NKY woman sues Beshear, attorney general over coronavirus travel ban

A Northern Kentucky woman sued Gov. Andy Beshear and Attorney General Daniel Cameron over a travel order imposed to curtail the spread of coronavirus.

The lawsuit, filed in federal court Thursday by Allison S. Alessandro, says Beshear’s order is an unconstitutional infringement on the rights of Kentuckians to travel outside of the state, which is “a fundamental right firmly embedded in this nation’s jurisprudence.”

Alessandro “regularly travels to Ohio and visits friends and family in Ohio,” according to the lawsuit.

Beshear’s order prevents her from going to Ohio “for the purpose of associating at a safe distance with her friends and family who reside there” and “to enjoy Ohio’s parks.”

Allesandro now fears traveling to Ohio “due to uncertainty over whether she will be detained or otherwise punished."

The attorney general, the state’s official legal counsel, is named in the suit because he recently said his office would pursue and prosecute persons suspected of violating the governor’s executive orders.

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Beshear announced Thursday that Kentucky now has 770 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, along with at least 30 deaths. Tennessee now has 2,845 confirmed positive cases and 32 related fatalities.

More cases and deaths are expected as the nation braces for a surge in the coming weeks, so Beshear announced out-of-state travel was banned except for going to work, get groceries, to care for a loved one or for health care, or when required by a court order.

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On Thursday, he expanded the state’s travel restrictions. Now, people entering Kentucky from other states must self-quarantine for 14 days.

The order does not apply to those who were just traveling through the state and not staying.

Last week, Beshear first recommended people from Kentucky residents avoid unnecessary travel to Tennessee due to that state’s higher number of positive cases and less restrictive business closings.

FOX19 NOW is working to get comment from all of the parties.

Enquirer media partner Fox19 provided this report.