BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – Gov. John Bel Edwards has traveled to California to participate in a summit with celebrity Kim Kardashian West, rapper Meek Mill and other well-known figures, touting efforts to reshape criminal justice laws.
Louisiana’s Democratic governor will participate in a public policy panel with several other governors during the event, which is co-hosted by Variety and Rolling Stone magazines.
The summit features people in entertainment, advocacy and policymaking fields pushing changes to criminal sentencing laws to focus more heavily on rehabilitation.
Edwards will describe his successful effort in Louisiana. Lawmakers last year, urged by the governor and others, expanded probation and parole opportunities and reduced sentences, mainly for nonviolent offenders.
After the changes, Louisiana relinquished its spot as the nation’s top incarcerating state.
The governor returns to Louisiana on Thursday.
