A bipartisan cadre of lawmakers touted the importance of re-entry programs for former inmates at a Capitol news conference Monday, as a key lawmaker said she hoped to see a package of criminal justice reform bills pass the Senate by the end of the month.

Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-Washington), Sen. Art Haywood (D-Philadelphia), Rep. Sheryl Delozier (R-Cumberland) and House Minority Whip Jordan Harris (D-Philadelphia) led the press conference, flanked by former inmates who are now leading the criminal justice reform fight.

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 address the treatment of incarcerated mothers, prevailing wage requirements for school districts and municipalities and state laws pertaining to fireworks.

Another busy week at the state Capitol and Justin Sweitzer and Andrew Bahl break it down on the latest edition of Right 2 Know. From Medicaid fraud to police reform to amphibians, we look back on the week that was in Harrisburg. Like what you hear? Subscribe to the podcast on Spotify and Google Play (and, coming soon, iTunes!).

As part of a continued movement to reform the state’s criminal justice system, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman formally announced Monday that he has tapped Brandon Flood, a veteran legislative staffer and lobbyist, as secretary of the state’s Board of Pardons.

Fetterman and a bevy of lawmakers said at a press conference that Flood’s appointment would open up a more efficient and empathetic era for the Board of Pardons. Flood himself was formally pardoned earlier this year for a pair of drug and firearm charges when he was 17 and 22, respectively.

Auditor General Eugene DePasquale hosted a press conference Thursday morning to discuss ways Pennsylvania can save money and one of those ways is through criminal justice reform. 

DePasquale announced that he plans to create a special report on how he believes the Commonwealth can save taxpayers money from criminal justice reform.