Amid the bill signings Gov. Andy Beshear has conducted since the 2024 regular session of the General Assembly adjourned on Monday, April 15, he has also vetoed three measures passed by lawmakers.
One of them was Senate Bill 28, which deals with podiatry. It would change state law to add the scope of practice for podiatric residents and podiatric assistants; add qualifications to acquire a podiatry license; and include podiatric resident and assistant licenses to the licenses the Board of Podiatry can deny, refuse to renew, suspend, place on probation or revoke.
In his veto message, the Governor stated: “SB 28 has significant constitutional violations and would give the State Board of Podiatry nearly unfettered authority to deny podiatry license for almost any reason.”
House Bill 771 would permit the establishment of spendthrift trusts and establish rules for them. Spendthrift trusts give an independent trustee the authority to manage the trust’s funds for the beneficiary, while preventing the beneficiary from selling or giving away their equitable interest in the trust.
“HB 771 would repeal an entire statutory chapter governing spendthrift trusts that would change existing trusts,” Beshear said in his veto message. “The General Assembly could avoid this unintended consequence by not erasing the current law. Otherwise, if the bill goes into effect before the 2025 legislative session, parties and individuals involved in estate planning would be significantly harmed.”
Senate Joint Resolution 176 would establish the Workforce Attraction and Retention Task Force which would meet monthly during the 2024 Interim of the General Assembly. It would also require the Cabinet for Economic Development to hire the consulting and strategic firm and provide a report to the task force by November 1, 2024, who would in turn submit it to lawmakers by December 1.
“SJR 176 requires the Cabinet for Economic Development to hire a consulting firm, yet does not provide any funding to the Cabinet to do so,” Beshear said.
He noted in his veto message that another measure, HB 263, provided $260,000 for a working group to be established by the Legislative Research Commission.
“Therefore, the LRC has the funding and authorization to form the group, making SJR 176 unnecessary.”
Since lawmakers have adjourned, they will have no opportunity to override these or any other vetoes Beshear may make.
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Written by Tom Latek of KY Today. Cross-posted from the NKY Tribune.
