Bevin plans revamp of 39 medical and professional boards; Beshear pledges to fight
Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear is pledging to fight a proposed reorganization and restructuring by Gov. Matt Bevin of nearly 40 medical and professional oversight boards, which control the licensing of more than 100,000 professionals in Kentucky and investigate complaints against them.
Officials with the Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet have told leaders of these boards that Bevin plans to sign an executive order, possibly as early as July 1, that would dramatically change how the boards operate.
The number of members on most boards would be cut to five, according to cabinet documents that were presented to lawmakers or affected professional groups. Also, executive directors appointed by the governor would have authority to veto or overturn licensure and disciplinary decisions and they would have final say on state regulations for those professional groups. In many cases, one director would oversee several boards.
This latest tussle over the governor’s power to dissolve and re-appoint governing boards comes as Beshear announced Tuesday that he filed a lawsuit challenging Bevin’s authority to overhaul several education boards, including the Kentucky Board of Education. Beshear has already sued Bevin for unilaterally remaking the boards of the University of Louisville and the Kentucky Retirement Systems.
Read more here: http://www.kentucky.com/news/local/counties/fayette-county/article157169799.html