{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Pennsylvania News Beep | NewsBeep.com","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa","author_name":"NEWSBEEP","author_url":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/author\/newsbeep\/","title":"For the first time since late July, Pennsylvania\u2019s General Assembly is scheduled to reconvene next week in Harrisburg. At the top of the agenda are the results of two state Supreme Court decisions: one determining that mandatory life sentences for felony murder are unconstitutional and another putting tens of thousands of slot machine-like gaming terminals at risk of seizure. Lawmakers failed to come to a consensus on the former before a court-imposed deadline passed, leaving prosecutors and judges with no guidance for sentencing those convicted of the crime. They also did not address the court\u2019s determination in June that the \u201cunlawful\u201d skill games devices should be regulated just like other gambling machines. By betting on games of chance, players can win jackpots. Completing a complex puzzle gives them a chance to win back any losses. So, Pennsylvania State Police have warned that they will start enforcing the skill games decision across the commonwealth on Oct. 13, when the Supreme Court order halting their ruling takes effect unless the legislature acts. In a historically unproductive legislature, it\u2019s unclear if lawmakers will be able to come up with a solution on either topic. Even bipartisan issues with the support of the Gov. Josh Shapiro \u2014 like a ban on cellphones in schools \u2014 haven\u2019t progressed to his desk. Both chambers are scheduled to meet on Monday, Sept. 28, with six session days scheduled before the skill games\u2019 deadline. Skill Games The General Assembly has wrestled with how to regulate skill games for years, including whether they should be banned entirely or taxed as a new source of revenue. Pennsylvanians may find terminals everywhere from restaurants and social clubs to gas stations, laundromats and grocery stores \u2014 proliferating far beyond the traditional confines of other gaming devices. Proponents have long claimed that the games shouldn\u2019t be regulated like other gambling devices because they require an element of skill and don\u2019t solely rely on luck \u2014 though some players seem to be unaware of the memory game that allows them to recoup their losses. But justices didn\u2019t seem swayed by their arguments, determining in June that the \u201cunlawful\u201d devices should be regulated just like other gambling machines. Skill games decision in Pa. could ban arcade games without legislative regulation Pace-O-Matic, the Georgia-based company that produces the software, reports that more than 10,000 small businesses and fraternal clubs have terminals, many of which rely on them as a significant source of income. The Supreme Court\u2019s ruling found that the devices weren\u2019t unique, making them subject to the regulations of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Under state law, only licensed casinos and qualifying \u201ctruck stop establishments\u201d may legally possess and operate approved PGCB machines, according to state police. \u201cAll \u2018skill games\u2019 devices\/slot machines located outside of PGCB-licensed businesses are unlawful and all establishments possessing, operating and\/or maintaining such machines are subject to criminal prosecution and immediate seizure of the machines as of Oct. 14, 2026,\u201d warned troopers last Thursday. Powering off, unplugging or making the machines otherwise inoperate \u201cis not sufficient,\u201d the press release continued. If distributors or vendors aren\u2019t willing to remove the machines prior to the deadline, PSP said it will assist. Past proposals have explored a range of options, and a recent co-sponsorship memo from Rep. Brad Roae (R-Crawford) would give lawmakers another six months to identify a solution. Casinos support a comparable rate to their 55% tax, though Senate leaders endorsed a plan last year at 35%. Another effort would impose a monthly fee of $500, the favored outcome for the industry. Funds could be used to offset property taxes or pay for transit \u2014 the latter of which was a major point of contention in the 2025 budget cycle and promises to be a sticking point again in 2027. Felony murder Also known as second-degree murder, the charge of felony murder is used when someone is killed during the commission of another felony, such as robbery or burglary, even if the death was unintentional. In the months since legislators departed, Republicans in both chambers have hammered their colleagues online and in policy committee meetings, pinning the legislative failure on their Democratic counterparts. This past Thursday, GOP House members met in Lancaster, where a prosecutor and retired judge spoke about \u201cunpredictability and chaos\u201d in the state\u2019s county-level judicial system, urging lawmakers to adopt Senate Bill 1400. \u201cI think that it would provide very clear guideposts to allow everyone to have an informed discussion about the potential outcomes\u201d of legal cases, said Travis Anderson, an assistant district attorney in Lancaster County. \u201cAnd allow everybody to feel the same certainty that we want them to feel when we go through this criminal justice process.