CHECKS AND BALANCES

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear Vetoes Wide-Ranging GOP Anti-Trans Bill

But Kentucky’s Republican-dominated legislature can move to override the veto.

Kentucky’s Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear moved Friday to veto a Republican bill featuring all the greatest hits of the rabid anti-trans movement sweeping the United States. Unfortunately, it may not matter. Senate Bill 150, passed with an overwhelming, veto-proof majority, and outlaws gender-affirming care for minors, bans all schools from any discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity, prohibits students from using bathrooms that align with their gender identity, and empowers teachers to refuse to call students by their preferred pronouns. In his written veto statement, Beshear, who is up for re-election this year, said the bill permits “too much government interference in personal healthcare issues and rips away the freedom of parents to make medial [sic] decisions for their children.” Though Kentucky’s legislative session ends next week, Republicans lawmakers railroaded the bill through the statehouse in a matter of just hours on March 15 in order to retain time to override the governor’s veto.