Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session Status: In Committee 10 D cosponsors

HB 2281 — An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in juries and jurors, further providing for qualifications of jurors.

Last action — Re-committed to Rules

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced March 12, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.

Next likely step: a committee vote, then a floor vote in the House.

Odds of enactment

Low chance

Based on the sponsor, cosponsors, and committee posture, this bill has a low chance of becoming law.

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A statistical estimate from our own model of past outcomes — an insight, not a guarantee. Policymaking is volatile.

Prognosis

Advancing 46% · moderate confidence

  • In Committee

    Current position in the legislative process.

  • 10 sponsors

    1 primary, 9 co-sponsors signed on.

  • Single-party support

    Sponsorship is currently within one party (10 D).

  • Cleared a recorded vote

    Passed 2 recorded votes so far.

Based on stage, sponsorship breadth, committee status, recorded votes, and cross-state momentum — a description of the observable signals, not a prediction.

In plain language

This bill amends the qualifications needed to serve as a juror in Pennsylvania.

The bill updates the criteria for who is eligible to be a juror in Pennsylvania. This aims to clarify and potentially broaden the qualifications necessary for jury service.

Bill Text

What changed in the latest version

12 added · 8 removed

Plain-language change summary

The amendment to Bill HB 2281 changes the criteria for jury eligibility regarding individuals currently serving a sentence for a serious crime. Instead of focusing on past convictions, the updated wording specifies that someone who is serving any sentence—whether it's prison time, probation, or parole—will be disqualified from serving on a jury. This matters because it broadens the disqualification to include those still completing their sentences, ensuring that anyone actively involved in the justice system does not participate in jury service.

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PRINTER'S NO.
PRIOR PRINTER'S NO.
2987 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.
2987 PRINTER'S NO.
3638 THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA HOUSE BILL Session of No.
WILLIAMS AND CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, MARCH 11, 2026 REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 12, 2026 AN ACT AmePennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in juries and jurors, further providing for qualifications of jurors.
WILLIAMS AND CEPEDA-FREYTIZ, MARCH 11, 2026 AS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, JUNE 17, 2026 AN ACT Amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in juries and jurors, further providing for qualifications of jurors.
* * * (3) [has been convicted of] is serving a sentence for a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year [and has not been granted a pardon or amnesty therefor].
* * * (3) [has been convicted of] is serving a sentence, <-- INCLUDING A TERM OF PROBATION OR PAROLE, for a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year [and has not been granted a pardon or amnesty therefor].
20260HB2281PN3638 - 2 -
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Action History

  1. Re-committed to Rules

  2. First consideration

  3. Reported as amended

  4. Referred to Judiciary

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 9 co-sponsors · 243 not signed on · 12 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (9)

Not signed on (243)

243 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 243 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Committee vote (Judiciary): Adopt Amendment

Passed 26 Yea · 0 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 14000
Republican 12000
Total 26000
% of votes cast 100%0%0%0%
How each member voted (26)
Member Party Vote
Aerion Abney Democratic Yea
Andre D. Carroll Democratic Yea
Benjamin V. Sanchez Democratic Yea
Chris Pielli Democratic Yea
Christopher M. Rabb Democratic Yea
Emily Kinkead Democratic Yea
Joseph C. Hohenstein Democratic Yea
Kristine C. Howard Democratic Yea
Kyle Donahue Democratic Yea
La'Tasha D. Mayes Democratic Yea
Liz Hanbidge Democratic Yea
Malcolm Kenyatta Democratic Yea
Melissa L. Shusterman Democratic Yea
Tim Briggs Democratic Yea
Andrew Kuzma Republican Yea
Brenda M. Pugh Republican Yea
Charity Grimm Krupa Republican Yea
Jim Rigby Republican Yea
Joe Hamm Republican Yea
Joe Kerwin Republican Yea
Joshua D. Kail Republican Yea
Kate A. Klunk Republican Yea
Rob W. Kauffman Republican Yea
Robert Leadbeter Republican Yea
Stephanie Borowicz Republican Yea
Timothy R. Bonner Republican Yea

Official roll call →

Committee vote (Judiciary): Report Bill As Amended

Passed 14 Yea · 12 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Democratic 14000
Republican 01200
Total 141200
% of votes cast 54%46%0%0%
How each member voted (26)
Member Party Vote
Aerion Abney Democratic Yea
Andre D. Carroll Democratic Yea
Benjamin V. Sanchez Democratic Yea
Chris Pielli Democratic Yea
Christopher M. Rabb Democratic Yea
Emily Kinkead Democratic Yea
Joseph C. Hohenstein Democratic Yea
Kristine C. Howard Democratic Yea
Kyle Donahue Democratic Yea
La'Tasha D. Mayes Democratic Yea
Liz Hanbidge Democratic Yea
Malcolm Kenyatta Democratic Yea
Melissa L. Shusterman Democratic Yea
Tim Briggs Democratic Yea
Andrew Kuzma Republican Nay
Brenda M. Pugh Republican Nay
Charity Grimm Krupa Republican Nay
Jim Rigby Republican Nay
Joe Hamm Republican Nay
Joe Kerwin Republican Nay
Joshua D. Kail Republican Nay
Kate A. Klunk Republican Nay
Rob W. Kauffman Republican Nay
Robert Leadbeter Republican Nay
Stephanie Borowicz Republican Nay
Timothy R. Bonner Republican Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

public-safety
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

Who sponsors HB 2281?
HB 2281 is sponsored by Melissa L. Shusterman (Democratic), Tim Briggs (Democratic), Carol Hill-Evans (Democratic), Benjamin V. Sanchez (Democratic), Emily Kinkead (Democratic), Joe Webster (Democratic), Nikki Rivera (Democratic), Jeanne McNeill (Democratic), Dan K. Williams (Democratic), and Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz (Democratic).
What is the current status of HB 2281?
This bill is in committee in the House. Introduced March 12, 2026. It must pass committee before a floor vote.
Where can I track HB 2281?
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