Day 3 of Kentucky General Assembly's special session set to begin in a moment when the Senate gavels in, followed by House at 10. Each of the 5 big bills of the session will get their third reading today & could pass through both chambers and head to Gov. Beshear's desk. #kyga21
Senate now taking up SB 5 for passage. This is the bill for $410 million of appropriations to lure a mystery $2 billion economic development project to Hardin County. Background: courier-journal.com/story/news/pol…
Short and sweet, the voting on SB 5 begins.
SB 5/HB 5 passed out of committees without a single vote of dissent, but Sen. Hornback (R) is currently explaining his vote against it. Saying $410 million up front is a high price for a $2 billion investment.
Schickel and Southworth are also voting no on SB 5, which isn't a huge shock.
SB 5 passes the Senate 30-3.
For reference today, here are the 5 bills that are likely to be voted on today by one or both chambers in Kentucky's special session, and their current status: courier-journal.com/story/news/pol… #kyga21 #kyga21ss
House is now gaveling in. Senate still in caucus meetings.
Once the House gets SB 5, it will be sent to House Econ Dev meeting. I was assuming this was case, but this indicates bills will go through same committee process when they head to opposite chamber today, but not have to go through two more days of readings as usual.
House is paying tribute to former Rep. Brent Yonts, who died from COVID-19 last month.
.@Joe_Gerth says Gov. Beshear made a mistake by calling this session: courier-journal.com/story/opinion/…
It appears that the Senate will be acting first on the mirror bills today.
The question looming over everything today is whether the HB/SB 1 nullification of the KBE school mask mandate is outside the scope of the governor's call & gets challenged in court. Beshear said he "didn't know" whether is was outside scope on Monday. His presser at 12:30 today.
There is a chance that the House and Senate pass all five of the bills they are considering today, but that would likely mean going late into the night. If there are any GOP caucus hiccups, it might extend into tomorrow.
Whether they finish the bills up tonight or Friday, they won't adjourn the special session until Beshear acts to sign or veto the bills, so they can come back and override any potential vetoes before ending it.
The House GOP caucus is now meeting. Rep. Banta, carrying HB 1, said their caucus meeting yesterday -- after it fell one vote short in committee -- looked "like a dysfunctional Thanksgiving meal."
Still unclear if we’ll see anything resembling this today in Frankfort
Senate has returned from recess
Senate is now taking up SB 1...
Thayer says all of the floor amendments are OUT OF ORDER because they were filed to original bill and they are taking up the committee sub.
One of those floor amendments of Castlen would have prohibited local districts from mandating their own mask mandates.
Sen. Wise again says SB 1 will nullify the KBE school mask mandate and let local districts decide that policy on their own.
Meanwhile, the House Econ Dev committee passed SB 5, so once the full House passes that the Mystery Hardin County Project bill will head to Gov. Beshear's desk for his signature.
Sen. McGarvey says there is a lot of agreement between Dems and GOP on bills in this special session, including much of SB 1. But...
Meanwhile, from leader of Kentucky Commission on Human Rights
https://twitter.com/TASullivan/status/1436008942111502344
Meanwhile, Beshear's Thursday presser here at the Capitol:
https://twitter.com/morganwatkins26/status/1436005304223903748
McGarvey: Norton Children's Hospital in Louisville is now filled to capacity and we have 50,000 kids in JCPS and 300,000 kids statewide who are too young to be vaccinated. Masks are the only protection we have for them, and to take that away is "an abdication of our duty."
McGarvey: This used to be the governor's emergency power, but with the new laws now in effect, "the legislature became the dog that caught the car."
Senate now voting on SB 1
Castlen now speaking, whose floor amendment to ban local districts from making their own mask mandates was ruled out of order. He still voted for the bill.
Kerr joins Democrats to vote no. (She’s not running for re-election)
Smith also joins Democrats to vote no on SB 1. Still wants more flexibility for rural schools on remote learning days
Southworth votes for SB 1, even though it is “not perfect” and her floor amendments were ruled out of order
Webb votes for SB 1, saying “we can probably live with this” until legislature is back in January.
SB 1 passes Senate 28-8 
Senate quickly moving on to SB 2.
