Gov. Beshear's conversion therapy, transgender Medicaid coverage veto overturned
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — The General Assembly has overturned the governor's veto on House Bill 495.
'The Republican-led legislature just overrode my veto on House Bill 495, which will allow conversion therapy in Kentucky,' Gov. Andy Beshear announced on X, formerly known as Twitter, on the afternoon of March 27.
Gov. Beshear vetoes bill aimed at overturning conversion therapy ban and Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming care
Beshear banned conversion therapy in the Commonwealth with a September 2024 executive order.
House Bill 495 saw a last-minute addition before the veto recess, moving forward with not only repealing a conversion therapy ban but also impacting transgender people on Medicaid. Medicaid coverage for cross-sex hormones or gender reassignment surgery will now be banned.
The Family Foundation policy director, Nick Spencer, supports the bill. He told FOX 56 he believes the governor's executive order banning conversion therapy in the Commonwealth limits free speech, and people should be able to choose the counseling that fits them.
Gov. Beshear veto against tolls on new I-69 bridge overriden
Here's how to watch the Wildcats play against Tennessee on a giant screen for free
Lexington Legends announce partnership with Kentucky bourbon, exclusive giveaway
'Win for free speech, religious liberty, and for fiscal and moral sanity! Gov. Beshear's veto on HB 495 has been overridden by both chambers. KY counselors and pastors can once again share the truth about God's design for gender and sexuality. And our tax dollars will no longer pay for gender mutilation via Medicaid,' The Family Foundation wrote on X Thursday afternoon.
The Fairness Campaign called the override devastating.
'It's a sad day in Kentucky. Two anti-LGBTQ bills will become law with devastating consequences for our community. HB495 opens the door to 'conversion torture' and denies Medicaid coverage for transgender healthcare. Likewise, SB2 denies healthcare to transgender inmates. Both are cruel and have no place in our Commonwealth,' Fairness Campaign Executive Director Chris Hartman said.
Gov. Beshear vetoes 9 bills on education, healthcare, and more on Wednesday
Senate Bill 2 was passed into law without the governor's signature. Beshear said that he doesn't believe that the state should pay for gender reassignment surgeries for convicted felons 'as this would mean those in prison would receive better access to medical care than a law-abiding citizen.'
Beshear shared a video explaining the reported dangers the bill poses.
'Listen to the experts and survivors who know how dangerous this torture is. These are the voices they didn't want you to hear. I hope you'll listen,' he said.
Click here to view the governor's response.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
27 minutes ago
- Newsweek
Republican Gets Good Sign in New Jersey Governor's Race Poll
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Republican New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli received a potentially good sign about his favorability in a new poll of Garden State voters days ahead of the primary election. Newsweek has contacted Ciattarelli's and Representative Mikie Sherrill's campaigns for comment via email. Why It Matters New Jersey voters are set to head to the polls next Tuesday to pick party nominees for the gubernatorial race scheduled for November. The competitiveness of the election could hinge on which candidates prevail in the primaries, and the race has major implications for both parties. The election may indicate whether Democrats are winning back key voter groups that shifted right in the 2024 presidential race—such as young adults and Latinos—or whether Republicans can continue winning those groups even though President Donald Trump's approval has dropped since January. What To Know A new poll conducted by SurveyUSA found that Ciattarelli, who is viewed as a strong favorite to win the GOP nomination next week, is viewed favorably by a similar percentage of New Jersey voters as Sherrill, the Democrat who has held a narrow but consistent lead in primary election polls. However, Sherrill is viewed unfavorably by a smaller percent of voters. The poll found that 40 percent of voters viewed Ciattarelli favorably, while 41 percent viewed Sherrill favorably. Meanwhile, 36 percent viewed Ciattarelli unfavorably, while 29 percent viewed Sherrill unfavorably. Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli at an election watch party in Bridgewater, New Jersey, on November 2, 2021. Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli at an election watch party in Bridgewater, New Jersey, on November 2, percent of respondents were unfamiliar with Ciattarelli, while 30 percent were unfamiliar with Sherrill. The poll surveyed 576 likely voters from May 28 to 30 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 6.1 percentage points. Ciattarelli was the GOP's nominee in the 2021 gubernatorial race, when he came close to unseating Democratic Governor Phil Murphy, losing by about 3 percentage points. Independent polling on the general election hasn't been released, but Republicans are hoping to build on the increased support Trump saw in the state in November. While Joe Biden won the state easily in 2020, securing victory by 16 percentage points, Democratic support collapsed in the state last year. Then-Vice President Kamala Harris carried the state by only 6 points—the closet margin since 2004. Shifts in heavily Latino areas in the north of the state, as well as eroding Democratic support in South Jersey, contributed to the shift. The latest head-to-head poll of the Democratic primary showed Sherrill leading the Democratic side with 28 percent of the vote, followed by Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and Representative Josh Gottheimer each at 11 percent. Emerson College conducted the poll between May 11 and 13 among 386 likely voters. It had a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points. What People Are Saying Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill's campaign manager, Alex Ball, told Newsweek in May: "New Jersey saw in the debate why Mikie Sherrill continues to lead in every poll: her lifelong commitment to service, strong record getting big things done and her ability to beat Trump Republicans at every turn. Republicans are afraid to go up against Mikie in November because she knows how to win and then deliver for New Jerseyans." Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli said on Fox & Friends First on Tuesday: "We're in a very commanding position in the primary. We're not taking anything for granted. We'll finish strong over the last week; early voting does start today. We'll be up and down the state once again delivering our message that there's only one Republican who can win in November, and that's why I'm honored to have President Trump's complete and total endorsement. I really am. Having his faith, trust and confidence. He knows New Jersey is in play." What Happens Next After the June 10 primary, voters are set to head to the polls for the general election on November 4. The Cook Political Report classifies the race as leaning Democrat—meaning it is "considered competitive," but the Democrats have "an advantage."
