The Kentucky Senate made good on its promise to override the governor's veto of House Bill one.

Now, that bill allows Kentucky to take advantage of federal scholarship tax credit program that can be used to support various educational expenses for students that are in both public and private schools.

In his veto message, the governor said Kentuckians in 2024 soundly rejected Constitutional Amendment number two that it would have given state lawmakers the authority to spend public money on nonpublic education.

Well, today, Senate GOP leadership responded to the governor's message.

This conversation about a backdoor amendment two is totally and patently false.

These are federal dollars.

These are not state dollars.

And I shared in my conversation last week the only impact to the state budget from House Bill one can be a positive impact.

Anytime we can infuse 400 to $600 million annually back into the economy of Kentucky.

It can only be a positive tax revenue.

If we can impact a kid's life, it shouldn't matter.

It should not matter the path the child travels.

If we can impact that life in a positive way, which we can do at no cost to our citizens and no detriment to our state budget.

To the contrary, Senate Minority Floor Leader Gerald Neal urged the colleagues to allow the veto to stand.

This decision is not about rejecting new approaches, our limiting opportunity.

It's about ensuring that any policy we adopt is carefully structured, accountable and works well for all students and communities across the Commonwealth.

The concerns raised give us a chance to slow down, take a closer look and continue working together toward a solution that reflects our shared commitment to both innovation and strong public schools.

Yesterday, the house was the first to override the governor's veto that included at least one Republican lawmaker who said he was initially skeptical of the new tax credit.

When we originally voted on this bill several weeks ago, I had, many questions.

I felt, somewhat unsettled, as well as many, public, school administrators that I had the conversation to speak with about this bill since that time and having more opportunity to research this.

Continue conversations with public school administrators, public school supporters.

I realized what every teacher, every public school administrator realized when we originally voted on this bill and that this bill is good for public school students.

There is not one single dollar of state money that has been put at risk, and there's a lot of people out there in the public space right now that don't understand what this bill does.

And I understand that they are subject to the propaganda that continues to flow from the mouths of those that want to maintain the status quo.

But it's up to us to educate them.

It's up to us to tell them the truth.

And it's up to you to live with yourself.

If you don't.

This is the second time state lawmakers have overturned a bill vetoed by the governor this session.

The first was House Bill 314 that aims on streamlining the fiber broadband cable program.

Kentucky.

Wired.