The issue revolves around Senate Bill 151, a measure aimed at supporting adults who care for young relatives in cases of suspected abuse or neglect. It's a bill Beshear signed and supported. The disagreement is over funding, with the administration maintaining that $20 million needs to be appropriated by the General Assembly to implement the law.
In her suit, Auditor Ball says the legislature determined that Beshear and the Cabinet for Health and Family Services have "more than enough money to carry out SB 151 and must do so."
Senator Julie Raque Adams echoed that sentiment in a committee handling regulations, arguing the governor is arbitrarily choosing not to fund the measure.
"So I just wanna point out for anyone that's watching that this is a joke, that the cabinet has full discretion to implement what they what they want to implement," she said. "And the governor is not a dictator. He's not a king. He has to follow the law. And in this instance, he is not following the law."
Beshear's office said Thursday that his administration notified the General Assembly on multiple occasions about the costs associated with carrying out the kinship care law. A spokesperson for the governor put the onus on lawmakers saying they had "many opportunities" to deliver the funding but did not.
The question will now go before a judge.