Jay-Z and Meek Mill’s REFORM Alliance have achieved victory once again, successfully challenging and reforming Pennsylvania’s punitive probation system.
According to HipHopDX, it was revealed Thursday, that the criminal justice reform collective collaborated with bipartisan lawmakers and advocates to present Senate Bill 838 to Governor Josh Shapiro.
The bill is officially, “an Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in sentencing, further providing for order of probation, for conditions of probation and for modification or revocation of order of probation and providing for probation review conference.”
Senate Bill 838 proposes vital reforms to Pennsylvania’s probation rules, simplifying compliance for ex-inmates and curbing recidivism.
According to reports, Gov. Josh Shapiro has pledged to sign it upon review.
“It’s long past time to reform our system as a whole and put responsible limits on probation terms,” Shapiro said earlier this year. “You’ve passed that bill before. And I hope you’ll do it again. Put it on my desk and I’ll sign it.”
Meek Mill emphasized the personal significance of the bill in a statement, expressing his sentiments.
“My experience on probation reflected millions of other stories that go unheard. So when the world saw my case and the absurdity of sending people to prison for non-criminal technical violations, it sparked a movement. It’s an honor and a blessing to see this change come to my home state. I am deeply grateful to the lawmakers and advocates for their hard work over many years to get this done. Thank you, truly.”
In 2020, the organization achieved its first legal triumph in California as Governor Gavin Newsom signed AB 1950, imposing limits on probation periods for individuals with criminal records.
