FRANKFORT, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear nixed a funding cap for natural disaster response, state audits of local school district finances and a designated spot in the Capitol for a statue of Sen. Mitch McConnell as part of line-item vetoes issued in recent days, though lawmakers moved quickly to override them Tuesday.

The vetoes come as Beshear works through budget bills passed by the GOP-dominated state Legislature, including the next biennial state budget, the judicial branch budget, legislative branch budget and other appropriations and revenue bills.

But the General Assembly, with a Republican supermajority in the Kentucky House and Senate, overrode the vast majority of Beshear’s budget-related vetoes Tuesday.

The veto period ran April 3 through April 13, and lawmakers can override the governor’s vetoes during the final two days of session April 14 and April 15.

Here’s a look at the line-item vetoes, Beshear’s reasoning and the General Assembly’s vote on overriding them.

House Bill 500: Natural disaster response limits

In House Bill 500, the next recurring Executive Branch budget, lawmakers placed a $25 million cap on each fiscal year for the Department of Military Affairs in allocated funds to match federal aid when there is a presidentially declared disaster or emergency.

Beshear said he vetoed the cap because he believes placing limits on financial resources necessary to respond to natural disasters prevents “timely live-saving actions” and access to food, shelter, medical assistance, debris removal and more.

“These provisions could delay response time, inflict unnecessary suffering and cost lives,” Beshear said. “When disaster strikes, Kentuckians rely on the quick, live-saving actions taken by our Division of Emergency Management, Kentucky National Guard, and local first responders. The Legislature also offers no explanation for the new limitation.”

The General Assembly included a similar provision in the last budget cycle.

In 2024, lawmakers set a $100 million cap on emergency disaster spending for the two-year budget cycle. After experiencing multiple natural disasters in 2025, including severe storms, tornadoes and flooding, Beshear said the state was on track to reach that cap before the start of the 2026 legislative session.

The House overrode this line-item veto Tuesday on a 74-19 vote, while the Senate overrode it on a 32-6 vote.

House Bill 500: School board audits

Beshear vetoed a provision in HB 500 to allow Republican State Auditor Allison Ball to perform audits of school district finances “to ensure compliance with Department of Education established policies and procedures.”

Under that plan, local school districts would still be on the hook for the cost of the audit.

Beshear said he vetoed the bill because it would strip schools board of the ability of contain the cost of the audits, and districts already have “strict audit requirements” overseen by the Kentucky Department of Education.

“This provision mandates a duplicative and unnecessary expense on school boards, in a budget bill that provides no raises for our public school teachers and employees,” Beshear said.

Kentucky Auditor Allison Ball launched an audit into Fayette County Public Schools last year as the district faced intense scrutiny over spending and budgetary problems. In March, Ball’s office revealed letters and other examples of “uncollaborative efforts” from the district, including being told “no” on attending a closed discussion about FCPS’ budget issues.

Tuesday, the House overrode this line-item veto on a 74-19 vote, while the Senate overrode it on a 32-6 vote.

House Bill 500: Capitol Annex Renovation project

Beshear also vetoed a provision that shifted the management and final approval of decisions related to the Capitol Annex Renovation project from the executive branch to the legislative branch.

In HB 500, the director of the Legislative Research Commission would have that authority. That position is currently held by Jay Hartz.

Beshear said the Legislature does not manage the commonwealth’s state capitol construction program.

“That is an Executive Branch function specifically assigned by statute to the Finance and Administration Cabinet’s Department for Facilities and Support Services,” Beshear said. “The cabinet works with all state agencies in addressing their needs through capital construction projects.”

The Capitol Annex renovation is one part of a $260 million, multiyear Capitol renovation project. Construction has already started on the state Capitol, and lawmakers convened this session in temporary legislative chambers on top of the Capitol parking garage.

Override votes on the veto came Tuesday, including a 74-19 vote in the state House and a 32-6 vote in the Senate.

House Bill 504: Judicial branch budget

Beshear line-item vetoed parts of the operations appropriation of House Bill 504 — the judicial branch’s budget. His veto removes language indicating judicial funding “is sufficient enough to maintain the mandatory functions of the Court of Justice.”

