Bill
Bill > HB999
PA HB999
PA HB999In authorized disposition of offenders, further providing for sentence for murder, murder of unborn child and murder of law enforcement officer; in arson, criminal mischief and other property destruction, further providing for the offense of arson and related offenses; in jurisdiction of appellate courts, further providing for direct appeals from courts of common pleas; in post-trial matters, further providing for postconviction DNA testing and for disposition and appeal; in sentencing, further
summary
Introduced
04/17/2023
04/17/2023
In Committee
04/17/2023
04/17/2023
Crossed Over
Passed
Dead
12/31/2024
12/31/2024
Introduced Session
2023-2024 Regular Session
Bill Summary
Amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses), 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) and 61 (Prisons and Parole) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in authorized disposition of offenders, further providing for sentence for murder, murder of unborn child and murder of law enforcement officer; in arson, criminal mischief and other property destruction, further providing for the offense of arson and related offenses; in jurisdiction of appellate courts, further providing for direct appeals from courts of common pleas; in post-trial matters, further providing for postconviction DNA testing and for disposition and appeal; in sentencing, further providing for sentencing procedure for murder of the first degree; and, in execution procedure and method, repealing provisions relating to issuance of warrant.
AI Summary
This bill amends various provisions of Pennsylvania law related to sentencing and appeals for first-degree murder, murder of an unborn child, and murder of a law enforcement officer. The key changes include:
- Removing the death penalty as a sentence option for first-degree murder and murder of an unborn child, leaving life imprisonment as the only sentence.
- Providing for automatic review of life sentences for first-degree murder by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.
- Modifying the requirements for postconviction DNA testing, particularly in capital cases.
- Repealing a provision requiring the Governor to issue a warrant for execution within a certain timeframe if the death penalty is upheld.
- Applying the changes in the bill to defendants who have not yet been sentenced as of the effective date.
Committee Categories
Justice
Sponsors (18)
Chris Rabb (D)*,
Tim Briggs (D),
Danilo Burgos (D),
Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (D),
Gina Curry (D),
Mary Jo Daley (D),
Dan Frankel (D),
Liz Hanbidge (D),
Kristine Howard (D),
Emily Kinkead (D),
Rick Krajewski (D),
Maureen Madden (D),
Danielle Otten (D),
Ben Sanchez (D),
Izzy Smith-Wade-El (D),
Jared Solomon (D),
Ben Waxman (D),
Michael Zabel (D),
Last Action
Laid on the table (on 10/31/2023)
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