House Bill 1410
INCREASING OPPORTUNITIES FOR CLEMENCY IN PENNSYLVANIA
House Bill 1410 Bill Information
Description: HB 1410 is a proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution that would change the requirements for the Board of Pardons to recommend pardons or commutations of sentences. Under current law, the Board of Pardons must unanimously recommend pardons or commutations for sentences of death or life imprisonment; instead, this bill would change that requirement to three-fifths of the Board. The bill also outlines the necessary procedures for passing a constitutional amendment in Pennsylvania, including public advertising and submission to voters.
PA Justice Alliance Member Positions & Feedback
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HB 1410 is a proposed amendment to the Pennsylvania Constitution that would replace the unanimous vote requirement with a majority (three out of five) vote requirement to be considered for a pardon or commutation. This majority requirement was the law before the late 1990’s and was changed during the failed "tough on crime" policies of that era. It should be the law again today.
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Requiring a unanimous vote for commutation presents enormous challenges for people who have turned around their lives to get the justice they deserve. HB 1410 seeks to restore the Board of Pardons to the historical system that served Pennsylvania well for decades.
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HCPA continues to support ways to increase opportunities for pardons and clemency in PA. For decades, the clemency process was a viable path to freedom for any person who demonstrated rehabilitation … HCPA supports a return to a simple majority vote.
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