Thayer: The floor amendments to SB 2 are ALSO all ruled out of order and withdrawn.
This means Southworth's floor amendments prohibiting private health care employers from requiring employees to get COVID-19 vaccines and forcing ivermectin treatments at hospitals won't be attached.
Southworth now speaking on SB 2. Says there are some good things in the bill but not enough.
Southworth: "This bill is quite thin."
Alvardo blamed Kentucky's low vaccination rate on Beshear
https://twitter.com/adamkraymond/status/1436020828454457345
Southworth: "The issue that I have here is we're not addressing, once again, early detection, therapeutics, take care of yourselves, here's what you need to do..."
Southworth now criticizing SB 2 not including bans on private employers requiring employees to get vaccinated.
Southworth says she is about to refile one of her floor amendments to SB 2...
Southworth now talking about fishing when she was 5 years old and her fishing line getting caught.
Southworth moving on to talking about how she was in a coma when she was young and recovering
Southworth saying it was over the counter cough medicine that put her in a coma
Southworth asking for suspension of rules to attach her floor amendment banning private health care companies requiring employees be vaccinated.
Senate standing at ease as they consider whether to suspend rules and allow Southworth amendment
Southworth's motion dies because none of the other senators seconded her motion to suspend the rules.
SB 1, which Senate passed moments ago, is now being heard in the House Education committee.
Sen. Berg (D) rips into SB 2 as Republicans being cowards who are scared of constituents of their own party.
Stivers is now speaking to respond to Berg and is fairly angry.
Stivers is now speaking to respond to Berg and is fairly angry.
Stivers is now ripping into Dr. Stack's testimony from yesterday. Says state needs to greatly expand Regeneron treatments.
Hearing that SB 4 (stating legislators cannot receive compensation during veto days of a special session) is not going to advance this session, because it is outside the governor's special session call.
Senate now voting on SB 2
Castlen votes no on SB 2 without an explanation.
Democrats all voting no on SB 2, but it will pass easily with most GOP members voting for it.
Stivers' volume was so high in his speech ripping into Beshear that would could probably hear him from the House
* you not would
Senate passes SB 2 by 26-10 vote and it goes to the House.
Senate moves on to SB 3, which appropriates $69 million to pandemic response
SB 3 passes 36-0. Senate is done... for now.
I had assumed Alvarado's SJR 3 to equate a COVID-19 vaccination with a positive antibody test wasn't going anywhere, but a moment ago it got a first reading and was assigned to a committee.
Kentucky legislature special session: Senate passes bill axing school mask mandate and a bill to spend $410 million to lure mystery development project courier-journal.com/story/news/pol… via @courierjournal #kyga21 #kyga21ss
@courierjournal From @d_yetter: Kentucky lawmakers offer conspiracy theories, debunked claims about COVID during special session courier-journal.com/story/news/pol… via @courierjournal
The House is back and they are enacting their "mirror bills" strategy, subbing out HB 1 for SB 1 in orders of the day.
House is now taking up SB 1 for final passage.
Senate committee is taking up SJR 3 of Alvarado, to require state to consider a COVID-19 vaccine as equivalent to a positive antibody test. In a speech promoting vaccine use, Alvarado criticizes vaccine rhetoric "on both sides"
On that point, here's a reminder from a study of Kentuckians: courier-journal.com/story/news/pol…
SJR 3 is now coming up on the Senate floor, despite only having one reading.
Alvarado says experts have said natural immunity is just as good as being vaccinated, but says he's not trying to discourage vaccinations.
Alvarado saying antibodies in a test would have to reach a certain level before the state would have to consider this equivalent to being vaccinated against COVID-19
Senate voting now to suspend 2nd and 3rd readings on Alvarado's SJR 3.
Meanwhile in House, Maddox's floor amendment to SB 1 was also shot down, just like those of Dems
https://twitter.com/oliviakrauth/status/1436066136823635972
Thayer: "I don't have a lawyer's intellect."
Thayer: "I'm just a humble lawmaker... I'm a rule follower"
Looks like Senate will suspend the rules to waive 2nd and 3rd readings for SJR 3 so it can pass in just one day.
