Pennsylvania

Connect Pennsylvania Families: Pass SB 231 and HB 1506

Families in Pennsylvania spend more than $2 million each year to stay connected with incarcerated loved ones — a steady revenue stream for a private prison telecom vendor. The result is clear:

• One in three families goes into debt to afford phone and video calls.

• 87% of those carrying this burden are women — largely Black and brown women.

• Many incarcerated people are sent thousands of miles to the continent, separating families by an ocean, making phone and video calls the primary way children stay connected to parents.

• Strong family connections improve facility safety, support rehabilitation, and increase successful reentry.

Introduced in the 2025–2026 legislative session, SB 231 and HB 1506 would require prisons and jails to provide communication services at no cost to incarcerated individuals and their families, addressing the current system where families pay exorbitant rates driven by the telecom provider, Securus.

In 2025, Rep. Andre Carroll joined as a champion for this bill in the House. Native Philadelphian, and son of an incarcerated parent, Carroll was one of the tens of thousands of children who experienced the burden of communication costs, and how it severs family connections. Along with Sen. Cappelletti, who has championed this bill for several years.

With the current contract set to expire, Pennsylvania has the opportunity to make communication free now and join the Northeast region by passing SB 231 and HB 1506 to save families millions.

Momentum is growing nationwide to make prison communication free. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Minnesota have already made the change, demonstrating what’s possible — and Pennsylvania can lead alongside them.

Send an email to your elected officials using the form above, and share this page on social media to encourage others to take action.