public schools.

Holding the state's chief executive officer accountable for his or her actions by closing a critical loophole.

That's the overall objective of a proposed constitutional amendment to put parameters around a governor's pardons and commutations powers that according to a northern Kentucky lawmaker, Republican Chris McDaniel has tried to get state lawmakers to co-sign his idea since 2020.

It's in reaction to former Republican governor Matt Bevin's last-minute pardons of felons convicted of serious and sometimes violent crimes after losing the 2019 general election.

He's proposed ballot question embodied in Senate bill 126.

Would ask Kentucky voters this.

Are you in favor of limiting a governor's ability to grant pardons or commuted sentences by prohibiting him or her from granting pardons or commuted sentences during the time period between between we're beginning 60 days prior to the general election at which the governor is elected at ending the 5th Tuesday, 6 sitting the election, which is the day of the next gubernatorial inauguration by amending the Constitution of Kentucky.

>> I also have a recount of this committee on numerous occasions.

The a moment.

It was a waitress at a restaurant.

Had, you know, many of you recall.

I had the manager that restaurant down with me last year because after she was kidnapped in Covington, Kentucky.

Driven around the area for 2 weeks repeatedly raped in the back of a car.

Her body thrown in the field to be found infested with the creatures that a company that okay, if human remains.

Pardon or commutation.

And was ultimately eligible for parole last year.

Mercifully because of the intervention.

That's a manager.

His parole was revoked.

He will spend the rest of his life in prison.

But these are the things that happen.

And executive.

With their in their sole discretion.

Can pardon people for whatever crimes they want.

It forces the executive or the party of the executive to stand in front of the voters and account for the actions that they take.

The power to pardon still exists for 3 years and 9 months.

Out of every gubernatorial term.

This is simply a common sense measure to put in front of the voters of the Commonwealth.

A change to the Constitution to force accountability into a process.

I think that my concern is having something like this.

Would it then create a chilling effect or decrease the amount of pardons.

I have worked with folks who have been impacted by our a criminal legal system.

I do know some people who have gone through the pardon process who have have been out of incarceration and do some wonderful things in the community as a senator, I'm actually going to be having some workshops in my district because I've gotten so many people asking me, how do I go through the pardon process?

So I will be doing a workshop in April for a second chance month to teach people about that process.

>> If the Senate and House agreed to the ballot question with the required 3 fifths majority in each chamber, the measure would then go to the voters to decide in a future election McDaniel.

Senate bill 126, advanced from a Senate committee today and now awaits