Governor Andy Beshear said his administrative staff continues to examine a piece of legislation labeled as a priority by Kentucky Senate leaders. Senate Bill One prohibits cities in the Commonwealth from establishing sanctuary status regarding illegal immigrants.
Beshear said Wednesday the issue is not currently affecting Kentucky.
“We are still reviewing the language, it’s different from a previous bill. What I know is we have no sanctuary cities and as attorney general I ensured that and certified it virtually every year, so that we would receive federal funds,” said Beshear.
Likewise, the governor said Senate bill two, which includes extensive provisions related to voter identification, is also under review. Beshear said he favors expanding the ability to vote through automatic registration, early voting, and eventually possibly voting by mail.
Unlike his predecessor, Governor Andy Beshear will be delivering two addresses to Kentucky lawmakers this month. Former Governor Matt Bevin combined the state of the commonwealth and budget speeches into one appearance. Following each address on January 14th and January 28th, Beshear says lawmakers will be offered an invitation. “We will be inviting legislators over to the mansion after each one to have an opportunity for fellowship. One of the things we have got to make sure of, if we are going to have the type of cooperation and tone that we want, is that people know each other as people,” said Beshear.
Beshear said the first address will provide an opportunity to outline his vision and talk about his session strategy. But, he added it will also delve into how his administration will carry itself. Beshear said the budget address will focus on funding recommendations and how they will be accomplished, with more specifics for lawmakers.?
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