Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear Vetoes Bill Restricting Rights of Transgender Young People, Citing “Irreparable Harm” to State’s Reputation and Economy

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear has vetoed a Republican bill that would have restricted the rights of transgender young people in the state. In a written veto message, Beshear said the bill allows “too much government interference in personal healthcare issues and rips away the freedom of parents to make decisions for their children.”

The bill, which passed the GOP-led legislature with veto-proof margins, would have banned access to gender-affirming health care and restricted the bathrooms transgender young people can use. It would also have banned discussion of sexual orientation and gender identity in schools and allowed teachers to refuse to refer to transgender students by the pronouns they use.

Beshear said the bill “would have a detrimental impact on the lives of transgender youth in Kentucky” and that it “would have caused irreparable harm to our state’s reputation and economy.” He added that the bill “would have been a step backward for Kentucky.”

Lawmakers will reconvene next week for the final two days of this year’s session, when they could vote to override the veto. If the bill is overridden, it would become law without Beshear’s signature.

The veto of the bill is seen as a victory for transgender rights advocates, who have been fighting for greater protections for transgender young people in Kentucky. The bill’s opponents say it would have caused irreparable harm to the state’s reputation and economy. The outcome of the veto will be determined next week when lawmakers reconvene to decide whether to override it.