Special session over COVID issues appears likely next week

Emergency Order Set To Expire

FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – There has been a lot of talk in Frankfort that a special session of the General Assembly will be called soon to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, and there are hints that it could be as soon as next week.

Legislative committee meetings for the rest of this week have had their agendas changed to include COVID-related testimony, and special meetings have been called as well on the issue.

During the regular 2021 session, three bills and a resolution were enacted over Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto, which restricted his power to issue executive orders during an emergency such as the pandemic. About two weeks ago, the Kentucky Supreme Court dealt the governor a serious blow, by ruling unanimously to uphold the constitutionality of that legislation. 

Wednesday morning, the Interim Joint Local and State Government committees plan to hold a joint meeting. At first, it was to hear from Attorney General Daniel Cameron about the high court ruling, but the agenda was changed Tuesday to include discussion of COVID-19 issues in Kentucky’s correctional facilities.

Also on Wednesday, the Interim Joint Education Committee will hold a special meeting to discuss COVID-19 in Kentucky schools.  Officials from the Kentucky Association of School Superintendents, as well as the Kentucky School Boards Association, are expected to testify.

On Thursday, the Interim Joint Health, Welfare and Family Services Committee is holding a special meeting to discuss childcare center administrative regulations, emergency measures to address COVID-19, funding for COVID-19 emergency measures and antibody testing for COVID-19 immunity.

While he wouldn’t name a date, Gov. Beshear, during a Monday press conference, said, “My goal is to call a special session as soon as legislative leaders have reached a general consensus about what they think can be done and we’re able to talk about that. I am sure I will push for some other things as well.

“It needs to happen soon, and it probably needs to happen before the state of emergency might in and of itself go away, if nothing else, because of what we’re seeing in schools.”

The state of emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic is slated to expire by Sept. 10, without action by lawmakers, due to the Supreme Court decision.