Kentucky Attorney General Andy Beshear filed a lawsuit Monday challenging Gov. Matt Bevin recently ordered 4.5 percent cuts to higher education.

The lawsuit claims that the cuts are illegal because they violate the Kentucky separation of powers provision and the governor’s constitutional duty to “faithfully execute” the law.

“On Jan. 4, I put my hand on my family Bible and took an oath to defend our constitution. As Attorney General, it is my duty to ensure that no public official acts outside his or her authority, regardless of position and regardless of party,” Beshear said. “And that duty is why today I filed suit against Gov. Bevin for his unconstitutional and illegal order cutting Kentucky’s public universities and colleges in this fiscal year.”

Beshear is asking the court create an injunction that would force Bevin to release the without appropriations to the universities.

“Under his view, a budget is merely a suggestion and the legislature is merely an advisory body,” Beshear said. “The governor is claiming he can defund areas like the SEEK funds, the Kentucky State Police or the entire Kentucky Unified Prosecutorial System at any time for any reason.”