Given his history of legal troubles, Meek Mill became emotional at the signing of a probation reform bill in Philadelphia. 

The new Pennsylvania legislation aims to make more criminal records private and reduce the number of people on probation or in county jails, according to NBC Philadelphia. The bill passed with significant support in both the House and Senate. 

The “Dreams and Nightmares” lyricist celebrated the bill's passing on Wednesday (Dec. 13), joining Gov. Josh Shapiro and other politicians for a ceremonial bill signing in his hometown on Friday (Dec. 15.)

During the ceremony, Meek became emotional as he recalled the fear he felt when he crossed state lines to New Jersey to take his son to school while on probation years ago.

“We try to be better, but they labeled us ‘felons,’ sent us back to jail. I had to fight against that the whole time to gain my respect and be who I am today,” he told reporters.

Senate Bill 838 or “Probation Reform Law” intends to limit probation length and prevent jail for minor violations, especially in a state with high incarceration rates. However, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) criticizes the law for not effectively addressing systemic issues in the probation system.

The bill allows courts to seal records of non-violent drug felonies with sentences under two and a half years in prison or a maximum of five years. It aligns with the existing “Clean Slate Law,” enabling the sealing of certain nonviolent felonies for those with a conviction-free decade and shortening the waiting period for misdemeanor sealing.

These changes reflect a broader national effort to reform the criminal justice system. The push for probation reform gained traction with Meek's case, highlighting issues in Pennsylvania's probation system. 

The Philadelphia-born rapper was notoriously placed on probation for a 2008 gun case and later found himself in a contentious relationship with a judge who sent him to prison for a 2017 probation violation.

“We all learned from Meek’s case because it shined a light on the injustices in our probation system,” Shapiro said. “How someone could be sentenced to prison for years for not committing a crime, but for just a technical violation of a long probation.”