Kentucky lawmakers overrode Gov. Andy Beshear’s veto of HB 490, clearing the way for Kentucky public university boards to terminate tenured faculty for “bona fide financial reasons,” including low enrollment in a major and revenue-cost mismatch. The bill passed with votes of 80-19 in the House and 32-6 in the Senate. In Beshear’s veto message, he argued the standard was vague and could enable political targeting of faculty, programs, and research, potentially violating contractual protections. Faculty and union groups warned during the legislative push that the policy could be used to reduce research and suppress speech. Under the measure, boards must provide 30 days’ notice to affected faculty and allow a short window for the professor to present a defense before trustees act. The change adds to ongoing state-level battles over tenure and academic freedom authority in public higher education.