People convicted of second-degree murder in Pennsylvania could petition for parole after 30 years under a bill that passed the state House on Thursday, with bipartisan support.
State Rep. Tim Briggs, who represents parts of Montgomery County including Lower Merion Township and chairs the House Judiciary Committee, championed House Bill 1042 as a direct response to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court's March 2026 ruling in Commonwealth v. Lee. That decision struck down automatic life-without-parole sentences for second-degree murder, finding they violate the state constitution's ban on cruel punishment.
The court gave the General Assembly four months to craft a legislative fix. The House passed HB 1042 two days before that deadline.
"This bill does not put dangerous offenders back on the street," Briggs said in a statement Thursday. "It simply provides an opportunity for individuals serving life sentences for second-degree murder to have their cases reviewed after 30 years. The Parole Board will make those decisions based on the facts of each individual case, and no one is guaranteed release."
What the bill does
HB 1042 replaces the blanket life-without-parole sentence with individualized sentencing that weighs an offender's specific role and level of culpability. Under the old law, a getaway driver and the person who pulled the trigger received the same mandatory sentence.
The bill also creates two additional pathways:
- Education and vocational credits. Incarcerated individuals could earn credits toward a limited sentence reduction, aimed at improving post-release employment and reducing recidivism.
- Compassionate release. Terminally ill individuals could petition the sentencing court for release. No release would be automatic.
At the time of the March ruling, roughly 1,000 people statewide were serving life-without-parole sentences for second-degree murder, according to Associated Press reporting.
Competing Senate bill
The Senate passed its own measure, Senate Bill 1400, by a 30-20 vote on Thursday, June 25. That bill, introduced by Sens. Lisa Baker, R-Luzerne County, and Wayne Langerholc, R-Cambria County, was referred to Briggs's Judiciary Committee. The House chose to advance HB 1042 instead.
The two chambers will need to reconcile their approaches. No Senate vote date for HB 1042 has been announced.
Local connection
Briggs represents the 149th Legislative District, covering Bridgeport, West Conshohocken, Upper Merion and parts of Lower Merion in Montgomery County. In March, after the Supreme Court issued its ruling, he told the Associated Press: "I think inaction leaves a lot of this up to the courts to decide. I don't feel comfortable doing that. We have a policymaking role here."
Residents can contact Briggs's district office at 554 Shoemaker Road, Suite 149, King of Prussia, by calling (610) 768-3135. Visits are by appointment, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
