Legislation put forward by a local lawmaker that would change the parole process for violent offenders in Pennsylvania is one step away from becoming law.
Republican State Representative Aaron Bernstine’s House Bill 146 also known as Markie’s Law has moved to the desk of Governor Tom Wolf.
Bernstine’s proposal would postpone consideration of a violent inmate’s parole an additional 24 months following the inmate’s minimum release date for each conviction for a violent offense while incarcerated.
The legislation would also postpone consideration for parole an additional 12 months for an attempted escape, smuggling of contraband, or retaliation against a witness while incarcerated.
This bill is named after 8-year-old Mark Edward Mason who was killed by Keith Burley in Lawrence County during a domestic dispute in 2019 shortly after Burley had been released from prison.