\u201d Anderson and David Ashworth, who retired as a judge in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas in January, said the proposal allowed courts to factor in individual circumstances when sentencing, the key contention in the Supreme Court\u2019s decision to strike down mandatory life sentences. The charge covers a wide range of culpability, including an armed robber who killed another to the \u201clookout two miles away,\u201d Ashworth added, but everyone got the same sentence. \u201cThe one-size-fits-all or the cookie-cutter type of guidelines or legislation simply don\u2019t work in the real world,\u201d he continued. Senate Bill 1400 establishes a 35-year minimum with limited exceptions and still allows judges to impose sentences for life without parole. This means that the parole board will handle decisions about releasing the 1,100-plus prisoners who\u2019ve served decades with a now-unconstitutional life sentence, and gives local judicial officials criteria for future sentencing. In contrast, Ashworth said House Bill 1042 \u201cdoesn\u2019t provide the structure that we as judges prefer,\u201d with a 30-year minimum sentence for those currently serving, punting the question about future decisions to the Commission on Sentencing. Who\u2019s serving felony murder sentences in Pennsylvania prisons? \u201cIt just leaves too many things up in the air,\u201d said Ashworth, who added that the House version does incentivize good behavior by allowing some to serve shorter sentences. Both asked lawmakers not to kick resentencing decisions back to counties, pulling on their experiences with \u201cjuvenile lifers\u201d over a decade ago. A 2012 decision from the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down life sentences for those convicted as minors. Since that time, Pennsylvania has resentenced 501 of the 523 prisoners incarcerated since their youth. Anderson said he worked on one case that was 40 years old, a long enough time that evidence had degraded and witness memories had faded \u2014 making it difficult to evaluate. \u201cI can tell you that the uncertainty and procedural unpredictability of those resentencing hearings re-traumatized many of the surviving family members of the victims,\u201d said Anderson. \u201cThe murder, the trial and the sentencing and everything had taken place before I was born. But in that case, the family was still around and they still had very, very, very strong feelings about what had taken place.\u201d Those resentenced had to petition the parole board anyway, he added, who \u201cmake these decisions all the time\u201d and have a process to involve victims and families. Rep. David Rowe (R-Union), who chairs the House Republican Policy Committee, concluded Thursday\u2019s meeting by acknowledging the uncertainty for those families, many of whom had thought their judicial proceedings had been resolved decades ago. \u201cThe Pennsylvania Supreme Court requires individualized consideration of culpability, it does not require Pennsylvania to abandon accountability, uniformity or serious consequences for serious crimes,\u201d said Rowe. \u201cNow it\u2019s our job to provide the clarity that Pennsylvania needs.\u201d Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: info@penncapital-star.com. | Local News","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"
For the first time since late July, Pennsylvania\u2019s General Assembly is scheduled to reconvene next week in Harrisburg. At the top of the agenda are the results of two state Supreme Court decisions: one determining that mandatory life sentences for felony murder are unconstitutional and another putting tens of thousands of slot machine-like gaming terminals at risk of seizure. Lawmakers failed to come to a consensus on the former before a court-imposed deadline passed, leaving prosecutors and judges with no guidance for sentencing those convicted of the crime. They also did not address the court\u2019s determination in June that the \u201cunlawful\u201d skill games devices should be regulated just like other gambling machines. By betting on games of chance, players can win jackpots. Completing a complex puzzle gives them a chance to win back any losses. So, Pennsylvania State Police have warned that they will start enforcing the skill games decision across the commonwealth on Oct. 13, when the Supreme Court order halting their ruling takes effect unless the legislature acts. In a historically unproductive legislature, it\u2019s unclear if lawmakers will be able to come up with a solution on either topic. Even bipartisan issues with the support of the Gov. Josh Shapiro \u2014 like a ban on cellphones in schools \u2014 haven\u2019t progressed to his desk. Both chambers are scheduled to meet on Monday, Sept. 28, with six session days scheduled before the skill games\u2019 deadline. Skill Games The General Assembly has wrestled with how to regulate skill games for years, including whether they should be banned entirely or taxed as a new source of revenue. Pennsylvanians may find terminals everywhere from restaurants and social clubs to gas stations, laundromats and grocery stores \u2014 proliferating far beyond the traditional confines of other gaming devices. Proponents have long claimed that the games shouldn\u2019t be regulated like other gambling devices because they require an element of skill and don\u2019t solely rely on luck \u2014 though some players seem to be unaware of the memory game that allows them to recoup their losses. But justices didn\u2019t seem swayed by their arguments, determining in June that the \u201cunlawful\u201d devices should be regulated just like other gambling machines. Skill games decision in Pa. could ban arcade games without legislative regulation Pace-O-Matic, the Georgia-based company that produces the software, reports that more than 10,000 small businesses and fraternal clubs have terminals, many of which rely on them as a significant source of income. The Supreme Court\u2019s ruling found that the devices weren\u2019t unique, making them subject to the regulations of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. Under