I'm told that the House is not likely to do the same on this...
I'm told that the House is not likely to do the same on this...
Meanwhile, House gives final passage to SB 1 and sends it to Beshear, which would end the statewide mask regulations for public schools and child care centers.
https://twitter.com/oliviakrauth/status/1436070173396672516
Apparently House members are still explaining their SB 1 votes and passage is not yet official, in a blatant act of disrespect for newspaper print deadlines.
Alvarado now citing a white paper from Australia as justification for SJR 3
SB 1 final passage is official, 70-25.
Rep. Rudy: "The goal is to get our work done today."
Senate passed SJR 3 by a 26-10 vote. Republicans McDaniel and Schroder joined Democrats to vote against it.
Not sure if the House is also going to play ball on this.
Not sure if the House is also going to play ball on this.
That concludes the order of the day in the Senate.
Lots of action still left in the House tonight.
Lots of action still left in the House tonight.
House is in recess until 7-ish, Senate is about to go into recess until 7:30.
It's COOK OUT time.
It's COOK OUT time.
Rocky Adkins tells me SB 1 has not yet been delivered to the governor's office. Pizzas have been ordered, everybody expecting a late night.
The House is back.
The House is now taking up SB 3, which passed unanimously in the Senate.
Rep. Savannah Maddox is speaking now, looks like she will attempt to bring up her floor amendment to prohibit those receiving ARPA funds to require employees to get COVID-19 vaccine.
Voting now to suspend the rules to allow her amendment.
Maddox motion to suspend the rules fails.
Gooch hollering about 1 million unvaccinated people crossing American border, getting cheers.
SB 3 passes House by 84-8 vote. That's final passage, the bill will go to Beshear.
House is now moving on to pass the subbed out SB 2.
Gooch said Biden in "the last five months is allowed a million people to walk across the border unvaccinated and tested. I don't want to hear him say that he really cares about the spread of this pandemic, because he does not!"
Gooch received cheers from Republicans.
Gooch received cheers from Republicans.
* has not is
Rep. Kulkarni is addressing the remarks Gooch made about immigrants that received cheers from GOP members. Kulkarni says Gooch's comments about migrants spreading COVID are false. Kulkarni is an immigration attorney.
Kulkarni: "I would urge this body to please remain civil, not spread misinformation and to get your facts straight."
House is now batting down Democratic floor amendments to SB 2 like they did earlier with Maddox.
Here's our updated story on everything that has gone down so far today in Frankfort on the third day of the Kentucky General Assembly's special session: courier-journal.com/story/news/pol…
Rep. Lockett (R) asking Moser if the nursing home compassionate care visitor has to be vaccinated if staff are required to be vaccinated under nursing home policy. Moser says designated compassionate care visitor has to follow the home's policy.
I provided the wrong link earlier, here's our updated story on everything that has gone down so far today in Frankfort on the third day of the Kentucky General Assembly's special session: courier-journal.com/story/news/pol…
Rudy: We're not a nimble body but we're trying to be under difficult circumstances.
Also from @d_yetter today: Kentucky Senate plan would let antibody test equal proof of COVID-19 vaccine: courier-journal.com/story/news/pol… via @courierjournal
Rep. Cantrell (D): "What I'm seeing a lot of right here today is shirking responsibility, re-litigating old issues with the governor and passing the buck to someone else. And that's weird because this is the responsibility that some of you all asked for."
House passes SB 2 by a 69-24 vote. Passage is final, it will soon head to Beshear.
House is moving on to subbed out SB 5, the bill spending $410 million to lure unnamed project to Hardin County.
I would expect SB 5 to easily pass the House, as it did in the Senate and committees, but also expect some Republican members to speak against it.
A refresher on SB 5 and the mystery $2 billion project in Hardin County: courier-journal.com/story/news/pol…
Rep. Bratcher says "there won't be one 'no' vote on the board" for SB 5. I don't know about that.
House voting now on SB 5. Current count is 88-2, with Bechler and Maddox as the only no votes.
