FILE PHOTO: The dome of the Pennsylvania Capitol is visible in Harrisburg.
Matt Rourke / The Associated Press
Episode 45: Guns and weed and government regulation
Tensions arose on both issues of gun regulation and marijuana legalization.
-
Katie Meyer
Matt Rourke / The Associated Press
FILE PHOTO: The dome of the Pennsylvania Capitol is visible in Harrisburg.
Last week saw the beginning—and end—of a brief whirlwind of activity in the state House and Senate.
On this week’s podcast, we’ll recap two of the major developments: Republicans staking out a plan of action on guns, and the governor saying he wants to legalize marijuana.
The gun conversations stretched over several days in both chambers. By the time they broke for the month, GOP lawmakers in the House had passed a number of bills governing firearms, none of which gun safety advocates particularly wanted. They had also ruled out passing one of the measures for which those advocates have lobbied most strongly—a so-called “red flag” bill.
A similar partisan tension was evident on marijuana. After Governor Tom Wolf said he wants to allow recreational use of the drug—a position based on a months-long listening tour Lieutenant Governor John Fetterman conducted this year—Republicans came out firmly against the idea.
The legislature returns to session in late October.
The Purple Buck Newsletter
Get insights into WITF’s newsroom and an invitation to join in the pursuit of trustworthy journalism.
