2025 Regular Session - Day 29 -HB 546 Veto Override Explanation, Speaker Osborne & Floor Leader Rudy

mr Speaker I would ask for another point of order I'm ruling whether or not the governor has line item veto authority in this measure General McCracken to your point of order shockingly you're not going to get a different answer Kentucky Constitution section 88 gives the governor power to disapprove any parts or part or parts of appropriations bill embracing distinct items House Bill 546 is not an appropriation bill This appropriation bill primarily makes appropriations of money from the treasury rather than enacting general laws including incidental appropriations pursuant to the constitution The opinions of two attorney generals including former attorney general Ben Chandler Vetos of House Bill 546 have no effect bill therefore become will become law unaltered by the reported veto and shall be delivered to the secretary of state and codified in that manner Additionally nonetheless the House may choose to override the veto in order to prevent uncertainty in litigation Gentleman from McCracken Mr Speaker I appreciate that ruling and this one is a little bit different since it does have appropriation in the title but I think those attorney general opinions that we are available for any of the members if you'd like to see we have copies of them It's clearly talking about budget bills which this is not Uh Mr Mr Speaker uh but rather than get into that good legal battle because the state of Indiana is ready to begin building the I69 bridge as a partnership with us Uh the governor doesn't want to enter into that partnership The people of Western Kentucky want expect and deserve and have been hoping for years to get the I69 bridge over the Ohio River started and then later completed The governor is trying to force an issue by a veto of this measure uh a veto to this bill that would for all practical purposes stop that bridge from being built The folks of Western Kentucky are fine with a toll They were told from day one it would be told Everybody in Indiana knows there's going to be a toll Everybody in Kentucky knows there's going to be a toll it will be built with a toll So Mr Speaker out of an abundance of caution even though I don't think necessary I move final passage of House Bill 546 the purported veto of the governor notwithstanding