“The Judicial Branch notified the Legislature that the funding levels in House Bill 504 are insufficient to maintain the mandatory functions of the Court of Justice, including current services and personnel,” Beshear said in his veto message. “The Judicial Branch has publicly stated that it projects a General Fund deficit of $12,600,000 in the next fiscal year and $17,000,000 the following fiscal year.”

Kentucky Chief Justice Debra Lambert previously said major cuts would be needed to state courts under the two-year judicial budget passed by the General Assembly. Lambert also warned Kentucky’s “specialty courts,” including drug courts, mental health courts and veterans treatment courts, may be forced to close under due to the lack of funding.

But Republican lawmakers have pointed out the judicial branch is actually getting more money in the two-year budget plan. For the current fiscal year, the judicial branch is expected to get $466 million in state spending, not counting restricted funds it collects or federal funds. HB 504 will give the state courts $480 million in the first year and $497 million in the second year.

While the allocations have increased, the courts will experience financial strain due to mandated spending increases, such as a 2% pay raise for employees and employer health insurance costs set to rise 24% over the next two years, Jason Bailey, executive director of the Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, projects.

House Bill 757: The McConnell statue

Beshear vetoed a portion of a much larger revenue bill, House Bill 757, designating a spot for a privately funded statue of longtime Sen. Mitch McConnell in the Kentucky State Capitol Rotunda. He didn’t bash McConnell in his veto message, but instead pointed out inconsistencies in the Legislature’s approach to honoring political heavyweights.

“The General Assembly would force the Historic Properties Advisory Commission to — without any input, discussion or vote — place a statue, monument, or object of art of Senator Mitch McConnell in the Capitol Rotunda, even though during this same session the Legislature refused to honor a Black woman who has tirelessly served the Commonwealth for nearly 40 years, and a Black man whose lifetime of public service is unrivaled,” Beshear wrote.

The governor said his Justice and Public Safety Cabinet proposed naming a new correctional medical facility after Department of Corrections Commissioner Cookie Crews, but the General Assembly cited a policy against “honoring living individuals.” In addition, state officials proposed naming the building after J. Michael Brown, the first the Black Kentuckian to serve as secretary of the governor’s Executive Cabinet, among other roles.

“The Legislature attempts to use the law to codify blatantly hypocritical application of its own rules to reject great Kentucky leaders like Commissioner Crews and J. Michael Brown and then order a statue or monument of a living man be placed in our Rotunda,” Beshear wrote.

The House overrode Beshear’s line-item vetoes on HB 757 on a 66-18 vote, while the Senate overrode on a 31-5 vote.

Other bills: Legislator raises & more

In his line-item veto of House Bill 503, the Legislative Branch budget bill, Beshear railed against the way the Legislature has commandeered renovations of the Capitol Annex, where its offices are located, and raises allotted to legislators.

Beshear wrote he could not approve an item that would raise legislator pay, currently around $75,000, when public school teachers did not get a mandated raise as part of the budget. The Legislature has not OK’d Beshear’s continual push for direct raises to school teachers, instead pointing out that each district often raises pay.

“If legislators will not give our public school teachers and employees a raise, they shouldn’t get one, either,” Beshear wrote.

In response to a provision allowing the Legislative Research Commission more flexibility on spending for planned renovations of the Capitol and Capitol Annex, Beshear said the Legislature was overstepping its bounds.

“The Legislative Branch is not the Executive Branch and does not get to carry out executive functions like the renovation of state buildings, which is a primary job of the Finance and Administration Cabinet. This part would give the Director of the Legislative Research Commission and the Commission unchecked authority to spend taxpayer dollars in the Capitol and Capitol Annex construction without the oversight or input of the Capital Planning Advisory Board,” Beshear wrote.

The House overrode Beshear’s line-item vetoes on HB 503 on a 71-19 vote, while the Senate overrode on a 32-6 vote.

On House Bill 501, the Transportation Cabinet budget, Beshear vetoed sections restricting telecommuting on cabinet employees and placing new requirements on contracts, driver licensing operations and more.

ON HB 501, the House overrode Beshear’s line-item vetos on a 81-17 vote, while the Senate overrode on 32-6 vote.

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