In a move that was expected, Governor Andy Beshear has vetoed SB 150, the omnibus anti-trans bill passed by the Republicans in the General Assembly.
His veto message (attached below) lists a number of reasons for the veto, saying the bill “allows too much government interference in personal healthcare issues and rips away the freedom of parents to make medical decisions for their children.” He also notes that the bill “turns educators and administrators into investigators.”
Finally, he states that he is vetoing the bill because “my faith teaches me that all children are children of God, and Senate Bill 150 will endanger the children of Kentucky.”
The bill was initially sponsored by Sen. Max Wise, who is Kelly Craft’s running mate in this year’s governor’s race. Most observers felt that Wise introduced the bill as a political ploy for Craft’s race against Beshear. In a moment of irony, the Craft campaign released a statement calling the veto “politically motivated.”
The veto will most likely be overridden next week by the Republicans in the legislature. After that, the bill is certain to wind up in court, as the ACLU has already said they are considering multiple lawsuits over the provisions of the bill.
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