When Democrat Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear recently vetoed two pro-gun measures, lawful gun owners in the Bluegrass State were hopeful that pro-gun lawmakers in the state legislature could garner enough votes for an override.
Gov. Beshear vetoed House Bill 78, which would provide critical liability protections for firearm industry members against third-party misuse of the products they manufacture and sell, and House Bill 312, which would create a provisional concealed carry permit for lawful young adults ages 18, 19, and 20.
On April 14, the state legislature convened for a veto override session and successfully overrode both measures. The override vote totals for HB 78 were 80-19 in the House and 31-6 in the Senate, while HB 312 was overridden by 81-to-18 and 28-to-9 margins.
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA) had earlier lambasted Gov. Beshear for his veto of HB 312, saying he was “following an anti-gun-rights party line rather than principle.” After the veto votes were counted, however, CCRKBA quickly applauded the legislators’ efforts.
“We are both delighted and proud of the Kentucky legislators who returned to Frankfort for these important votes,” CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb said in a news release announcing the override. “By overriding Gov. Beshear’s vetoes, lawmakers in the Bluegrass State have exercised common sense by rejecting political nonsense, which prefers to penalize a lawful industry for criminal misuse of its products, while also practicing age discrimination against young adults by denying them their full rights of citizenship.
Gottlieb added that gun-ban activists around the country should take note of this important victory in Kentucky.
“What happened in Kentucky should be considered a signal to the anti-rights extremists to stop blaming an entire industry for the country’s violent crime problem,” he continued, “and to also stop restricting the rights of an entire age class, which can serve in the military, start businesses, get married, and run for office.”
Ultimately, Gottlieb said that after his organization chastised Gov. Beshear earlier this month for vetoing HB 312, he’s grateful the legislature responded to that call to action.
While the governor has opposed a ban on so-called ‘assault weapons’ and believes in reforming current law to allow medical marijuana users to retain their Second Amendment rights, he was wrong on these vetoes. We congratulate Kentucky legislators for making things right.”
In a news report about the Kentucky veto, NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) also praised pro-gun legislators for seeing the bills through to the end.
“NRA thanks lead sponsors TJ Roberts, Wade Williams, Savannah Maddox, and Josh Bray, all legislators who supported these bills throughout the session, and all NRA Members and fellow Second Amendment advocates who engaged with legislators this session,” the report stated.