state law, only licensed casinos and qualifying \u201ctruck stop establishments\u201d may legally possess and operate approved PGCB machines, according to state police. \u201cAll \u2018skill games\u2019 devices\/slot machines located outside of PGCB-licensed businesses are unlawful and all establishments possessing, operating and\/or maintaining such machines are subject to criminal prosecution and immediate seizure of the machines as of Oct. 14, 2026,\u201d warned troopers last Thursday. Powering off, unplugging or making the machines otherwise inoperate \u201cis not sufficient,\u201d the press release continued. If distributors or vendors aren\u2019t willing to remove the machines prior to the deadline, PSP said it will assist. Past proposals have explored a range of options, and a recent co-sponsorship memo from Rep. Brad Roae (R-Crawford) would give lawmakers another six months to identify a solution. Casinos support a comparable rate to their 55% tax, though Senate leaders endorsed a plan last year at 35%. Another effort would impose a monthly fee of $500, the favored outcome for the industry. Funds could be used to offset property taxes or pay for transit \u2014 the latter of which was a major point of contention in the 2025 budget cycle and promises to be a sticking point again in 2027. Felony murder Also known as second-degree murder, the charge of felony murder is used when someone is killed during the commission of another felony, such as robbery or burglary, even if the death was unintentional. In the months since legislators departed, Republicans in both chambers have hammered their colleagues online and in policy committee meetings, pinning the legislative failure on their Democratic counterparts. This past Thursday, GOP House members met in Lancaster, where a prosecutor and retired judge spoke about \u201cunpredictability and chaos\u201d in the state\u2019s county-level judicial system, urging lawmakers to adopt Senate Bill 1400. \u201cI think that it would provide very clear guideposts to allow everyone to have an informed discussion about the potential outcomes\u201d of legal cases, said Travis Anderson, an assistant district attorney in Lancaster County. \u201cAnd allow everybody to feel the same certainty that we want them to feel when we go through this criminal justice process.\u201d Anderson and David Ashworth, who retired as a judge in the Lancaster County Court of Common Pleas in January, said the proposal allowed courts to factor in individual circumstances when sentencing, the key contention in the Supreme Court\u2019s decision to strike down mandatory life sentences. The charge covers a wide range of culpability, including an armed robber who killed another to the \u201clookout two miles away,\u201d Ashworth added, but everyone got the same sentence. \u201cThe one-size-fits-all or the cookie-cutter type of guidelines or legislation simply don\u2019t work in the real world,\u201d he continued. Senate Bill 1400 establishes a 35-year minimum with limited exceptions and still allows judges to impose sentences for life without parole. This means that the parole board will handle decisions about releasing the 1,100-plus prisoners who\u2019ve served decades with a now-unconstitutional life sentence, and gives local judicial officials criteria for future sentencing. In contrast, Ashworth said House Bill 1042 \u201cdoesn\u2019t provide the structure that we as judges prefer,\u201d with a 30-year minimum sentence for those currently serving, punting the question about future decisions to the Commission on Sentencing. Who\u2019s serving felony murder sentences in Pennsylvania prisons? \u201cIt just leaves too many things up in the air,\u201d said Ashworth, who added that the House version does incentivize good behavior by allowing some to serve shorter sentences. Both asked lawmakers not to kick resentencing decisions back to counties, pulling on their experiences with \u201cjuvenile lifers\u201d over a decade ago. A 2012 decision from the U.S. Supreme Court that struck down life sentences for those convicted as minors. Since that time, Pennsylvania has resentenced 501 of the 523 prisoners incarcerated since their youth. Anderson said he worked on one case that was 40 years old, a long enough time that evidence had degraded and witness memories had faded \u2014 making it difficult to evaluate. \u201cI can tell you that the uncertainty and procedural unpredictability of those resentencing hearings re-traumatized many of the surviving family members of the victims,\u201d said Anderson. \u201cThe murder, the trial and the sentencing and everything had taken place before I was born. But in that case, the family was still around and they still had very, very, very strong feelings about what had taken place.\u201d Those resentenced had to petition the parole board anyway, he added, who \u201cmake these decisions all the time\u201d and have a process to involve victims and families. Rep. David Rowe (R-Union), who chairs the House Republican Policy Committee, concluded Thursday\u2019s meeting by acknowledging the uncertainty for those families, many of whom had thought their judicial proceedings had been resolved decades ago. \u201cThe Pennsylvania Supreme Court requires individualized consideration of culpability, it does not require Pennsylvania to abandon accountability, uniformity or serious consequences for serious crimes,\u201d said Rowe. \u201cNow it\u2019s our job to provide the clarity that Pennsylvania needs.\u201d Pennsylvania Capital-Star is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Pennsylvania Capital-Star maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Tim Lambert for questions: info@penncapital-star.com. | Local News<\/a><\/blockquote>