Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear vetoes House Bill 1, blocking tax credits for private schools

FRANKFORT, Ky. (ABC36 News Now) — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear has vetoed House Bill 1 of the 2026 Regular Session of the General Assembly in its entirety. Beshear signed the veto on Friday, citing the Kentucky Constitution’s requirement that public dollars only be used for public education.

In his veto message that was posted on social media, Beshear said the decision of how to spend public education dollars belongs to voters — not the Secretary of State, the office the bill designated to implement the credit.

“Our Kentucky Constitution has a specific provision that requires ‘voter approval’ for such dollars to be used elsewhere,” Beshear said. “In 2024, our General Assembly followed the required process, asking the people of Kentucky if they wanted to spend public dollars on private or charter schools. The answer was a resounding no. The effort was defeated by 30 points. That was the same margin of victory as Donald Trump in Kentucky. It was rejected in all 120 counties, both rural and urban, by significant margins.”

Beshear said the message from voters was clear.

“Don’t divert public dollars. Fund our public schools,” Beshear said.

The governor argued the Republican supermajority in the Kentucky General Assembly has repeatedly failed to sufficiently fund public schools and has passed bills the Kentucky Supreme Court has struck down as unconstitutional — including, he said, in a unanimous decision on the day House Bill 1 was filed.

Beshear also pushed back on anticipated criticism of his decision.

“I recognize my veto today will be politicized. Some will attack ‘teachers’ unions,’ as if they are malevolent actors when, in reality, they are our neighbors and friends who have taken on critical jobs despite the low pay. They should be appreciated instead of attacked,” Beshear said.

Beshear also addressed suggestions that the veto was a partisan move.

“Others will say I refuse to buck my political party, as if some edict has been sent to all Democrats on this or any issue. For those who don’t know my record, as Attorney General I sued both Democratic and Republican presidents when they were wrong, and as Governor I have voiced my criticism and given credit to presidents of both parties,” Beshear said.

Beshear said his veto reflects a broader conviction about the path forward for Kentucky students.

“I am, quite simply, standing up for my conviction that if we want to ensure every child gets a world-class education, the answer is not diverting students and dollars from public education, but providing sufficient resources to fix public education. If you believe a charter school can do better because it has more flexibility, then provide our public schools with more flexibility. Don’t hamstring them with requirements you don’t put on other schools and then blame them in direct comparisons,” Beshear said.

The governor closed his veto message with a personal note.

“As a product of Kentucky’s public schools, I will not lose faith in our system,” Beshear said.

On Friday afternoon, the primary sponsors of the bill, Representative Kim Moser and Representative T.J. Roberts, called Beshear’s decision “a shameful disservice to Kentucky students and families” in a statement.

“The measure would allow Kentucky students to benefit from scholarships funded through a federal tax credit – without costing the Commonwealth a single dollar. Because Kentuckians can already donate in other states and receive the same federal tax credit, the Governor’s veto effectively sends Kentucky dollars to educate students elsewhere instead of helping families here at home,” the joint statement read.

The representatives added, “Is the Governor really so tone deaf that he doesn’t recognize this as an opportunity? We continue to hear from public school board members and superintendents who are excited about the potential benefits. By blocking this program, the Governor is once again standing in the way of a policy that empowers parents and expands educational opportunities for children – whether through tutoring, school supplies, or other academic resources. He’s also blocking the possibility of catalyzing schools of innovation and creativity. Instead of supporting families, he doubles down on misinformation in a blatant attempt to score political points.”

They went on to criticize Beshear’s “little” action in advancing the education system in Kentucky.

“Yet the Governor, who has done little to advance meaningful education reform, is often the first to take to the megaphone with inflammatory and politically motivated statements. His veto protects the status quo and a system that fails far too many Kentucky children – more than half of whom are not reading or writing at grade level.”