Checks, balances, and the process of overriding vetoes
The legislative process is sacred: each piece of legislation has its chance to be vetted to ensure that every detail has been examined and the end product is the best possible. A core tenet of being a responsible lawmaker is taking the time to research, ask questions, and understand the issues at hand so we can make well informed votes about the legislation we are considering. This is all to say that, once legislation is passed, we are confident in the end product.
Another duty of the legislature is overriding the governor’s vetoes on legislation that has passed both chambers of the legislative branch. To override a veto, a vote from a simple majority of members in both the House and Senate must be cast. This means that 51 members of the House and 20 members of the Senate must vote in the affirmative. From there, the legislation is given to the Secretary of State to be enrolled in our statutes.
The legislature adjourned its final day for legislative business for the 2024 Regular Session on Monday, April 15, with over 200 pieces of legislation passed. For this update, I would like to inform you on some of the vetoes we overrode in our final days of this session.
Making Kentucky a Safer Place: HB 5, commonly known as the Safer Kentucky Act, included more than 20 provisions aimed at a variety of crime issues. This legislation was vetoed and overridden. The bill requires life without probation or parole for those convicted of their third violent felony. These are individuals who commit the most heinous of crimes, including murder and rape, multiple times. They have proven not once, not twice, but at least three times that they are too dangerous for society. HB 5 also increased the felony class for smuggling contraband substances within a jail, prison, or other type of detention center to a class C felony. As one of the more scrutinized pieces of legislation that we faced this session, we were more than comfortable overriding the Governor’s veto on this because of the amount of time, research, and due diligence performed to get this measure across the finish line.
Ensuring property owner rights: HB 18 was one of the very first vetoes we saw this session, and was overridden swiftly. This measure prohibits local governments from adopting or enforcing ordinances that require landlords and property owners to accept federal housing assistance funds like Section 8. While I generally support local control and local decision making, I believe that property owners have a fundamental right to make decisions about their property. Such bans would prevent property owners from assessing whether prospective tenants have a reliable source of income to pay for rent under the terms of their lease, which would limit the owner’s ability to make discretionary decisions about their property. Individuals should not be forced to accept less than market value, and they shouldn’t have to take a loss on their income or investment. Because of this, I proudly voted to override the Governor’s veto on HB 18.
Protecting agriculture: Another veto overridden by both chambers was the veto on SB 16. This measure prohibits the operation of any unmanned aircraft or recording device on or above any commercial animal or food manufacturing facility without written consent of the owner. There is hardly ever an appropriate time to spy on private land or business owners, and this measure simply protects those that go to work every day to ensure that we are fed.
Ensuring access to motor vehicle fuel: HB 581 prevents city, county, and other local governments from adopting ordinances that would prohibit gas stations from locating in certain areas or treat electric vehicle charging stations differently from gas stations. This measure was vetoed after being passed by a majority in both chambers and was overridden in the same fashion. The primary focus of the bill was to prevent local governments from favoring electric vehicles over traditional gas-powered vehicles. It is unfortunate that the Governor chose to veto a bill that will protect refueling services from politics.
I’m excited to report that Northern Kentucky will be receiving over $1 billion dollars in the next biennium for road and bridge projects. The condition of our roadways impacts our everyday lives. We use them to go to work, to bus our kids to school, and to go to church on Sunday. This funding puts our region in a good position and will help us continue to drive economic development and tourism in the coming years. Additionally, $5 million dollars will be returning to Boone County in FY 25 to support the consent decree remediation of the sanitation district.