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Committee backs constitutional amendment to limit gubernatorial pardons near elections
Summary
The Senate committee approved a committee substitute for Senate Bill 126 that would extend the period before a gubernatorial election during which the governor cannot issue pardons, and the measure was reported favorably after a roll call with several members voting yes and one member passing.
Senate Bill 126, a proposed change to the state constitution that would restrict a governor's power to grant pardons in the period immediately before an election, cleared the committee on a favorable vote.
The measure, presented to the committee by State Senator Chris McDaniel, would lengthen the pre-election period during which a governor is barred from issuing pardons from 30 days to 60 days. "The power to pardon still exists for 3 years and 9 months out of every gubernatorial term," McDaniel said, arguing the change would increase accountability to voters. He described the measure as "a very common sense measure" intended to prevent…
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