THE FIGHT IS NOT OVER!
 

Because of our broad, grassroots mobilization, we were able to pass HB 999 out of the House Judiciary Committee by a vote of 15-10, garnering bipartisan support.

Now, to continue the work toward abolishing the death penalty in PA, we need to secure at least 102 votes so we can pass HB 999 out of The House and send it over to The Senate.

 This bill will ensure that the death penalty is abolished in our commonwealth, while also ensuring that the wrongfully accused have eased access to appeal procedures. And even one innocent life taken at the hands of the state is one too many. Pennsylvania has exonerated 11 men from death row since 2019.  

Pennsylvania should join 23 other states that have abolished the death penalty. Capital punishment is not only an ineffective deterrent to violent crime, but also an incredibly costly and flawed system.  Furthermore, we know that when a person is convicted of the Death Penalty, they will start an appeals process lasting decades, making it more likely that they die of old age rather than legal injection.  

One innocent life taken at the hands of the state is one too many. 

Public support for the death penalty is the lowest in a half-century. The risks of continuing the death penalty far outweigh the benefits, to which there are few, if any.  

Coverage of this historic legislative victory can be viewed here