Beshear declares state of emergency to activate price-gouging laws on gas prices

Citing the burden of rising gas prices that many Kentuckians are feeling, Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency on Thursday that he said will “activate” the state’s price gouging laws at the pump.

Gas prices in the state have climbed above $4.70 per gallon.

Beshear said on Thursday at a press conference that the price gouging statute doesn’t apply until a governor signs a state of emergency. Attorney General Daniel Cameron said when asked earlier this month by Beshear that such a state of emergency would provide “minimal” relief to Kentuckians, but that he would enforce the statutes to the fullest.

“I’m willing to do what it takes to provide relief, even if it’s minimal,” Beshear said on Thursday.

Cameron emphasized in his response to Beshear and in a Twitter post that national Democrats should be excoriated for the price hike at the pump – not businesses.

“The Biden Administration is to blame for rising gas prices, not Kentucky businesses,” Cameron said. “... To the extent that a business is charging an excessive fee for gas, we have the tools already in place to investigate and take action, if warranted,” Cameron said.

This is not Beshear’s first attempt to address the issue, which has often rated among Americans’ chief concerns in recent polling. It’s also not the first action that state Republicans have minimized, including Beshear’s recent decision to halt a 2 cents-per-gallon increase in the state gas tax.

“(Beshear) has done nothing to stand up to the energy policies of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris,” RPK spokesman Sean Southard said. “Andy continues using Joe Biden’s talking points, blaming the cost of gas on Vladimir Putin and American businesses… No matter what he says, Andy Beshear is in lockstep with Joe Biden and refuses to stand up to the far-left interests of the national Democratic party.”

In another attempt to address rising gas prices this month, Beshear requested that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) waive its requirement that more costly but more environmentally-friendly “reformulated” fuel be sold in many urban areas including Louisville. The EPA denied the request, which if granted would have reduced some fuel prices by as much as 20 to 30 cents per gallon.

In justifying the most recent action, Beshear emphasized that Cameron’s office had received 263 complaints of gas-related price gouging this year. 22 of those complaints reported prices of 10% or more above the prevailing price in Kentucky at the time, according to a release from Beshear’s team.

“Kentucky families deserve relief from increasing gas prices,” Gov. Beshear said. “Everyone sitting at a kitchen table working on a budget knows that every little bit helps, and I will continue to seek and take any action that might make even the slightest difference.”

Beshear also extended for another 30 days an executive order that declared a state of emergency over the baby formula shortage, which has been felt in recent weeks across the nation after the closure of a major baby formula plant.

Citizens can report price gouging on the attorney general’s website.