LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- For the fourth consecutive year, Kentucky lawmakers have rejected a bill that would provide financial compensation to individuals wrongfully convicted of crimes they did not commit.

House Bill 206, sponsored by Rep. Jason Nemes, R-Louisville, aimed to compensate exonerees for their time spent incarcerated and on parole. The bill would have also covered tuition for Kentucky colleges, health insurance and attorney fees.

Despite gaining more traction than in previous years, it ultimately failed to advance during this legislative session.

Advocates and exonerees said the bill’s failure is yet another setback for those working to rebuild their lives after wrongful convictions.

A Life Upended

Michael VonAllmen, a Louisville man who spent 27 years as a convicted felon before being exonerated, knows the toll of wrongful incarceration firsthand.

“There was a composite drawing of the assailant which looked identical to me,” VonAllmen recalled, referring to the case that led to his conviction in the 1980s.

He spent 11 years behind bars at the Kentucky State Reformatory, and then another 16 years on parole and as a registered sex offender.

VonAllmen eventually partnered with the Kentucky Innocence Project and DNA evidence ultimately proved his innocence, although the damage to his life had already been done.

“I came out of prison with a convict mentality, and it takes years to work through that itself,” he said.

What the Bill Would Have Done

Had it passed, House Bill 206 would have provided $65,000 for each year an exoneree spent in prison. Those sentenced to death row would have received $75,000 per year. Additionally, individuals who spent time on parole, were under supervision post-incarceration, or were required to register as sex offenders would have been eligible for an additional $32,500 per year.

Payments would have been issued twice a month over three years. Additional benefits included:

  • Coverage of attorney fees up to $25,000.

  • Tuition waivers for up to 120 credit hours at public postsecondary institutions in Kentucky.

  • Reimbursement for restitution, fees, and court costs paid during the wrongful conviction.

  • Relief from child support payments that accrued during incarceration.

If an exoneree had already reached a settlement in a civil lawsuit, that amount would have been deducted from what the state was required to pay. If an exoneree sought a settlement after receiving money from the state, they would have been required to pay the settlement amount back to the state.

Looking Ahead

For VonAllmen, financial compensation could mean finally gaining stability after years of hardship.

“I hope to be mortgage-free one day,” he said, reflecting on what House Bill 206 could have meant for his future.

Despite the setback, he remains determined to continue advocating for change.

“This has given me more time to articulate my story for next time,” he said.

In four years, this is the furthest the proposed bill has made it in the legislative process. Advocates said they will keep pushing for similar legislation in the next session, hoping that lawmakers will finally prioritize justice for the wrongfully convicted.

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