House Bill 135 [HB135] “Lifer’s Bill”

HB135 is proposed legislation that was submitted to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on April 7, 2017; the Bill was referred to the House Judiciary Committee. This legislation, proposes to allow those individuals who are currently serving a life sentence without parole [or Death by Incarceration], to be eligible for parole after 15 years of incarceration.

Senate Bill 942 [SB942] “Lifer’s Bill”

SB942 is proposed legislation that was submitted to the Pennsylvania Senate on October 31, 2017; the Bill was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. This legislation, sponsored by Senator Sharif Street, mirrors exactly in language the same proposal as HB135. To learn more, go to: www.pass942.com

2nd Degree Bill [Felony Murder]

Senate Bill 293 [SB293] “2nd Degree Bill”

Sponsored by Senator Daylin Leach, this Bill implies to address the issue of accomplices convicted of a 2nd degree homicide to be eligible for resentencing. However, the Bill indicates that those individuals who “knowingly or recklessly disregarded the risk that the death of another human being would occur as a result of their participation in the perpetration of the felony,” could still receive a life without parole sentence. At this time, Senator Leach is not willing to change the language of this Bill, believing the current proposal has the best chance of passing a “conservative Senate”.

Next Steps…

All three Bills have not moved in their respective Committees. SB942 may get to a Committee vote before this legislative year ends; if it passes, the Bill would still need full Senate approval. Before Governor Wolf can sign this legislation, the House needs to pass the Bill; this is not likely to occur before year’s end. When the new Legislative Year convenes in 2019, these unpassed Bills are expected to be re-submitted.

CADBI, the Coalition to End Death by Incarceration, works to end life without parole sentences in PA. To learn more, go to: https://decarceratepa.info/cadbi

Elaine G. Selan

Member, CADBI

CADBI: Pennsylvania prisons hold over 5000 people serving life sentences without the possibility of parole. In PA, a life sentence means your natural life--it is a sentence that condemns you to die in prison--which is why many choose to call it Death By Incarceration (DBI).

Decarcerate PA is a grassroots campaign working to end mass incarceration in Pennsylvania. We demand that PA stop building prisons, reduce the prison population, and reinvest money in our communities.

We believe that sentencing people to Death By Incarceration is a violation of their human rights and an affront to the humanity of us all. That's why Decarcerate PA, Fight for Lifers, the Human Rights Coalition, and Right to Redemption are launching a campaign to end Death By Incarceration sentencing in PA.

For more info on DBI sentences, check out our factsheet on our website.

September 2018