During a hearing Thursday the judge presiding over the lawsuit against Kentucky’s new pension law questioned why state lawmakers were able to pass the measure out of the Republican-led legislature in just one day.
State law requires bills to be formally presented on three separate days before they are eligible to be voted on in the state House and Senate, though lawmakers frequently vote to override the rule. The new changes to Kentucky’s pension system were passed in just one day.
Gov. Matt Bevin’s general counsel Steve Pitt argued the speedy process is necessary late in the legislative session. A ruling is expected later this month.
“Consensus is reached and agreements are reached at the end of legislative sessions and there have to be vehicles to make those decisions and pass those laws.”
The pension language was initially presented during an unannounced committee hearing attached to an unrelated bill dealing with the governance of sewage districts.
Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear has sued to try and block the law from going into effect on July 1—arguing that lawmakers didn’t follow proper procedures.
