Rapper Meek Mill was moved to tears on Friday after the Pennsylvania governor signed probation reform legislation that overhauls the same system that kept Meek in a chokehold.
The new law, called Act 44, is set to change the game and reconstruct the laws that kept Meek behind bars for minor technical violations.
Act 44 is designed to ensure that someone only serves time for serious breaches like committing a crime against someone. It also reserves jail time for those who fail to “complete court-mandated treatment or actions that pose a threat to public safety,” according to the PhillyTrib.
Another revision includes limiting time served for technical violations to 14 days for a first technical violation, 30 days for a second, the outlet reports.
“I already was in jail my whole 20s — my son seen me in prison,” Meek said before breaking down. “And I wanted to take my son to school. So I thought that, it’s either I’m going to go to jail, or I’m going to take my son to school. And I ended up taking my son to school.”
In addition, Act 44 makes it possible for early termination of probation, a measure that would end repeated extensions that keep people under strict supervision. Judge Genece Brinkley kept Meek on a short leash for years.
“That’s been a huge problem in Pennsylvania,” said Erin Haney, the deputy chief advocacy officer and senior director of policy and law at REFORM Alliance, a national advocacy organization co-founded by Meek Mill.
“It’s one of the reasons why caseloads are so high for officers, which really impacts public safety. It’s one of the reasons why people can’t get the support that they need while they’re on supervision.”
The new law will reportedly help around 300,000 people in the next five years but no word on what will happen to those already serving time for technical violations.
#Clique, what are your thoughts?
