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SB 126 Kentucky Senate · 2025 Regular Session

AN ACT proposing to amend Sections 77 and 240 of the Constitution of Kentucky relating to limiting the Governor's ability to grant pardons and commute sentences.

Summary
Propose to amend Section 77 of the Constitution of Kentucky to prohibit the Governor's ability to grant pardons or commute sentences beginning 30 days prior to a gubernatorial election and ending at that gubernatorial inauguration; amend Section 240 of the Constitution of Kentucky to conform; provide ballot language; submit to voters for ratification or rejection.
Issues: ✗ Criminal JusticeOpposes Criminal JusticeRestricts gubernatorial clemency powers during election cycles, limiting sentencing flexibility often used in criminal justice reform efforts.90% confidence
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2025
Committee Review
Mar 2025
Senate Passage
Feb 2025
House Passage
Governor
Introduced Jan 7, 2025 Last action Mar 5, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Current/Final · 2 edits
MINOR
The bill changed the timing of when a Kentucky Governor cannot grant pardons or commute sentences, extending the restriction from 30 days to 60 days before a general election. This gives voters more time to consider the Governor's clemency decisions during election cycles.
Scope change
The scope of the restriction on gubernatorial clemency power was expanded by doubling the pre-election blackout period.
TIMELINE

The pre-election restriction period for pardons and sentence commutations was changed from 30 days to 60 days before the general election.

TECHNICAL

Header information was updated to reflect the correct bill number (SB 126) and revised date stamps.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 7, 2025

How they voted

41–0
Passed · 2 other
Total votes 43
Feb 7, 2025
D Democratic6
5 Yea 1
83% Yea
R Republican37
36 Yea 1
97% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
11
Key actions
3
Committee
6
Mar 5, 2025
Committee
to Elections, Const. Amendments & Intergovernmental Affairs (H)
lower
Feb 12, 2025
Committee
to Committee on Committees (H)
lower
Feb 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
3rd reading, passed 37-0-1 with Committee Substitute (1)
upper
Feb 7, 2025
Upper · Passed
floor amendment adopted Committee Substitute (1)
upper
Feb 5, 2025
Upper · Passed
reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute (1)
upper
Jan 9, 2025
Committee
to State & Local Government (S)
upper
Jan 7, 2025
Committee
to Committee on Committees (S)
upper
Jan 7, 2025
Introduced
introduced in Senate
upper
0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

No sponsor information available.