A new bill in KY legislature simplifies expungement process

by Josh Crawford | Feb 23, 2023

criminal justice josh Crawford media statement header

A new bill in KY legislature simplifies expungement process

A new bill has been introduced in the Kentucky Legislature, House Bill 589, that simplifies the process of having criminal records expunged for people who have been convicted of a misdemeanor or class C felony that does not involve violence, sex, a child victim, or public corruption.Under current Kentucky law, such individuals are eligible for expungement after the completion of their sentence and a five-year crime-free period. Unfortunately, a confusing and sometimes burdensome process prevents many people who are eligible from having their records expunged.

The Center for Opportunity’s take: “This bill does not change the crimes for which expungement is eligible nor the requirements of a crime free period once the sentence is completed. Everyone who will benefit from this bill is a non-violent offender who has made it clear their interest is in re-entering civil society,” said Josh Crawford, director of criminal justice initiatives for the Center for Opportunity.

“Importantly, prior convictions can be impediments to finding meaningful work. This matters for two reasons. The first and more important is that meaningful work, in particular the amount of time someone spends working in a job and building a work community, significantly reduce the likelihood that person will recidivate. Reducing recidivism means less crime and fewer victims. Second, Kentucky has one of the worst labor force participation rates in the country. With such a large percentage of our population having a criminal conviction, we cannot afford to exclude from the labor force those who are attempting to turn their lives around and live on the straight and narrow. Kentucky business benefits from an engaged and motivated workforce — those who have earned an expungement under Kentucky law are these exact kind of employees.”

To learn more about the work we’re doing to increase public safety and assist citizens in getting back to work, click here.

To learn more about the work we’re doing to increase public safety and assist citizen in getting back to work, click here.

GCO applauds introduction of Promise Scholarship bill

by David Bass | Feb 23, 2023

GCO applauds introduction of Promise Scholarship bill

The Georgia Center For Opportunity is thrilled to support new legislation introduced in the Georgia General Assembly creating Promise Scholarship Accounts. Georgia State Senator Greg Dolezal is the primary sponsor of Senate Bill 233, The Georgia Promise Scholarship Act.

Funded by the state in the amount of $6,000 per student for each school
year, Promise Scholarships would allow families to find the right fit for their students’ education. Scholarships could be used on any approved education expense, such as private school tuition, tutoring, homeschool curriculum, virtual classes, college classes, therapies (for kids with special needs), technology, and more.

“A quality education levels the playing field for all Georgians,” said Buzz Brockway, GCO’s vice president of public policy. “Promise Scholarships would do that by giving eligible students the unique educational experiences that they need. All kids deserve a chance, including students who may need additional help or require a different learning environment. This bill gives a lifeline to students who are not currently served well by their local public school while having no impact on public school funding levels.”

“Our education system should ensure that all students have access to quality education, no matter their race, past mistakes, or circumstances of their birth.

This bill would be a huge step in that direction for kids in our state,” Brockway added.

Georgia lawmaker proposes state-funded education savings accounts

by Kimberly Sawatka | Feb 23, 2023

Georgia lawmaker proposes state-funded education savings accounts

Proposed legislation would allow Georgians to create state-funded education savings accounts.

Under Senate Bill 233, taxpayers would fund $6,000 per student per school year. Students could use that money to defray “qualified” education costs, including private school tuition.

The Georgia Center for Opportunity similarly lauded the measure, saying a “quality education levels the playing field for all Georgians.”

“Promise Scholarships would do that by giving eligible students the unique educational experiences that they need,” Buzz Brockway, GCO’s vice president of public policy, said in a statement. “All kids deserve a chance, including students who may need additional help or require a different learning environment. This bill gives a lifeline to students who are not currently served well by their local public school while having no impact on public school funding levels.

Read the full article here

Inflation continues to worry Georgians, groups say

by Kimberly Sawatka | Feb 22, 2023

Inflation continues to worry Georgians, groups say

Inflation will likely stick around for the foreseeable future, and the elevated inflation continues to worry Georgia businesses, groups said.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers increased by 6.4% over the past 12 months, higher than anticipated. Additionally, the Producer Price Index increased by 6% over the same period.

