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Bills respond to Bevin's flurry of last-minute pardons

Posted at 12:50 PM, Jan 10, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-10 13:50:12-05

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentucky lawmakers have responded to ex-Matt Bevin's flurry of pardons. Bills have been introduced to put checks on gubernatorial pardon powers and ensure victims are notified before their assailants are pardoned.

Bevin issued hundreds of pardons between his election defeat and his final day in office on Dec. 9. Several stirred outrage from victims or their families, prosecutors and lawmakers.

One proposed constitutional amendment would give crime victims the right to be notified before their assailants are pardoned. Another would strip a governor of pardon powers for the month leading up to an election and the time between an election and inauguration.