Bill > SB126

This bill proposes to amend the Kentucky Constitution to limit the Governor's power to grant pardons or commute sentences by prohibiting such actions during a specific timeframe around gubernatorial elections. Specifically, the Governor would be barred from granting pardons or commuting sentences from 60 days prior to the gubernatorial election until the fifth Tuesday following the election. The bill updates existing constitutional language to use gender-neutral terms like "he or she" and adds specific restrictions to the Governor's pardoning power. The proposed amendment would require voter ratification and includes provisions for how the proposed constitutional change will be published and placed on ballots. The bill aims to add transparency and potentially reduce the potential for politically motivated pardons or sentence commutations during the transition period of a gubernatorial election. If approved by voters, this would represent a significant limitation on the executive clemency powers of the Kentucky Governor, introducing a new temporary restriction on pardons and sentence commutations during a sensitive political period.

Government Affairs

https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/25RS/sb126.html