The Interim Joint Committee on Judiciary heard testimony Thursday on legislation that would help automate the expungement process for eligible Kentuckians as they have reentered society.

During the testimony, Representative Kim Moser said that this legislation would only change the process for an individual that is already eligible for expungement, not change the expungement statute. This legislation pertains to low-level, non-violent arrests, and still requires individuals to complete a five-year waiting period after release, during which no crime has been committed, Moser shared.

Many individuals and groups spoke in support of this issue, sharing their stories of recovery and justice involvement, the barriers individuals face after being released, and the costly and difficult process of expungement through their own experiences or through the organizations they work for.

Josh Crawford of the Georgia Center for Opportunity said that this legislation would simplify the process for individuals, expedite their record clearing and get people on the road to employment and self-sufficiency.

He also added that the goal of improving the expungement process is to improve public safety, get people back into society in a meaningful way.

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Having a society without punishments might sound like a good idea, but in reality, it’s causing a lot of problems. Joshua Crawford explains why progressive prosecutors and the Democratic Party’s approach are creating difficulties.

Since 2015, American cities have experienced elevated levels of homicide and shootings resulting in thousands more lives lost and families torn apart. Then, in recent weeks, good news arrived: Nationally, cities had experienced a 12.5 percent reduction in homicides in the first few months of 2023 compared to 2022. “The murder rate is suddenly falling” read one headline. “Homicides are falling in major American cities” read another.

While these national numbers is welcome and mean hundreds of lives have been spared, it doesn’t tell the full story. The truth is, American cities are now deeply divided in their homicide trends. While some have enacted proven strategies and are seeing some success, others have doubled down on bad ideas and there, crime continues to get worse.

On the positive side, in our nation’s largest city, New York City, murder is down 12.5 percent through early June compared to 2022. Under Mayor Eric Adams, the NYPD has relentlessly pursued two of the major contributors to violence and homicides: guns and gangs.