06/08/2026
https://youtu.be/eqrTWjjq1oM?si=TN4X3VM2OwvK7A8v
In March, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court struck down mandatory life-without-parole sentences for second-degree murder — ending a one-size-fits-all punishment untethered from fairness or proportionality. It was a victory built over years by advocates, organizers, and the Pennsylvanians most directly harmed by this injustice.
But a court ruling is not the end of the work. It’s the start of a deadline.
We now have until the end of June to act. The General Assembly has both a constitutional obligation and a moral one to put a sentencing framework in place that reflects individual culpability and aligns our laws with basic justice.
The bill is ready. H.B. 443, sponsored by Judiciary Chairman Tim Briggs and drafted by the same team that won the Lee case, does exactly that. There’s no excuse for delay and no time to waste.
To my colleagues: the Court has spoken. Let’s meet this mandate before June ends. Let’s finish the job.
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