Arizona lawmakers heard from formerly incarcerated people at the statehouse on Monday at an ad hoc committee meeting on earned released credits for prisoners.

The interim committee has been tasked with looking at what changes can be made to the law to help more incarcerated people earn their way out of prison with good behavior and programming.

Chaired by Rep. Walter Blackman, the ad hoc committee members held an open meeting to hear from members of the public on their experiences with the criminal justice system.

Adrienne Kitcheyan was incarcerated at the Perryville prison in Goodyear for six years.

She says many people in prison are clinging to the hope of potential sentencing reform in Arizona and she asked the committee to not let those people down.

“The solution is not to give into a small group of opponents because they don’t represent Arizonans — most Arizonans," Kitcheyan said. "They represent an entrenched interest in the status quo.”

Blackman said he hopes to have a bill that can garner bipartisan support to take to the full legislature next session.

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House Ad Hoc Committee on Earned Release Credits For Prisoners 9/23/19