Governor’s Pardons Before Leaving Office Prompts One State Lawmaker to Propose Restrictions

In the month between his re-election loss and the day he left office, former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin issued 428 pardons, prompting an outcry from state lawmakers and prosecutors. Bevin, a Republican, narrowly lost to Democratic challenger Andy Beshear in November, and left office last week. His pardons in that time period have drawn attention because they included people convicted of reckless homicide and child rape. Now, Republican state Sen. Chris McDaniel is introducing a bill that would eliminate the governor’s pardon powers for the month leading up to an election and for the time between an election and the swearing-in ceremony for the next governor. “It is clear from the events at the end of the Bevin administration that reform is needed to the power of a governor to pardon and commute sentences. If a governor wants to use the power to commute and pardon, he should be willing to stand in front of the voters and be held accountable for those actions,” McDaniel said. In one case, Bevin pardoned Patrick Brian Baker, whose brother hosted a fundraiser for Bevin’s campaign. Baker was convicted in 2017 of reckless homicide, robbery, impersonating a peace officer, and tampering with evidence for his role in a home invasion that left one person dead. Baker served two years of his 19-year sentence when he was released by the state Department of Corrections last week. Commonwealth Attorney Jackie Steele, who prosecuted Baker, said that Bevin did not pardon the other people involved in the robbery and homicide. “What this governor did is an absolute atrocity of justice. He’s put victims, he’s put others in our community in danger,” Steele said. Bevin said that he issued the pardons because he is a big believer in second chances. “I think this is a nation that was founded on the concept of redemption and second chances and new pages in life. If there has been a change and there’s no further value that comes for the individual, for society, for the victims, for anybody, if a person continues to stay in, then that’s when somebody should be considered for a commutation or a pardon,” Bevin said. [WYMT; Washington Post; Louisville Courier Journal]

TAX REFORM | The Utah state legislature passed a controversial tax reform package that will reduce the amount of income tax residents pay, but raise sales taxes on gas and groceries, as well as create new taxes on previously un-taxed services. The tax overall passed largely along party lines, with only two Republicans voting no. Gov. Gary Hebert said he will sign the package. Because it did not pass by a two-thirds vote, the law won’t take effect for 60 days. Of the constituents who reached out to the governor’s office about the proposal, 699 out of 701 said they were against the changes. Utahns Against Hunger said the increase in taxes on unprepared foods means the state is building revenue off the backs of the most vulnerable. "Low-income Utahns feel the pinch of low-wages on every front, from increases in rent, increases in the price of gas, restricted access to health care, and now an increase to their groceries,” they said. Herbert said the changes are more fair than the current tax structure. "Creating a stable system does not necessarily mean collecting more tax revenue. It means collecting the same amount of taxes overall—or maybe even a lower amount—but from a wider segment of the economy, in a more fair and equitable manner. That's what this bill does,” he said. [KJZZ; Salt Lake Tribune]

CRUISE SHIP | The Oakland City Council is considering a proposal to house up to 1,000 homeless people on a cruise ship docked in nearby waters. The plan may be feasible because the International Maritime Organization is imposing more stringent emissions regulations in 2020, and some ships won’t have time to upgrade their engines. City Council president Rebecca Kaplan said that ships that don’t meet new regulations could dock at the Port of Oakland and provide housing. “I think it’s worth working on to see if we can have an innovation to provide needed, urgent housing quickly and affordably. Cruise ships have been used for emergency housing after natural disasters and for extra housing for things like Olympics,” Kaplan said. Port of Oakland spokesman Michael Zampa said that while port officials respect the push to address homelessness, the port is designed for cargo ships. "There isn't the infrastructure to berth a cruise ship. Safety and security issues at the federally regulated maritime facilities would make residential uses untenable," he said. [East Bay Times; Newsweek]

TUITION-FREE COLLEGE | Virginia Governor Ralph Northam said that his proposed budget for 2020 will include funding to make community colleges in the state tuition-free for some students pursuing degrees in high-demand fields. His budget includes $145 million over two years for lower-income and middle-income students who are interested in working in health care, information technology, public safety, and early childhood education. Northam said that the plan will help boost the state’s workforce in needed areas. “Everyone deserves the opportunity to get a good education and a good job, no matter who you are or how much money you have. This is an investment in equity and our economy,” he said. Secretary of Education Atif Qarni said that rising tuition costs are forcing many state residents to opt out off higher education entirely. “[This] program provides affordable, accessible workforce pathways that will prepare the Commonwealth’s students for the growing number of high need jobs that do not require a four-year degree,” he said. [WFXR; WHSV]

TENANTS RIGHTS | The city council of Kansas City, Missouri, passed a tenants bill of rights last week. The package will impose new requirements on landlords, mandating they provide  24 hours’ notice before entering properties and barring them from discriminating against prospective tenants because of a prior arrest, conviction, or eviction. It also creates a new city appeals board where renters can bring housing issues. The bill is not as wide-reaching as it was when it was first proposed, as a provision was removed that would have required landlords to accept housing vouchers. Tara Raghuveer, who founded KC Tenants, an advocacy organization that fought for the measures, said the passage is still a victory. “Today Kansas City made history passing its first-ever tenants bill of rights. So we think of this as good policy that was made the right way, with the people impacted leading every step,” Raghuveer said. Robert Long, president of Landlords Inc., said the bill of rights had become “far more tolerable” by the end. Mayor Quinton Lucas said he was elated by the bill’s passage. “I’m a renter. Lots of people are, and frankly this gives somebody a voice now in a way they didn’t have before,” Lucas said. [Kansas City Star; KMBC]