Pa. House approves bipartisan update to medical release system
Rep. Rick Krajewski December 17, 2025 | 3:01 PM
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 17 – Today, the House voted 111-92 to approve H.B. 150, Rep. Rick Krajewski, D-Phila., and Rep. Torren Ecker’s, R-Adams/Cumberland, bipartisan bill streamlining the process for medical release for Pennsylvania’s rapidly aging incarcerated population.
Advocates say Pennsylvania’s existing compassionate release process is notoriously challenging and time consuming for the more than 27% of the prison population classified as geriatric. Over the last 15 years, only 54 people have been granted release under it, and 11 people died waiting for a hearing.
“Those are 11 people who could’ve spent their last days at home with family and loved ones. 11 people who posed no threat to society whatsoever,” said Krajewski. “I think we can all agree that this is not the kind of justice that the creators of our commonwealth’s compassionate release system had in mind.”
Krajewski said the bill creates a robust process to carefully consider early, medical release for seriously ill inmates, reviewing their time served, victim feedback, disciplinary records, and physical condition among other factors. In recent years similar state reforms have passed in Maryland, North Carolina, and more.
The bill also draws bipartisan support from fiscal conservatives and criminal justice reform advocates alike, since it saves up to $15 million a year for taxpayers on expensive medical care within prisons. President Donald Trump enabled similar legislation targeting federal prisons in 2018 with the First Step Act.
“Corrections is our state’s third biggest area of spending and the Department has named the overwhelming cost of care for our aging prison population as one of their biggest fiscal challenges,” said Ecker. “This isn’t a Democratic or a Republican idea. This is a commonsense way to save money for hardworking taxpayers, modeled off President Trump’s groundbreaking First Step Act.”
According to the Department of Corrections, the number of geriatric inmates has ballooned by 300% since 2001, with more than 7,000 elders now incarcerated. The agency spent more than $426 million on medical care in the 2023-24 fiscal year. Of that, $40.5 million was spent on medical care for incarcerated elderly people who were at risk of death.
“27% of the prison population are elders and considered geriatric with a vast majority suffering from serious medical conditions and chronic care needs. Many of them, unfortunately, are dying in prison,” said Robert Saleem Holbrook, executive director of Straight Ahead. “HB 150 is a vital bill that offers them a second chance: an opportunity to go in front of a parole board, an opportunity to demonstrate and show that they are not the people that they once were. Too many elders remain incarcerated despite having made the decision to change, seek redemption and rehabilitation. Yet currently they have no avenue to come home. This bill will change that.”
“It’s a huge achievement to move this landmark legislation through the House with strong bipartisan support. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without strong supporters, across party lines, as well as grassroots advocates like Straight Ahead, Families Against Mandatory Minimums and so many others who know that incarcerated elders are people too, and deserve quality care," said Krajewski. “I look forward to working with my Senate colleagues on moving HB 150 forward with the urgency that the crisis deserves.”
The bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.