FRANKFORT, Ky. (Aug. 14, 2025) – Attorney General Russell Coleman announced today that a ruling from the Kentucky Court of Appeals will keep as many as 175 violent criminals behind bars to serve at least 85% of their sentences before becoming eligible for release. The appellate court blocked the Franklin Circuit Court from striking down the Safer Kentucky Act (House Bill 5 of 2024) while it considers a procedural issue. The Attorney General’s Office continues to defend the constitutionality of the Safer Kentucky Act and the General Assembly’s leadership to protect families from violent offenders.
The Kentucky General Assembly, led by Representative Jared Bauman (R-Louisville) and other members of the Louisville delegation, enacted the Safer Kentucky Act with sweeping changes to the Commonwealth’s criminal justice laws. The law broadened the definition of “violent offender” to include offenses including strangulation, reckless homicide, attempted murder and carjacking, among others. Criminals convicted of a violent offense are prevented from release on probation, shock probation, parole, conditional discharge, or other form of early release until they serve at least 85% of their sentence.
Before HB 5, criminals convicted of these offenses became eligible for early release after serving only 15% of their sentences.
The Safer Kentucky Act applies to violent offenders who committed their crimes before the law’s effective date, as long as they hadn’t been sentenced yet. Approximately 175 violent offenders in Kentucky fall into that category so far, and some of them challenged the constitutionality of the law in the Franklin Circuit Court.
“Kentuckians would be shocked to learn that criminals convicted of strangulation used to be eligible for release after serving only 15% of their sentence. Our strong leaders in the General Assembly are protecting Kentucky families by keeping these violent offenders behind bars,” said Attorney General Coleman. “Our Office will continue to defend the Safer Kentucky Act and its benefits for our Commonwealth.”
“This is great news for law-abiding Kentuckians who deserve to be safe in their homes and in their communities. For far too long, soft-on-crime policies have provided hardened criminals a revolving door and made our justice system part of the problem rather than the solution. I appreciate the Attorney General’s efforts to defend the Safer Kentucky Act and the Court of Appeals for their ruling in this challenge. Together, we are ensuring that Kentucky remains a place where families can thrive, communities can prosper, and justice is upheld," said Rep. Bauman.
Deputy Solicitor General Shawn Chapman and Assistant Solicitor General Graham Pilotte represented the Commonwealth.
Read the Court of Appeals Order.