Legislation put forward by a local lawmaker that would change the parole process for violent offenders in Pennsylvania has moved out of committee.
Republican State Representative Aaron Bernstine’s House Bill 146 also known as Markie’s Law has passed through the House Judiciary Committee. 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.
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 legislation passed the House and Senate Judiciary Committee during the last legislative session but was not considered by the full Senate before the session ended. The current version of the bill will next be considered for vote by the full state House.
