Kentucky’s Republican supermajority plans to move quickly on several bills they unveiled Tuesday to curb executive powers, all while Gov. Andy Beshear continues to manage the state’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Republicans push back against tyrannical governors
The bills, unveiled on the first day of the 2021 General Assembly, are already receiving hearings in the first days of the session and Republican leaders have said they may call in lawmakers on Saturday and cancel next week’s planned break to pass them as soon as possible.
“I think it’s important to get in here and do work,” said Speaker of the House David Osborne, R-Prospect. “There’s obviously a lot that’s going on right now, that needs to be addressed, and we have a very, very short time to address those things.”
'COVID IS A LIE': Anti-lockdown demonstrators took to the streets of San Diego over the weekend to protest against California lockdown measures introduced to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. https://t.co/86KDP1Wwjx pic.twitter.com/QsL5ZxZpMg
— Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) April 27, 2020
Red states fight for liberty during COVID-19 lockdowns
The newly drafted bills in Kentucky include:
Senate Bill 1, which would require a governor to get the legislature’s permission to extend a state of emergency beyond 30 days.
Senate Bill 2, which would require more public input and give lawmakers more oversight of emergency administrative regulations.
House Bill 1, which would allow any business that’s meeting the CDC guidelines to continue to operate during a state of emergency.
House Bill 5, which would prohibit Kentucky’s governor from reorganizing boards and commissions.
Democrats oppose the measures but have too small a minority to stop them.
Senate President Robert Stivers said the effort to limit the governor’s powers isn’t necessarily directed at Beshear himself, but more of a institutional situation. He said he would like to see Beshear engage in the discussions.
Beshear, for his own part, said that he isn’t paying too much attention to the ongoing discussions at the legislature. He said his main focus is COVID-19 vaccine distribution.
Americans are sick and tired of these tyrannical lockdowns, destroying the economy and livelihoods of millions over a virus that is no worse than the common flu. Time to end the ridiculous lockdowns and get back to business.