As the United States prepares to mark the 250th anniversary of its founding on the 4th of July , it is an appropriate time for states to reflect on whether their laws fully align with the nation’s enduring principles of liberty and equality. For Kentucky, that reflection includes Section 23 of t he state Constitution, which prohibits slavery and involuntary servitude “except as a punishment for a crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted.” Similar language exists in the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution and has long been understood as part of the legal framework governing corrections and criminal justice. At the same time, a growing number of states have chosen to revisit this language. In recent years, Alabama, Tennessee, Nebraska, Colorado, Utah, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Nevada have approved constitutional amendments removing similar exception clauses. In each case, the issue was presented to voters and received broad, bipartisan support. Kentucky has a unique historical connection to this conversation. As the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, the state shares in the legacy of a leader who worked to bring an end to slavery in the United States. Revisiting the language in our own Constitution offers an opportunity to continue that legacy in a way that reflects both historical understanding and present-day values. Importantly, this is not a question of altering the state’s ability to administer justice or maintain safe and orderly correctional systems. Rather, it is a question of whether the Constitution should continue to include language that permits involuntary servitude under any circumstance, or whether that language has simply outlived its time. If asked directly, members of the Kentucky General Assembly would overwhelmingly affirm their opposition to slavery.  Providing voters the opportunity to clarify that position through a constitutional amendment would be consistent with that shared understanding. House Bill 112, awaiting committee action in the Kentucky House, would do that. We respectfully encourage House Speaker David Osborne, Senate President Robert Stivers, House Minority Leader Pam Stevenson, and Senate Minority Floor Leader Gerald Neal to consider advancing a constitutional amendment for voter consideration. Doing so would allow the people of Kentucky to weigh in directly on an issue that touches both our legal framework and our shared values. As we approach this historic national milestone, Kentucky has the opportunity to take a measured and thoughtful step, one that honors its past while affirming its commitment to the principles that define our future. More information is available at: https://www.freeatlastcoalition.org/ The post Let Kentuckians decide on outdated clause that keeps slavery in their Constitution appeared first on The Lexington Times. ...read more read less