MEDIA ALERT: Bluegrass Institute issues statement on next week’s special legislative session

For Immediate Contact: Jim Waters, (270) 320-4376

The Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, Kentucky’s free market think tank, released the following statement in response to Gov. Andy Beshear’s decision to call the legislature back into session next week: 

The governor’s call for a special session offers lawmakers an opportunity to assert the will of their constituents and reestablish the balance of power in Frankfort. 

While COVID and its variants are serious threats to the health of many Kentuckians, this administration’s response to the virus has too often exacerbated the problems and threatened the livelihoods of struggling Kentuckians. Lockdowns and shutdowns through one-size-fits-all mandates for the entire commonwealth from Frankfort must end. 

The better approach is empowering local leaders to make decisions which best respond to the coronavirus’ impact in their areas of the state, and which best balance the need to protect both lives and livelihoods. 

Finally, this isn’t the time for back-room deals leading to legislative shenanigans in order to get unpopular spending approved or proposed bills passed. 

Rather, this is an opportunity to show the kind of restraint, transparency and leadership that will build confidence among the citizenry that their representatives are, indeed, working in their best interests during this session.