Republican-passed bill removes role of Democratic governor if senate vacancy occurs In Kentucky

Kentucky lawmakers have given the final approval to a bill stripping the state's Democratic governor of the ability to have any role in picking somebody to take a U.S. Senate seat if a vacancy occurs in the home state of 82-year-old Mitch McConnell.

The legislation calls for a special election to fill any Senate vacancy that emerges in Kentucky.

The special election winner would hold the seat for the remainder of the unexpired term.

"So it would be a direct voice of the people determining how the vacancy is filled," said Republican Senate President Robert Stivers while presenting the bill to his colleagues.

Kentucky's Senate voted 34-2 after a brief discussion to send the bill to Gov. Andy Beshear.

Beshear has already claimed that the measure is simply being driven by partisanship.

However, the AP reports that "the GOP supermajority legislature could override a veto when lawmakers reconvene for the final two days of this year’s session in mid-April."