Governor Tom Wolf (D) joined Mayor Jim Kenney (D), members of the General Assembly, City Council, and Congress Thursday in applauding the efforts of Philadelphia Police in arresting an alleged drug dealer in North Philadelphia Wednesday night. He also joined them in calling for more legislation to prevent such assaults on police from happening again. 
 
“I will continue to move forward with efforts to reduce gun violence to ensure that we are doing everything we can to prevent a situation like this from occurring again,” he said. “This type of terror should never happen in our commonwealth.”

Rep. Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia) didn’t have much activity at his district office on Tuesday afternoon when The PLS Reporter sat down to speak with him. Over the weekend, he had hosted a few thousand residents at a street festival in South Philly. 

Residents got to talk about services with him and some city offices. However, Harris claims he hosts his annual summer event as a way to help his constituents just enjoy a day with their families without spending all the money demanded at amusement parks.

Amid all the floor debates, press conferences and committee hearings, the Pennsylvania General Assembly’s newest co-sponsorship memos can get lost in the shuffle. That’s why The PLS Reporter rounds up some of the most noteworthy co-sponsorship memos each week, so you can stay informed of what’s going on in the Capitol.

 

In this week’s feature are memos for proposals that would ban abortion if a heartbeat is detected in a fetus, expunge criminal records for people who receive pardons and remove regulations on child-run lemonade stands in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Democrats have proposed myriad ways to legalize marijuana in the Keystone State. The most common avenue suggested is a market-based approach that empowers growers and dispensaries; others have advocated for its sale through the state-store system alongside liquor.

 

Regardless of how to best administer it, the criminal justice side of the marijuana discussion has not been lost as lawmakers grapple with what to do with criminal records plagued by past marijuana convictions.

The House Democratic Policy Committee heard testimony from citizens who have served prison time, from the powerful to the pedestrian. They told legislators Tuesday night at Temple University that the system needs more resources to help rehabilitate inmates and avoid recidivism.

80,000 adults are currently incarcerated in Pennsylvania, about one percent of the state’s population, according to the Pennsylvania Prison Society. The state spends over $2 billion annually on the Department of Corrections and Governor Wolf has proposed an increase of over $5 million for the 2019-20 budget.