"...court order that temporarily blocks new Republican-backed laws that threatened to invalidate a series of his executive orders aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19. The Beshear administration made a “strong case” that the laws are likely to “undermine, or even cripple,” public health measures needed to protect Kentuckians from the pandemic, Franklin County Circuit Judge Phillip Shepherd said in his ruling Wednesday."

So, ruling based on protecting people (which is not the court's job), not enforcing laws

WHAT THE EVER LOVING F*CK????? How does this even pass a sniff test?????

I thought this already happened and they where waiting for the KY Supreme Court to take it up. Is this the same story from a month ago, a new case about the same bills, or something else?

Not that I expect our Supreme Court to rule favorably.  I fully expect them to say there was something wrong with the way the bills were drafted or with a timeline in the bills and throw them out completely.  At that point it will be too late for the legislature to take up the bills this session and dictator Beshear rules with an iron fist for another year.  

I wish every time Beshear sued over a bill that passed with a veto proof majority that the the Republican leadership would push through 2 more slightly different bills on the same item.  

Franklin Circuit Judge Phillip Shepard has been a radical left judge that wants to legislate from the bench for years. He has upheld every liberal idea presented to him and overturned every conservative proposal ever brought before him. This is no surprise.  

What have the Republicans passed that has stuck this year?

Impeach Little Andy? NO
Open schools? NO
Limit the Governor's emergency powers? NO
Pass Pro-gun legislation? NO

This year has been a waste of time. The same old song and dance. Liberals win, conservative lose. The Republicans are distracted by goals that they can't win and ignore the battle that they can win, but don't bother to fight.

Double tap, because it needed to be said twice.

It’s almost as if there is no political solution. ??

Not as long as the feds dangle money over the states, and the GOP lacks the stones to wield power in defiance of a judges order.

What do you expect them to do "in defiance of a judge's order"? This all goes back to what I have said many times on this board; bills are not passed between January 1st and April 30th in sessions of the General Assembly. Laws are passed on election day in November. If the right people are elected, things get done. That includes judges. We elect all of them. This legislative session is a disaster. It reminds me of a magic show. The magician distracts the audience with flashy hand tricks and shiny objects and with the other hand does the trick, completely unobserved. Why does Phillip Shepard get to tell 100 elected representatives and 40 elected senators what the law should be in Ky.? Can a law not ever be changed? He's done this for years and is repeatedly reelected. Andy Beshear knew from the first day of this pandemic that if things went South for him, all he had to do was rely on Phil Shepard to bail him out. Oh well, next year's legislative session will be different. January 2022 will see the Republicans finally put the dems in their place. Having a 30 to 8 majority in the Senate and a 75 to 25 majority in the House is just not enough to get anything done. Can you imagine what the dems would do with a majority like that? Ky. would be like Venezuela.

You would think after years of constantly being shut down by the courts that the Republican leadership would actually prepare for and expect that. Then they could come up with a multiple plans and strategies to deal with.  Nope.  They still seem to be of the mindset to put all the eggs in one basket, plan for one shot, and make one attempt.  

If they do pass anything it will be the massive gas tax increase the Republican leadership is pushing.

The first time he only ruled on HB1.  This time he added SB1 and SB2 to the final ruling.

Thank you for the clarification.  I thought the first case was going to be appealed and quickly heard.  I guess not.  Those liberal judges are going to drag their feet on this and then find a technicality to throw it out after the session is over and nothing can be changed.  Just like they have done with every other big Republican initiative.

Different bill

Just look at their attitudes towards courts regarding guns. The law states Prosecutors and LEO can carry concealed in the courtroom, but Judges ignore that and some ban them from the entire courthouse

I would expect them to implement their plan and ignore the judge. To misquote Jackson, the judge has made his ruling. Now let him enforce it.

Jackson had an army to enforce his orders. Ky. Republican Party doesn't have one of those.

The judge doesn’t have an army either. They could do it if they really wanted to. They just don’t want to.

You are right. They know what happens when people disregard judicial orders and they don't want that to happen. I don't want to see that happen either. There are lots of things I could do if I really wanted to but I don't want to deal with the consequences of those actions.

HB 4 is moving and seems likely to pass, it is a constitutional amendment which would allow the General Assembly to call itself back into session if 3/5 of the members agreed.  No Governor signature is required and the measure will go to the voters in the next general election.

One of the biggest issues with the last year of lock downs is the Governor refused to call the legislature back into session to deal with and then ruled by decree. The courts put a stay on the measure that would allow General Assembly to automatically be called back into session during a state of emergency. That means the Governor just has to play the waiting game until the current session ends and he is untouchable for another 10 months.

The next election isn't until Nov 2022 so even if this measure passes and the people approve it the year would be 2023 before it would go into effect.  But at least they are being pro-active about getting that out there for the public to vote on.  About 6 months ago when I asked if they would day the response was "Constitutional Amendments are a lot of work".  I'm glad they decided to at least make the effort.

I do not understand. Can anyone clearly but quickly explain why we do not appeal until we can find a favorable judge like the Dems constantly do?
Further, why can the legislators not pass multiple bills to cover pieces in each? That way it takes more effort, time, and money for the Dems to resist each one.