# Beshear enacts emergency measures to combat skyrocketing gas prices  
**Published:** 2026-05-06T04:38:41.000Z  
**Source:** [NKY Tribune](https://nkytribune.com/2026/05/governor-andy-beshear-announces-emergency-measures-to-combat-high-prices-at-the-pump/)  
**AI-generated:** yes (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001)  
**Canonical:** https://feeds.lexingtonky.news/article/beshear-enacts-emergency-measures-to-combat-skyrocketing-gas-prices

FRANKFORT, Ky. — [Gov. Andy Beshear announced emergency steps Tuesday](https://nkytribune.com/2026/05/governor-andy-beshear-announces-emergency-measures-to-combat-high-prices-at-the-pump/) to address soaring gas prices, declaring a state of emergency and signing orders to freeze the state gas tax and reduce it by 10 cents per gallon through measures he said will save Kentuckians tens of millions of dollars monthly.

[Gas prices have surged 50% since the U.S. conflict with Iran began](https://www.ky3.com/2026/05/05/gasoline-costs-50-more-us-than-it-did-before-iran-war/), with Kentucky averaging $4.28 per gallon Tuesday compared to $2.85 a year ago. Diesel fuel averaged $5.32, up $2 from the previous year. [Some northern Kentucky counties are seeing prices near $5 per gallon](https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/gas-prices-by-county-trump-iran-war-us-map-rcna343710), adding pressure to household budgets already strained by inflation.

Beshear signed an emergency regulation to freeze the state's gas tax at 26.4 cents per gallon, preventing a scheduled increase to 27 cents on July 1 that would save the state approximately $1.7 million monthly. He also signed an executive order declaring a state of emergency that would reduce the gas tax by an additional 10 cents per gallon, effective May 11 pending approval from Attorney General Russell Coleman.

The governor activated the state's price-gouging laws to ensure fuel providers pass savings to consumers rather than retaining them. He also signed an order freezing the motor vehicle assessment rate scheduled to increase on Jan. 1, 2027.

At the federal level, Beshear sent letters urging congressional leadership and Kentucky's delegation to suspend the federal gas tax through year's end, which would reduce prices by an additional 18.4 cents per gallon. He blamed the price spike on the Trump administration's handling of the Iran conflict.

"All this is entirely attributable to the Trump Administration starting a war without thinking through the costs to the American people," Beshear said at his press conference.

Attorney General Coleman, a Republican, said in a statement he would sign the necessary executive order before May 11, though he criticized the governor for vetoing previous tax-cut legislation. "Of course Kentuckians should have lower gas prices. But Governor Beshear has vetoed almost every tax cut that's come to his desk," Coleman said, accusing the governor of "playing politics."

[Other states including Indiana and Georgia have enacted similar measures](https://www.wkms.org/government-politics/2026-05-05/gov-beshear-announces-order-cutting-state-gas-tax-amid-high-fuel-costs) to mitigate fuel costs. [Beshear acknowledged he expects elevated gas prices to persist for months](https://www.forwardky.com/beshear-says-hes-signing-emergency-measures-to-freeze-lower-state-gas-tax/) due to the ongoing conflict, saying he would reverse the measures if prices decline.

## Sources

- [NKY Tribune](https://nkytribune.com/2026/05/governor-andy-beshear-announces-emergency-measures-to-combat-high-prices-at-the-pump/)
- [Gov. Beshear announces order cutting state gas tax amid high fuel costs](https://www.lpm.org/news/2026-05-05/gov-beshear-announces-order-cutting-state-gas-tax-amid-high-fuel-costs)
- [Gasoline costs 50% more in U.S. than before Iran war](https://www.ky3.com/2026/05/05/gasoline-costs-50-more-us-than-it-did-before-iran-war/)
- [Gas prices by county tracker - Iran war impact](https://www.nbcnews.com/data-graphics/gas-prices-by-county-trump-iran-war-us-map-rcna343710)

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This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from NKY Tribune, enriched with 3 web searches. The original source is available at https://nkytribune.com/2026/05/governor-andy-beshear-announces-emergency-measures-to-combat-high-prices-at-the-pump/.