With just one full day remaining before the governor takes out his veto pen, the pace picked up in the General Assembly with lawmakers giving final approval to a number of controversial bills.
At least two major bills are all but assured to wind up back before the legislature.
House Bill 3, a sweeping anti-abortion rights measure, places new limits on medication abortion and creates a preemptive 15-week abortion ban should the U.S. Supreme Court uphold a similar Mississippi law. And House Bill 9 would introduce funding sources for charter schools, which were legalized in the state in 2017.
Earlier in the days, Senate Democrats exited the chamber as protesters shouted "abortion is health care" before being escorted out. That was the scene as Senate Republicans approved a measure combining two bills, one placing new restrictions on medication abortion and another setting the stage for Kentucky to ban abortion at 15 weeks.
In the final House floor debate, Louisville Democrat Josie Raymond told colleagues the new regulations on abortion pills are part of a coordinated national strategy to eliminate abortion "method by method" — and not, as advocates have argued, to make the process safer.
"Tell the truth. You're not making women safer and you don't care to do so. You're impairing a person's ability to access constitutionally-protected healthcare."Rep. Josie Raymond (D)
Wellington Republican David Hale acknowledged his goal is to end the practice altogether.
"That's my purpose. To stop this atrocity that's happening across this country and across this state," he said, explaining his vote.
The added language banning abortion at 15 weeks is modeled after a Mississippi law set for review by the U.S. Supreme Court this summer. If upheld, that would immediately put Kentucky's law into effect as well, according to lawmakers.
Unlike the abortion bill, the charter funding measure will need to hold on to every yes vote in the House if a veto is to be overturned.
Those caught trafficking the synthetic opioid fentanyl would face more time in jail under a bill also on its way to the governor.
Under current law, fentanyl traffickers must serve at least half of their prison sentence. House Bill 215 increases the minimum up to 85% before violators are eligible for parole.
Sen. Danny Carroll, a former police officer, said taking and trafficking the drug are two different things.
"I understand the need for treatment and I agree with those things (for) those who are possessing drugs, involved in drugs," he said. "Trafficking is a different issue."
But Democratic Sen. Robin Webb warned the bill does come with costs and could lead to a troubling trend.
"We appear to be piecemealing our justice system even further and moving toward mandatory minimums like the archaic federal system," she said.
Critics also worry the bill could wind up harming low-level drug users while doing little to deter major traffickers.
Another measure that cleared both chambers would set triggers for lowering the state's income tax, with an eye toward shifting more revenue generation to sales taxes.
Left on the table Tuesday night were bills legalizing sports betting and medical marijuana. While both face challenges in gaining enough support in the Senate, the former appears more likely to gain momentum than the latter.
Wednesday marks the final day before the veto break. The legislature will return for two days in April before the end of the session.
