HARRISBURG — A bill that would reshuffle Pennsylvania’s prison system to save money by reserving state prisons for the most dangerous offenders won unanimous approval Tuesday from the state House of Representatives.

The measure, whose approval followed a brief debate, now moves to the Senate.

Consultants from the Council of State Governments worked with state officials, legislators, judges, lawyers and victim advocates on the “justice reinvestment” initiative that will divert more nonviolent offenders and parole violators into nonprison settings.

Their recommendations, which were endorsed by Gov. Tom Corbett, were largely incorporated into a prison-reform bill sponsored by Sen. Stewart Greenleaf, R-Montgomery.

The Corrections Department hopes the changes will ease pressures that include a departmental budget that is approaching $2 billion, a prison population that has grown more than sixfold to 51,000 inmates since 1980 and a recidivism rate of around 43 percent.

The department has reduced the projected savings from the bill to $253 million in the first five years, but that’s still more than the expected cost of implementing the changes. Nearly half of the savings — $121 million — will be available for other purposes, department officials said.

“Without question, this bill is a huge step forward in allowing us to significantly improve our corrections system while at the same time bolster public safety by strengthening the front end of the criminal justice system,” spokesman Sue Bensinger said.