremendous fiscal impact House Bill 5 would have on the Department of Corrections
and county governments, the General Assembly provided no fiscal impact analysis with the bill. For these reasons, I am vetoing House Bill 5,” he added.
The bill included several provisions to enhance punishments for various crimes and make other changes to the state’s criminal law, including making carjacking a separate crime.
One of the bill’s sponsors, Republican state Rep. Jared Bauman, told the Lexington Herald-Leader that he hoped Beshear would sign the bill and accused the governor of using “misinformation and fearmongering.”
“Instead, he once again uses misinformation and fearmongering to distract from the fact that his actions show he is more concerned about offending criminals than protecting innocent Kentuckians and advocating for victims,” he said.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
Because of the overwhelming majority with which the bill passed both chambers and only a simple majority being required to override vetoes, the bill may still be enacted into law.
Lawmakers in Kentucky will have the final two days of the legislative session to override Beshear’s vetoes if they choose to. During the 2023 legislative session, the legislature overrode all of Beshear’s vetoes.