Last week, Republican leaders in the General Assembly were clear about their stance on legalizing recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania: it’s not happening anytime soon.

 

And while Democrats will likely continue to levy pressure on their GOP colleagues, one state board plans to act on its own to provide relief to those with weighed down by consequences from past marijuana convictions.

On the heels of Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate initiative, closer to home local public defenders and elected officials have decided to give Allegheny County residents who have had brushes with the law a shot at a fresh start. 

Realizing that an arrest can create barriers to housing and employment, former public defender now Judge Elliot Howsie, wanted to give his former clients second chances that wouldn’t be tainted by the stigma of a criminal record. To that end he decided to work with County-Executive, the Public Defender's office, and others to create the Project Reset program. 

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.