By a wide bipartisan margin, the House Judiciary Committee advanced today legislation cutting back on punishments for marijuana possession.

The bill, Rep. Barry Jozwiak’s (R-Berks) HB 928, limits the first two penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana to summary offenses with no jail time and a maximum $300 fine.

A week after the top of the tickets clashed for the one and only time, lieutenant governor candidates Jeff Bartos and John Fetterman ventured to Pittsburgh for what turned out to be a cordial debate on the commonwealth’s issues, from marijuana to gun control.

For 30 minutes, the two, who differ in political background and wardrobe, only shared a willingness to defend their running mates in a debate moderated by WPXI’s Katherine Amenta.

At a rally for marijuana reform in Pittsburgh Friday, Rep. Jake Wheatley (D-Allegheny) announced that he will introduce legislation that would effectively legalize recreational use of cannabis in Pennsylvania within the week. 

“If we trust our citizens to choose who will represent them in Harrisburg then we should trust them to decide whether or not to engage in recreational uses of cannabis,” Wheatley said.

While medical marijuana is legal, and Pittsburgh and Philadelphia have already decriminalized it, Wheatley feels that’s not enough to undo the damage of the tough drug policies of the ‘80s. 

Pennsylvania could be rolling in extra green if it was cool with selling green, according to the state’s fiscal watchdog.

A year after coming out in favor of legalizing it, Auditor General Eugene DePasquale released a special report that estimated the state could get an extra $581 million a year from regulating and taxing marijuana.

The crowded field of seven Democrats took to a stage Friday night to build some daylight in the race to win the party’s nod for Lt. Governor.

Besides embattled incumbent Mike Stack, Braddock Mayor John Fetterman, veteran and pharmacist Aryanna Berringer, Chester County Commissioner Kathi Cozzone, Montgomery County State Rep. Madeleine Dean, Lancaster County Commissioner Craig Lehman and businessman and community activist Ray Sosa all appeared at the forum, organized by Keystone Progress, a progressive advocacy group in Pennsylvania.