Kentucky Republicans are moving to stop Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear from electrifying the government’s fleet of vehicles, even as the state seeks to become a powerhouse for electric vehicle manufacturing.
The Kentucky House this month passed a two-year budget bill that includes about $15 million for replacing vehicles in the state fleet, from cars in the general motor pool to specialized rides such as state police cruisers. All those vehicles would be required to have internal combustion engines, according to language in the budget bill, HB 6.
HB 6
Beshear has made electric vehicle manufacturing a core element of his economic agenda; the cover of his latest budget proposal shows him speaking at BlueOval SK Battery Park, a joint venture between Ford and SK On to manufacture batteries south of Louisville. In total, the state has attracted $11.6 billion in electric vehicle manufacturing investment, according to the Beshear administration.
cover of his latest budget proposal
The state House Budget Committee chair referred questions to a spokesperson for House Republican leadership, who said the budget language is part of the GOP’s “commitment to responsibly investing each taxpayer dollar.”
