A Kentucky state lawmaker wants to get rid of a law that allowed for the early release of Ronald Santos.

He was found not guilty by reason of insanity in the stabbing death of a six year old named Logan Tipton in sales in 2015.

But he was convicted of assaulting Tipton's family, a lesser crime which required he serve at least 20% of his 20 year sentence.

Santos was released from prison last month not by Kentucky's parole board, but through the mandatory reentry Supervision program.

His early release sparked outrage online and elsewhere, and led to members of the parole board receiving death threats.

Our Emily Sisk sat down with the lawmaker, who hopes to abolish the reentry program.

I don't think anyone should be released early from their sentence without the okay of the parole board.

State representative T.J.

Roberts wants to file a bill to abolish mandatory reentry supervision.

The program allowed Ronald Santos to be released from prison early, serving less than half of his 20 year sentence after stabbing six year old Logan Tipton to death and injuring his sisters and father.

This came after the parole board voted unanimously against Santos's release.

The Commonwealth of Kentucky fundamentally failed to protect the Tipton family from Ronald Santos, who committed one of the worst crimes that I could ever imagine.

Representative Roberts said there should be no circumstance where the Parole board does not approve an inmate's release.

It creates a contradiction of itself where we have created a parole board, and that parole board is human y have a parole board.

If we have a set of statutory factors that just automatically release someone.

Attorney and former state Senator Whitney Westerfield explained more on the mandatory reentry supervision program.

Westerfield pointed out that inmates are let go only six months prior to their projected release date.

There are also conditions set by the parole board, such as securing a job and meeting regularly with a parole officer.

Westerfield said the program was intended to make reentry more successful for inmates and cut down on costs.

If you're targeting people that are at the last six months of their obligated stay in custody and they're not otherwise disqualified for various reasons, letting them out again with supervision.

Supervision is cheaper and more cost effective and typically more effective for most offenders than just detaining them and housing them for those six months.

Westerfield also said provisions from last year's Safer Kentucky Act, or House Bill five, would disqualify a violent offender like Zaentz from being eligible for early release if he had been convicted and sentenced today.

It's worth mentioning House Bill five actually makes him not eligible for this now.

All this happened prior to to House Bill Five's enactment.

Representative Roberts maintained his position that mandatory reentry supervision should be abolished, and he said incentives should have served a longer sentence.

There are people that it's worth spending tax dollars to keep confined.

Ronald Santos is the dictionary definition of someone who should be held away from civil society.

Westerfield disagreed that the program should be abolished, calling the idea a knee jerk reaction based on one case.

He suggested updating the language instead to tighten up which types of inmates could be eligible.

The program shouldn't be gone away.

It should be targeted to the people who actually can benefit from it.

You don't have to abolish the whole program to make sure something like this doesn't happen.

Roberts said he's open to suggestions, but wants to ensure action is taken for the Tipton family.

For Kentucky Edition, I'm Emily Sisk.

Thank you Emily.

Ronald Santos has since been arrested again in Florida for failing to register as a convicted felon.

Officials there say they want to move us back to Kentucky.

Tomorrow, we'll hear from another state lawmaker who is planning to file a different bill.

But it's still related to this case.