HARRISBURG, Pa. — The Pennsylvania State Senate has advanced new legislation to establish strict sentencing guidelines for individuals convicted of second-degree murder, responding to a landmark state Supreme Court decision that struck down mandatory life sentences without parole for those offenses.
Under Pennsylvania law, a second-degree murder charge applies to individuals who participate in a felony that results in a death, even if they did not directly cause the fatality themselves, such as a getaway driver.
In March, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that denying the possibility of parole in these specific circumstances constitutes unconstitutional, excessive punishment. To prevent a legal vacuum, the court issued a 120-day stay on its ruling—set to expire in late July—expressly to grant the General Assembly a reasonable window of time to enact legislative fixes.
The newly advanced bill, which passed the Senate on Thursday with a 31-18 vote, sets a revised sentencing range of 35 years to life in prison for second-degree murder, while restoring the possibility of parole eligibility for those convicted. The legislation now moves forward for consideration in the House.
