Republican lawmakers plunge into veto overrides in Kentucky

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Flexing their political muscle, Republican lawmakers on Monday began sweeping aside the Democratic governor's vetoes of bills to change retirement benefits for new teachers and potentially shield legislative records from public scrutiny.

Soon after gaveling in after a nearly two-week break, the GOP-dominated legislature turned quickly to overriding a stack of vetoes by Gov. Andy Beshear. Some of the bills would strip away parts of the governor's executive authority, shifting the power to statewide Republican officeholders. The governor has hinted he expects court challenges to some vetoed bills if they become law.

Lawmakers reconvened Monday with two days left in their 30-day session, which ends Tuesday.

The House voted to override Beshear's veto of a bill to create a “hybrid” pension tier blending defined benefit and contribution components for new Kentucky teachers hired starting in 2022. It would mean that teachers hired starting next January would be required to contribute more toward their retirement benefits. The bill shifted to the Senate, which could complete the veto override.

The bill would not affect teachers already enrolled in the retirement system.

Opponents said the measure would hurt efforts to recruit people into teaching. Democratic Rep. Tina Bojanowski said the measure would make it necessary for new teachers to “work longer, pay more and end up receiving fewer benefits in the long term.”

Republican Rep. C. Ed Massey responded that education groups were involved as the bill was crafted.

“To say that this is against teachers is just a false narrative,” he said.

House Republicans also swept aside Beshear's veto of a bill that opponents said would weaken Kentucky's open records law. The measure would give Kentucky...