Legislation put forward by a local lawmaker to change the parole process for violent offenders in Pennsylvania will not become law.
Republican State Representative Aaron Bernstine’s House Bill 146 also known as Markie’s Law has been vetoed by Governor Tom Wolf. Wolf called the legislation “misguided and does not promote public safety”.
Bernstine’s proposal would have postponed consideration of a violent inmate’s parole an additional 24 months following the inmate’s minimum release date for each violent conviction while incarcerated.
The legislation also would have postponed 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.
After his bill passed the state Senate and House by large majorities, Bernstine plans to continue his fight to protect the public against violent offenders.