Andy Beshear

Gov. Andy Beshear has vetoed the voter ID bill that passed out of the legislature last month.

The bill would have required Kentucky voters to show an ID before casting a ballot, or else show a social security card or credit card and sign an affidavit promising they are who they claim to be.

It would have also created a way for people to get an ID for free at their local county clerk’s office.

Gov. Andy Beshear says there were 45 new cases of coronavirus in Kentucky, bringing the state’s total to 439.

During an evening update Sunday, Beshear reported no new deaths associated with the disease, which has killed nine in Kentucky so far. The daily increase of cases is less than half of the increase reported yesterday — which was the largest to date at 92 — but Beshear said that the state and country are escalating right now.

“It’s going to continue. There are going to be days where we have more positive tests than we did yesterday, when we had ninety-something,” Beshear said.

The novel coronavirus and the disease it causes, COVID-19, have already had an enormous impact on daily life in Kentucky and the world, prompting governments at all levels to respond.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has been holding a daily press conference at 5 p.m. eastern to update the public on the commonwealth's response to the pandemic.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has directed the Department of Revenue to pause enforced collection methods while the state deals with the economic fallout of the coronavirus.

The move was in response to questions asked about the state’s use of wage garnishments to collect medical debts on behalf of the University of Kentucky’s health care system.

A KyCIR investigation found that the revenue department’s enterprise collections office adds the highest such fees in the country — currently, 7% interest and a 25% collection fee to debts referred to it by UK and other state agencies.

Kentucky is delaying its May primary elections by more than a month, the latest in a series of crowd restrictions announced to try and limit the spread of coronavirus.

Gov. Andy Beshear issued an executive order on Monday delaying the May 19 primaries until June 23.

“We don’t want people out there trying to create gatherings where the coronavirus can spread. And just think about the poll worker at your location,” Beshear said.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced that child care centers across the state must close by the end of Friday in response to the coronavirus outbreak.

Beshear said that there would be some exceptions for centers that serve the children of health care workers working to battle the epidemic.

“I know it’s going to be hard. Everything I’ve announced over the last three days is going to be hard. But it’s all necessary, and I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t believe I had to do it,” Beshear said.

Gov. Andy Beshear has announced that Kentucky Employers’ Mutual Insurance will provide wage replacement benefits to first responders who have to be quarantined due to coronavirus.

KEMI is the state’s largest issuer of workers’ compensation insurance and contracts with many state agencies.

Beshear said that first responders shouldn’t lose money for doing their jobs.

“That should also give confidence to our healthcare employees that are out there,” Beshear said. “If they end up having to be at home because of their work we’re going to take care of them.”

Gov. Andy Beshear has issued an executive order waiving coronavirus testing fees for state employees and those with private health insurance.

The order follows a Monday morning press conference where the Beshear Administration confirmed the virus is spreading from person to person in Kentucky.  Beshear said the executive order, effective immediately, impacts more than 460,000 privately insured residents and state employees.

“There is nothing more important than the health and safety of our fellow Kentuckians, which is why we have been working together for weeks to prepare for this virus and why we’re in constant contact now to ensure local and state officials are responding promptly and appropriately,” Beshear said.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear helped break ground today for a new manufacturing plant in Warren County. 

Crown Cork and Seal USA produces metal beverage cans and will begin operating in spring 2021 at the Kentucky Transpark.  This will be its first plant in the Bluegrass State, and its 240th worldwide. 

Joined by company leaders and local elected officials, Beshear said the company will offer 126 technical, high paying jobs, with an average hourly wage of $31.

A bill filed by Kentucky Senate president Robert Stivers (R-Manchester) would take away the power of the governor to reorganize the state board of education. The bill would likely prevent future wholesale ousters of board members, like the one carried out by Gov. Andy Beshear.

When Beshear took office, one of his first acts as governor was to dissolve the Kentucky Board of Education. The board’s members were all appointed by Beshear’s political rival, former Republican Gov. Matt Bevin. Beshear replaced the Bevin-appointees with his own, and now the dueling boards are duking it out in the courts.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, legislators and advocates on Tuesday urged passage of House Bill 12, which would limit how much insurers can charge for a month’s-worth of insulin medication. 

The bill would limit commercial health insurers to $100 in copay for a 30-day supply of insulin, and would forbid insurers from reducing or eliminating health coverage in response to the proposed law. It is one of a handful of bills filed this year that would try to cap insulin costs and pharmacy services.

“Something more must be done to help those suffering from diabetes so that they can afford the life-saving medication that they require,” Beshear said. “While the disease is not partisan, it is a health epidemic here in Kentucky.”