(LEX 18) Governor Matt Bevin told a radio host on Tuesday night that he has signed the pension reform bill into law.
He made the announcement during a radio interview with WHAS’ Terry Meiners. Meiners Tweeted about it a little after 6 p.m. If you want to listen to the iHeartRadio interview by Terry Meiners with Governor Bevin, click here.
Meiners began the show by asking Bevin, "At midnight tonight, you have a deadline on this pension bill, have you decided what you’re going to do? Are you going to veto that, or, what’s happening in the next six hours?"
Bevin responded, "No, no, I’ve already signed it and filed it, so it, it’s good to go."
Meiners asked "Did that just happen? because a lot of people thought that…was that done publicly?"
"No, I mean, if people want to do something ceremonially at some point, perhaps they’ll do it, but again, is the bill what it could have been, and should have been, and ultimately needs to be? No. But is it a very good bill in that there’s nothing in it that’s bad for Kentucky? Absolutely," Bevin responded in the interview.
Senate Bill 151 inspired walkouts and protests by teachers, first responders, and other state employees unhappy with the changes.
Attorney General Andy Beshear had pledged to file a lawsuitto have it nullified. After the announcement on Tuesday, he tweeted that he intends to take action when the courts open Wednesday morning.
“We have just learned that Gov. Bevin has signed SB 151 (pensions). When the courts open tomorrow, we will take action. Stay tuned.” —Attorney General Andy Beshear
— KY Attorney General (@kyoag) April 10, 2018
The Kentucky Democratic Party released a statement after the signing of the pension bill. “By signing this pension-sewage bill, Gov. Bevin and the Republican leadership have just dealt a devastating blow to Kentucky’s public education system, public employees, the teaching profession and benefits for first responders," Ben Self, Kentucky Democratic Party Chair said. "It’s obvious that their priorities are to the mega-donors who paid for their campaigns and not the people of Kentucky."
