Staff report
Franklin Circuit Court issued a restraining order that will keep in place the measures Governor Andy Beshear has taken to stop COVID-19.
The Governor filed a lawsuit on Tuesday in response to the legislatures override of his vetoes of laws related to his executive orders dealing with the pandemic.
The Court’s restraining order now prevents those laws from going into effect while the court hears the case. Just two months ago, the Supreme Court, in a unanimous decision, ruled that the Governor’s lifesaving measures were both legal and necessary.
Republicans, in the majority in the legislature, complained the Governor didn’t consult with them
Andy Beshear issued the following statement in response to Franklin Circuit Court’s action:
“I have taken difficult but necessary steps to stop the spread of COVID and save lives in Kentucky. Today, the Franklin Circuit Court’s order stated that House Bill 1 would ‘create chaos and undermine any effective enforcement of public health standards to prevent the spread of this deadly disease during this pandemic.’ I don’t use emergency powers because I want to. I use them because it is my duty to preserve the lives of Kentuckians.”
The Governor issued a release Tuesday when he filed a lawsuit in Franklin Circuit Court to stop the reckless legislation.