The 2017 Kentucky legislative session concluded Thursday night and a bevy of bills now awaits Gov. Matt Bevin’s signature or veto. One surprise; a bill that would have limited the attorney general’s powers did not pass.
Despite a flurry of activity on a bill limiting the attorney general’s powers this week, House Speaker Jeff Hoover said his chamber just didn’t have time to take it up,“We made the decision that to get into a lengthy debate on that because of the situation between the governor and the attorney general, that we just didn’t have time to do it if we were going to do these other bills. And that’s the decision that we made,” he said.
The legislation would have given the governor sole authority to file amicus curiae—or “friend of the court”—briefs where the state weighs in on lawsuits that it’s not involved in.
Republicans have criticized Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear for filing briefs they don’t agree with. They also don’t like that Beshear has repeatedly challenged Republican Gov. Matt Bevin in court.
Republicans controlled the House, Senate and governor’s office for the first time in state history and succeeded in passing a wide range of conservative legislation this year.
The session was Jeff Hoover’s first as speaker of the House of Representatives after almost 20 years in the minority party. He said he was satisfied with the session, “I think the people of Kentucky are proud of the fact that we came in—even when they disagreed on the issue, they knew that we were in here working, doing something and I think they appreciate that.”
The newly-Republican General Assembly passed a right-to-work law, anti-abortion bills and a sweeping charter schools bill earlier in the session.
Gov. Matt Bevin has indicated he wants to call a special session this year for the legislature to discuss pensions and tax reform.
