Kentucky Voters to Decide on Limiting Governor's Pardon Power Around Elections
Kentucky voters will decide in November whether to amend the state constitution to temporarily restrict the governor's power to issue pardons and commute sentences around gubernatorial elections. The proposed amendment, stemming from Senate Bill 10 sponsored by Sen. Chris McDaniel, R-Ryland Heights, would prevent a governor from granting pardons or commutations starting 60 days before a gubernatorial election and continuing until the new term's inauguration. This initiative gained momentum following former Republican Gov. Matt Bevin's actions in 2019, where he issued over 400 pardons and commutations, some for serious crimes, in the final weeks of his administration after losing his re-election bid. The amendment aims to enhance accountability and transparency in the use of the pardon power.
