LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A controversial bill that made its way through the Kentucky House and Senate has been vetoed by Gov. Andy Beshear.
House Bill 5, or The Safer Kentucky Act, includes numerous provisions like increasing penalties for violent crime, changes to the parole board and destroying firearms used in murders.
Supporters believe the bill would reduce violent crime, but opponents said the bill lacks legitimate date to prove it will prevent violence.
In his veto message, Beshear cited “good parts” of the bill which he believes would have passed with unanimous support.
However, instead of the legislature making those stand alone bills, he said the legislature “chose to include these good policies with the dozens of other measures in one unwieldy bill that would criminalize homelessness and significantly increase incarceration costs without any additional appropriation.”
He further explains the General Assembly limits the ability to pay for excess jail and prison costs by capping necessary government expenses.
“In 13 of the 18 years from fiscal years 2002 to 2019, the Department of Corrections needed necessary government expenses funding, and in 10 of those years it needed more than $500,000 of necessary government expense funds,” he explained. “Restricting these funds will also delay or eliminate the department’s ability to pay county fiscal courts for housing state inmates, which will also increase under House Bill 5.”
The GOP supermajority in the legislature does have the votes to override Beshear’s veto.
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