Meanwhile in the Senate, Alvarado is talking about SB 8 that he filed today and asking Beshear to amend his special session call to allow it. It would free federal funds for retention and recruitment of nurses, nurses aides, respiratory therapists & other critical care personnel
Also, Thayer announced that SB 1 has been delivered to the governor and SB 2 and SB 3 are now being delivered to the governor.
I still don't fully get how SB 3 and SB 5, which appropriate funds, are not required to be House bills. Not General Fund sources?
House gives final passage to SB 5, now sent to governor.
Meanwhile in the Senate, Republican members continue to call on Beshear to amend his special session call
Signing desk? 🤷♂️
Right now legislators are expecting that Beshear will sign and veto bills tonight, and the legislature will stick around and override those vetoes. Going to be a late one. #kyga21 #kyga21ss
Unlike the last day of a regular session or before the veto period, there is no midnight deadline that legislators are working toward. When the clock strikes midnight they can just keep on working, if they so choose.
Can’t believe this special session made me miss the Muhlenberg Pillow Man party
https://twitter.com/the_cancel_mob/status/1436138441138450434
Stivers approvingly citing Al Cross on Senate floor as GOP members continue to criticize Beshear and “the first floor” on their COVID policies.
House is sending SB 5 to Beshear, that’s the last one he’s waiting on
Can you get a large coffee delivered to the Capitol Building? Asking for myself.
Rocky Adkins says nothing new to report yet
However, I’m told by someone else that Gov. Beshear has signed SB 5. That’s still unconfirmed.
Jefferson Davis statue space in Rotunda has been replaced with a big “Infectious Disease Outbreaks in Kentucky” display.
Seems all but certain Beshear will sign SB 5 and SB 3. The big items to watch are SB 1 and SB 2. #WWHCD
Rocky Adkins returns again to the governor’s office from the Senate side of the Capitol. We wait.
🐴 🪱
While we wait, I feel like I should note that the new @KYSenateDems marijuana TikTok video has 1.6 million views and 300k likes.
JUST IN: Gov. Beshear signed SB 3 and SB 5 and line item vetoed SB 1 and SB 2.
Republican senators are now moving to override the SB 1 line item vetoes, saying they are unconstitutional. McGarvey says bill included appropriations so it is eligible for a line-item veto.
Beshear line item vetoed the portions of SB 1 striking down the mask mandate regulations for public schools and child care centers.
Senate voting now to override the SB 1 line item vetoes. Kerr joined Democrats to vote against override.
SB 1 veto overriden by Senate in 21-6 vote. Now moving to override the line-item vetoes of SB 2.
McGarvey says the line-item vetoes were surgical to leave in the good parts of the bills.
Senate votes 23- 5 to override Beshear's line-item vetoes of SB 2.
Now the override process moves to the House.
Now the override process moves to the House.
Thayer says the override paperwork now headed to the House, then when they override veto it will come to Senate for enrollment, then back to House for enrollment, then they will go to secretary of state's office and become law.
House is back and ready to override SB 1 and SB 2 vetoes.
Thayer: If veto override process goes past midnight they will technically have to go into another day of the special session... and have to do roll call all over again for the 4th day of special session.
Rep. Rudy: Beshear does not have line-item veto authority on SB 1. He only has line-item veto authority on budget appropriation bills. Not conceding they are valid, but House will still override them "in abundance of caution"
House votes 69-24 to override Beshear line item vetoes of SB 1. Now moving on to SB 2 veto override.
House votes 69-22 to override Beshear line item vetoes of SB 2.
Now the bills go back and forth between the chambers for enrollment and delivered to secretary of state office to go into law. If they can do this by midnight, special session will go Sine Die and end. #RunRunRun
Now the bills go back and forth between the chambers for enrollment and delivered to secretary of state office to go into law. If they can do this by midnight, special session will go Sine Die and end. #RunRunRun
I asked Stivers if he hopes local school districts make choice to keep/make their own mask mandates now that decision will soon be up to them. He said he expects many rightly will, such as what his hometown Clay County did, but others could do 'test-to-stay' well like Green w/out
Kentucky's legislative special session comes to an end after 3 days, eliminating COVID-19 mask mandates for public schools and child care centers: courier-journal.com/story/news/pol… via @courierjournal #kyga21 #kyga21ss
See you in hell, special session! 👋
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