FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A bill allowing felony offenders to tap into scholarship money they earned to pursue post-secondary education degrees cleared the House Education Committee on Tuesday.
The measure - backed by social justice and business advocates - would remove barriers preventing felons from receiving scholarship money under the popular Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship, or KEES, program. The bill sailed through committee and heads to the full House.
The state lottery-supported program allows students to earn money, based on their high school grades, to help defray college expenses. Allowing felony offenders to qualify for KEES support recognizes young people sometimes make mistakes, said Republican Rep. Killian Timoney.
Timoney, a longtime educator, referred to his proposal as a “compassion bill.”
“We are removing an obstacle,” he said. “We’re removing something that’s going to prevent a potential student from going on to higher ed and bettering themselves.”
Business advocates see the bill as a way to expand the state’s workforce by reintegrating past criminal offenders and boosting their education.
Social justice advocates said expanding access to KEES support will strengthen families by reducing the number of repeat criminal offenders.
“Redemption is real,” said Amanda Hall with the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky. “Second chances make our commonwealth stronger.”
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The legislation is House Bill 25.
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