State Government

The governor also vetoed six bills, including a resolution ratifying some of his coronavirus-related executive orders in case laws stripping the Democratic governor’s emergency powers are upheld in court.

The governor's veto list included HB 312, restricting out-of-state records requests and allowing the legislature to have final authority on whether to release its own records.

The extension gives individuals until May 17 to file their income tax returns.

The limit is $30 for a 30-day supply.

Tuesday was the last day the Republican-led legislature can pass bills and still have the chance to override any vetoes issued by Beshear, a Democrat. Lawmakers will return to consider veto overrides during the final two days of the legislative session on March 29 and 30.

The bill would make it a Class B misdemeanor if someone “accosts, insults, taunts, or challenges a law enforcement officer with offensive or derisive words, or by gestures or other physical contact, that would have a direct tendency to provoke a violent response from the perspective of a reasonable and prudent person.”

Though the bill originally dealt with limiting how long the governor’s emergency orders remain in effect to 15 days, it was changed to focus instead on removing references to specific emergencies Thursday morning in a committee substitute.

Democratic Rep. Attica Scott’s bill to ban no-knock warrants, Breonna’s Law for Kentucky, will get its first hearing in the House Judiciary Committee this week.

The legislature and Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron are expected to appeal, perhaps directly to the state Supreme Court, bypassing the Court of Appeals.

Reps. Myron Dossett and Lynn Bechler voted in favor of the ban. Rep. Walker Thomas voted against it.

Kentucky Thoroughbred Association CEO Chauncey Morris said the new law benefits 450 farms in central Kentucky and 60,000 workers tied to horse racing. Meanwhile, some officials are disappointed the new law didn’t set aside money to address addiction issues.

The state House of Representatives passed a bill Friday that would bar people and entities outside the commonwealth from making open records requests for Kentucky records.