Pa. House Committee Delays Vote on Felony Murder Bill as Court Deadline Looms
Pennsylvania lawmakers have just 102 days left to address unconstitutional mandatory life sentences after a key committee postponed its vote on reform legislation.
HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA — A Pennsylvania House committee postponed a vote on legislation to reform mandatory life sentences for felony murder convictions, leaving lawmakers with 102 days to meet a court-imposed deadline for addressing what the state Supreme Court ruled an unconstitutional sentencing practice.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Tim Briggs pulled the bill from consideration during last Thursday’s meeting, citing concerns about putting current inmates in a worse position than what the Supreme Court might order. The proposed legislation would have made those serving mandatory life sentences eligible for parole after 25 years and created a 50-year maximum sentence for future second-degree murder charges.
“These people have been serving long, unconstitutional sentences, and I will not put them in a worse position than what I believe the Supreme Court would order for them,” said Briggs, a Montgomery County Democrat. “I am confident that as long as we all work together, we will come up with a bill we can all be proud of.”
Supreme Court Ruling Sets Clock Ticking
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled last month that mandatory life sentences for second-degree murder charges violate the state’s prohibition on cruel and unusual punishments. The court gave lawmakers 120 days to find a legislative solution to the problem.
Under current Pennsylvania law, someone can be charged with second-degree murder even if prosecutors cannot prove they intended to cause another person’s death. In some cases, a person can be charged without actually killing someone, as prosecutors only need to prove someone died while the person charged committed a felony.
Potential for Massive Resentencing Effort
The Supreme Court ruling is likely to trigger what could be the largest resentencing effort the commonwealth has ever undertaken, though the timeline will depend on decisions made by lawmakers in the coming months.
Briggs indicated that he and other committee members are seeking input from various stakeholders, including public defenders, district attorneys, and victims advocates, before moving forward with revised legislation.
The delay has frustrated criminal justice advocates who have long sought to eliminate mandatory life sentences for those convicted of felony murder. While some groups had expressed concerns with components of the original proposal, many had hoped for swift action given the tight court-imposed timeline.
The committee’s postponement means lawmakers must work quickly to craft new legislation that can satisfy various constituencies while meeting the Supreme Court’s mandate to address the unconstitutional sentencing practice.
