FRANKFORT— As the 2025 Regular Session of the Kentucky General Assembly concluded at the end of March, the final two legislative days were devoted to reviewing bills returned with the Governor’s vetoes and completing any remaining business. These final days are often among the most significant of the session. The decisions will shape policy and governance across our commonwealth for years to come.
Governor Andy Beshear issued vetoes on 29 pieces of legislation—27 bills and 2 joint resolutions. These vetoes raised concerns about constitutionality, the role of government, environmental protections, education, health care, and other issues that affect Kentuckians in real and immediate ways.
In each case, I took every vote seriously and reviewed the content of every bill, the Governor’s rationale, and the potential consequences for my constituents and the commonwealth. I supported overriding several vetoes where I disagreed with the Governor’s conclusions. In other cases, I voted to sustain the vetoes because I believed they were grounded in solid legal and constitutional reasoning. Below is a summary of the major legislation addressed in these final days and how the process unfolded.
Senate Bill 19 required schools to observe a daily silent period and permitted students to be excused for “moral instruction.”
- Senate vote to override: 29 to 8
Senate Bill 25 amended laws related to the Office of the Ombudsman, altered confidentiality standards, and changed how bills are delivered to the Governor.
- Senate vote to override: 31 to 6
Senate Bill 28 required the Cabinet for Economic Development to report to the Commissioner of Agriculture and excluded the Governor from certain board appointments.
- Senate vote to override: 32 to 6
Senate Bill 65 allowed the legislature to void administrative regulations and restricted agencies from refiling similar regulations for more than a year.
- Senate vote to override: 32 to 6
Senate Bill 84 required courts to interpret ambiguous laws or regulations against state agencies during legal challenges.
- Senate vote to override: 32 to 6
Senate Bill 89 redefined “state waters” to include only federally navigable waterways.
- Senate vote to override: 29 to 8
Senate Bill 183 prohibited the Kentucky Public Pensions Authority from considering certain factors when casting proxy votes on shareholder matters.
- Senate vote to override: 31 to 7
Senate Bill 207 granted the Kentucky Board of Education authority to suspend enforcement of certain statutes and administrative regulations.
- Senate vote to override: 31 to 7
Senate Bill 245 changed the appointment process for the Fish and Wildlife Commission and removed the Governor’s role in reappointments not confirmed by the Senate.
- Senate vote to override: 32 to 6
House Bill 2 created retroactive tax refunds for gold purchases and allowed lawsuits against state officials in certain tax disputes.
- Senate vote to override: 31 to 6
House Bill 4 placed limits on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs at Kentucky’s public colleges and universities.
- Senate vote to override: 32 to 6
House Bill 6 limited the governor’s authority to implement regulations and shifted certain administrative rulemaking functions to the legislature.
- Senate vote to override: 31 to 7
House Bill 90 defined a specific list of emergency conditions under which abortion could be performed.
- Senate vote to override: 31 to 7
House Bill 136 required the Department of Corrections to rebid its inmate communications contract before the current one expires.
- Senate vote to override: 32 to 6
House Bill 216 allowed employees of the Department of Agriculture to apply for grants and loans issued by the same department.
- Senate vote to override: 32 to 6
House Bill 240 focused on kindergarten readiness standards and other early childhood education provisions.
- Senate vote to override: 32 to 6
House Bill 346 issued a refund of emissions fees to a single entity and reassigned the cost to utility ratepayers.
- Senate vote to override: 32 to 6
House Bill 398 prohibited the state from adopting workplace safety regulations, aligning the state with federal OSHA standards.
- Senate vote to override: 29 to 9
House Bill 399 created new criminal penalties regarding public disturbance and disorderly behavior.
- Senate vote to override: 31 to 7
House Bill 424 modified employment protections for faculty at public universities.
- Senate vote to override: 30 to 8
House Bill 495 nullified a previous executive order that banned the use of public funds for conversion therapy on minors.
- Senate vote to override: 31 to 6
House Bill 546 approved tolling language for the I-69 Ohio River Crossing project.
- Senate vote to override: 32 to 6
House Bill 552 created a bilateral trade board with legislative appointees.
- Senate vote to override: 33 to 4
House Bill 566 made changes to the state’s gaming oversight, including new roles and exemptions from specific ethics rules.
- Senate vote to override: 30 to 6
House Bill 684 removed the option to use credit or debit cards as a form of identification for voting purposes.
- Senate vote to override: 30 to 6
House Bill 694 redirected funding originally committed to teacher retirement health care programs.
- Senate vote to override: 29 to 7
House Bill 695 transferred management responsibilities for Medicaid and KCHIP from the executive branch to the legislature.
- Senate vote to override: 29 to 7
House Joint Resolution 30 outlined funding and project details for water infrastructure across the state.
- Senate vote to override: 29 to 7
House Joint Resolution 46 approved various road project authorizations and related allocations.
- Senate vote to override: 30 to 4
The end of the session is not the end of the conversation. Oversight, public input, and future legislation remain tools to ensure that the decisions made this year are monitored and, if needed, improved. I will continue to work toward policies that serve Kentuckians with fairness, transparency, and respect for the laws and institutions that govern us all.
Unless marked with an emergency clause, all legislation passed this session go into effect 90 days after adjournment. June 27 will be the effective date for most bills. You can explore a comprehensive list of measures set to become law at the Legislative Record at legislature.ky.gov, barring any court challenges that may arise.
Thank you for staying engaged this session. It has been a challenging but defining moment in Kentucky politics, and I am grateful to be your voice in Frankfort. As we move into the interim, where much of the groundwork for future policy is laid, I encourage you to stay involved, ask questions, and provide input.
As always, it is an honor to represent you in Frankfort. Please reach out to share your thoughts and perspectives. I can be contacted by email at SD18@cm.kylegislature.govor through the General Assembly Message Line at 1-800-372-7181. Kentuckians with hearing loss can use Kentucky Relay by dialing 711.
