A Kentucky State Representative wants to change how prisoners are counted whenever a census is taking. State Representative Darryl Owens doesn’t want prisoners counted as residents of the counties where they are imprisoned.
But that’s how state law works. So Owens is proposing a change that would count inmates as residents of their last home address.
Owens says changing the law would help accurately measure the makeup of communities for redistricting and federal programs.
“So you know you’re gonna have however many people in Eddyville, in that particular district, when in fact they are not really residents of that district and probably will not live in that district once they’re released from the prison," said Owens.
Owens says his law wouldn’t affect the last census, but would be in effect for 2020.