28 minutes ago
Migrants and ICE officers contend with heat, smog and illness after detoured South Sudan flight
WASHINGTON -- Migrants placed on a deportation flight originally bound for South Sudan are now being held in a converted shipping container on a U.S. naval base in Djibouti, where the men and their guards are contending with baking hot temperatures, smoke from nearby burn pits and the looming threat of rocket attacks, the Trump administration said. Officials outlined grim conditions in court documents filed Thursday before a federal judge overseeing a lawsuit challenging Immigration and Customs Enforcement efforts to swiftly remove migrants to countries they didn't come from. Authorities landed the flight at the base in Djibouti, about 1,000 miles (1,600 kilometers) from South Sudan, more than two weeks ago after U.S. District Judge Brian E. Murphy in Boston found the Trump administration had violated his order by swiftly sending eight migrants from countries including Cuba and Vietnam to the east African nation. The judge said that men from other countries must have a real chance to raise fears about dangers they could face in South Sudan. The men's lawyers, though, have still not been able to talk to them, said Robyn Barnard, senior director of refugee advocacy at Human Rights First, whose stated mission is to ensure the United States is a global leader on human rights. Barnard spoke Friday at a hearing of Democratic members of Congress and said some family members of the men had been able to talk to them Thursday. The migrants have been previously convicted of serious crimes in the U.S., and President Donald Trump's administration has said that it was unable to return them quickly to their home countries. The Justice Department has also appealed to the Supreme Court to immediately intervene and allow swift deportations to third countries to resume. The case comes amid a sweeping immigration crackdown by the Republican administration, which has pledged to deport millions of people who are living in the United States illegally. The legal fight became another flashpoint as the administration rails against judges whose rulings have slowed the president's policies. The Trump administration said the converted conference room in the shipping container is the only viable place to house the men on the base in Djibouti, where outdoor daily temperatures rise above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius), according to the declaration from an ICE official. Nearby burn pits are used to dispose of trash and human waste, and the smog cloud makes it hard to breathe, sickening both ICE officers guarding the men and the detainees, the documents state. They don't have access to all the medication they need to protect against infection, and the ICE officers were unable to complete anti-malarial treatment before landing, an ICE official said. 'It is unknown how long the medical supply will last,' Mellissa B. Harper, acting executive deputy associate director of enforcement and removal operations, said in the declaration. The group also lacks protective gear in case of a rocket attack from terrorist groups in Yemen, a risk outlined by the Department of Defense, the documents state. ___
Yahoo
32 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Billion-dollar battery plant pauses construction amid electric vehicle and tariff uncertainty
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A Japanese company has halted construction on a $1.6 billion factory in South Carolina to help make batteries for electric BMWs, citing 'policy and market uncertainty.' While AESC didn't specify what those problems are, South Carolina's Republican governor said the company is dealing with the potential loss of federal tax breaks for electric vehicle buyers and incentives for EV businesses as well as tariff uncertainties from President Donald Trump's administration. 'What we're doing is urging caution — let things play out because all of the these changes are taking place,' Gov. Henry McMaster said. AESC announced the suspension in construction of its plant in Florence on Thursday, 'Due to policy and market uncertainty, we are pausing construction at our South Carolina facility at this time," the company's statement said. AESC promised to restart construction, although it didn't say when, and vowed to meet its commitment to hire 1,600 workers and invest $1.6 billion. The company said it has already invested $1 billion in the Florence plant. The battery maker based in Japan also has facilities in China, the United Kingdom, France, Spain and Germany. In the U.S., AESC has a plant in Tennessee and is building one in Kentucky. The statement didn't mention any changes with other plants. The South Carolina plant is supposed to sell battery cells to BMW, which is building its own battery assembly site near its giant auto plant in Greer. BMW said the construction pause by AESC doesn't change its plans to open its plant in 2026. AESC has already rolled back its South Carolina plans. They announced a second factory on the Florence site, but then said earlier this year that their first plant should be able to handle BMW's demand. That prompted South Carolina officials to withdraw $111 million in help they planned to provide. The company is still getting $135 million in grants from the South Carolina Department of Commerce and $121 million in bonds and the agency said a construction pause won't prompt them to claw back that offer. South Carolina is investing heavily in electric vehicles. Volkswagen-owned Scout Motors plans to invest more than $4 billion and hire 10,000 people for a plant to build its new electric SUVs scheduled to open in 2027. The state has for decades made big bets on foreign manufacturers like BMW, Michelin and Samsung that have paid off with an economic boom this century, but there is uneasiness that Trump's flirtation with high tariffs might stagger or even ruin those important partnerships. McMaster told people to relax as state and business leaders are talking to Trump's administration and things will work out. 'I think the goal of the president and the administration is to have robust economic growth and prosperity and there is no doubt there has to be changes made in our international trade posture and President Trump is addressing that,' McMaster told reporters Thursday.
