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House of Representatives
Session of 2021 - 2022 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	January 10, 2022 02:44 PM
From:	Representative Joshua D. Kail
To:	All House members
Subject:	Adopting Federal Standard to Modify Imprisonment for Reasons of Illness

On December 21, 2018, President Trump signed into law the First Step Act (FSA) OF 2018 (P.L. 115-391). This was a bipartisan law to reduce the size of the prison population by creating mechanisms of release for sick people. Very ill people in prison are among the most expensive to incarcerate, but pose little to no danger to the public – meaning taxpayers get very little bang for their public safety buck by keeping them in prison.   I propose to do the same in Pennsylvania and provide a pathway for very sick people to get out of prison and off the taxpayer rolls.  This will create significant opportunity for cost savings and reinvestment. I will be introducing a bill that will model the medical portion of President Trump’s federal First Step Act.  The bill will also support children and strengthen families by allowing courts to consider release in the case of extraordinary and compelling family hardship, such as the death of the caregiver for the person’s minor children. This legislation has strong bipartisan support, including from civil liberties groups and subject matter experts.  Thank you in advance for your consideration of this important legislation.  Please join me in cosponsoring it and making it law.

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