House panel advances bill to streamline medical release for terminally ill inmates after narrow vote

The House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday voted 15–11 to report House Bill 150, a measure that would replace the current compassionate-release provision in Title 42 and create a streamlined judicial process for medical release of seriously ill incarcerated people.

Supporters said the bill would save taxpayer money and allow courts to relieve the Department of Corrections (DOC) of long-term medical care for inmates who pose little public-safety risk. Representative Kajewski, the bill sponsor, described the measure as “a real pathway to medical release” and said it aims to prevent deaths while petitions await review.

The bill would repeal section 9777 of Title 42 and replace it with a new statute titled “modification of an imposed term of imprisonment for reason of illness,” counsel Michael Vitale told the committee. Under the bill, a sentencing…