“After a few months of apparently cooling inflation, it’s obvious that inflation is proving to be sticky and will be around for quite some time,” Erik Randolph, the Georgia Center for Opportunity’s director of research, said in a statement. “The core problem is that the Federal Reserve’s goal is merely to reduce the rate of inflation, not bring down the high prices we are already seeing.

“That means the cost of essentials like eggs and milk will remain elevated,” Randolph added. “The impoverished, lower income Americans, and seniors living on fixed incomes will continue to suffer the most.”

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KY House bill related to juvenile justice reform advances from committee

by Georgia Center for Opportunity | Feb 16, 2023

KY House bill related to juvenile justice reform advances from committee

Kentucky’s juvenile justice system is likely to undergo some major changes before the end of the 2023 legislative session.

House Bill 3 is one of several juvenile justice reform-related bills that will be considered this year, according to the bill’s sponsor Rep. Kevin D. Bratcher (R-Louisville).

Josh Crawford, a Louisville resident and director of criminal justice initiatives for the Georgia Center for Opportunity, said that portion of the bill only applies to children convicted of serious felony offenses and the information would be relevant when it comes to employment opportunities and firearm purchases.

Read the full article here

Opinion: Increase choice as public schools can’t meet all kids’ needs

by Kimberly Sawatka | Feb 15, 2023

Opinion: Increase choice as public schools can’t meet all kids’ needs

OpEd Written by Corey Burres, VP of Communication

Unedited Title: Public Schools Are At the Heart of School Choice

As states like Utah and Iowa pass sweeping school choice legislation, it is important to understand no one is trying to defund public schools. The millions of American parents pleading with legislators across the country to open up educational options for their kids are not secretly hoping public schools go away. It’s a partisan myth that is dividing us on education and resulting in burnout and frustration for everyone.

I grew up riding the big yellow bus to my local public school. My kids spent most of their education in public schools. I’m thankful for public schools and the teachers who work so hard to educate and enlighten our children.

Public schools are immeasurably valuable.

It’s my respect for that value that makes me question why so many have politicized fear around educational concepts like school choice, charter schools and scholarship programs. We must face the fact that our education system is overwhelmed. There is no possible way an area public school can meet the diverse needs of every single student.

Yet that is exactly what many expect of them. We expect that public schools will be able to address the learning needs of kids with a wide array of abilities, physical and emotional needs and unique home and personal challenges. You can understand why teachers are leaving the profession in droves.

Imagine going to work with a lesson plan and knowing that five of your students will struggle because they have a diagnosed or undiagnosed learning disability, another five will have ADHD and struggle to focus and another five will be facing home issues and food insecurity. A teacher’s lesson plan is expected to get each of these different students to the same level of success. Add in that we are asking teachers to instruct or guide moral standards and you have a recipe for frustration and burnout.

But it’s not just about teachers. It’s about the kids getting a quality education. Let me be clear, quality education is not an input solely determined by great teaching but an output of what is learned. You can have the greatest teacher, but if the child isn’t learning, they aren’t receiving a quality education. Many years ago, I worked on filming a documentary on education called “Flunked.”

Then, like now, the United States was falling behind internationally, and we wanted to see if there were any schools doing something different. We traveled up and down the West Coast talking with schools that served low-income, inner-city students, schools in rural areas and others that focused on performing arts. As a young parent, it was fascinating and inspiring to see what was available.

Sadly, as I returned home, I faced a different reality for my family. The teacher assigned to my then-5-year-old daughter told my wife and I that our daughter was likely to be bored and not challenged. The local school simply couldn’t provide what she needed, and we were forced to find alternatives.

Thankfully, we had family and others who helped us collect the money necessary to get her into an option that would challenge her. Eventually, we moved and were able to get her back into a public school where she thrived.

But what about the many kids and parents who have no opportunity because they can’t afford it or live in the wrong district? Is quality education only promised to those who can pay up or live in the right ZIP code?

We are stressing public schools by expecting them to be all things to all kids and we are failing to deliver quality education. Even as school choice options become more mainstream across the country, we’re still clinging to the fear of public schools going away. Even the fear that public schools will suddenly be defunded is a myth with per-student funding actually going up over the last decade despite more options being available.

We need to look to innovation in education and stop fearing change. Keep public schools at the center while decreasing the stress on the system by creating alternatives. After all, what we all want is a great education for our kids.

Originally posted by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution