Bill seeks to limit governor’s ability to fill Senate seat

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Kentucky are pushing ahead with a bill to remove the Democratic governor’s ability to pick someone of his choosing to fill a vacant U.S. Senate seat. The bill cleared the Senate Tuesday and goes to the House. It reflects the commanding position of Republicans, who dominate the legislature and hold both U.S. Senate seats from Kentucky. If a vacancy occurred, it would put strict conditions on Gov. Andy Beshear in picking a temporary replacement. He’d choose from a list provided by the executive committee of the same political party as the senator who formerly held the seat.