What to look for on Smart Talk Monday, July 9, 2018:
Pennsylvania is the first state in the country with a “clean slate” law. It allows those who were arrested for non-violent crimes that carried a year or more in prison to have their records sealed if they don’t break the law again for 10 years and have paid all fines and court costs.
Under the law, criminal records aren’t expunged and are still accessible by law enforcement.
More than a third of Pennsylvania’s working-age population have criminal records. The law’s proponents say it will allow those who stay out of trouble to find a job or rent an apartment.
To discuss the clean slate law on Monday’s Smart Talk is one of its co-sponsors — Republican Rep. Sheryl Delozier of Cumberland County.
Also, so far this year, West Nile virus has been found in 33 of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties. Cases of West Nile virus occur during mosquito season, beginning in the summer and continuing through the fall. Mosquito bites are the primary cause for infection and the state has developed plans to keep mosquito breeding under control.
The virus first appeared in Pennsylvania in 2000. In response, the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) developed a network to trap and control mosquitoes, while also monitoring people and animals that could be infected.
Currently, counties have only tested positive from mosquito samples and there have been no cases of human infection in Pennsylvania. Many counties have taken precautions through neighborhood sprayings of mosquito insecticides, but there are many other actions people can take to prevent mosquito breeding.
Rep. Sheryl Delozier of Cumberland County, Matt Helwig, and Mike Hutchinson
Matt Helwig and Mike Hutchinson from the DEP’s Vector Management team joins us on Monday’s show to discuss controlling West Nile virus.
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