Threatened legal action against Gov. Matt Bevin over his executive order trimming current-year funds for higher education won’t move forward just yet. A spokesman for Attorney General Andy Beshear says Monday is the earliest he might take the governor to court.
Friday marked a deadline set by the Democratic Attorney General during a press conference last week.
"We are going to give this governor the next seven days to reconsider, to look at the law, and to rescind his order as to universities," Beshear announced late last week.
By the close of business this week, Bevin was asked to meet with Beshear’s staff and walk back his 4.5 percent reductions for the final quarter of the fiscal year. The Republican governor first previewed the planned cuts in his budget address in January and made them official on March 31st as part of his strategy to tackle the state’s escalating pension debts.
But Kentucky’s chief law enforcement official says Bevin exceeded his authority by sidestepping the legislature. Without an immediate or forecasted revenue shortfall, Beshear maintains the governor’s actions were illegal. A Bevin spokesperson called the move “premature,” saying the administration is confident it’s on firm legal ground.
Disagreements over higher education funding have kept House and Senate lawmakers from settling on a compromise budget. Tuesday is the last scheduled workday of the 2016 session.
