![](\"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/MM_Bill_Tracker_V5_blank-25.jpg\"){kind=tracking}
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Bipartisan Pennsylvania senators are soliciting support from colleagues for a forthcoming marijuana legalization bill they plan to introduce soon.<\/p>\n
Sens. Dan Laughlin (R) and Sharif Street (D) are once again teaming up on the reform proposal, as they have in past session. And the circulation of their co-sponsorship memo on Tuesday comes amid escalated pressure from advocates to move forward on legalization and another call for the policy change in the governor\u2019s latest budget request<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile Pennsylvania has made significant strides in legalizing medical marijuana, adult-use legalization would provide more access for patients who benefit from marijuana but may not qualify under current medical marijuana criteria,\u201d the senators wrote in the new memo. \u201cLegalization also helps strengthen the state\u2019s marijuana infrastructure, ensuring that both medical and adult-use programs can operate safely and efficiently.\u201d<\/p>\n Laughlin and Street said the legalization measure promotes public health and safety, while combating the illicit cannabis market \u201cwhere safety standards are non-existent.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt would help end the criminalization of marijuana users, particularly in communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by marijuana-related arrests. By removing the penalties for adult-use and possession, we reduce the burden on law enforcement and the court system. Additionally, we can provide pathways to expunge prior marijuana convictions for individuals who have been arrested for possession in the past, allowing them a fairer chance at employment and participation in society.\u201d<\/p>\n It further points out the economic opportunity of enacting a regulated and taxed system of marijuana sales\u2014benefits that they note are already being repeated in surrounding states that have moved to legalize.<\/p>\n \u201cAs these neighboring states continue to benefit from legalization, it is vital that Pennsylvania follows suit to remain competitive and prevent the outflow of tax revenue and economic opportunities across state lines,\u201d they wrote.<\/p>\n Notably, both the Republican and Democratic sponsors jointly criticized one key component of Gov. Josh Shapiro\u2019s (D) marijuana budget proposal: the collective 26 percent tax rate on cannabis products that\u2019s being proposed.<\/p>\n \u201cTaxing adult-use marijuana at 26 percent will likely continue to drive individuals to the illicit market as well as to surrounding states with more competitive pricing,\u201d the lawmakers said<\/a>. \u201cAn overly burdensome tax rate undermines the legal market\u2019s ability to compete and incentivize consumers to transition away from unregulated sources.\u201d<\/p>\n This has been a recurring criticism of the governor, who projected in his latest budget request this month that the state stood to generate $536.5 million from legal cannabis sales under his plan, which involves a relatively high tax rate for marijuana compared to other state cannabis markets.<\/p>\n In a press release on Tuesday, Laughlin said<\/a> that ending \u201coutdated criminal penalties is a crucial step toward justice,\u201d adding that the bill \u201calso offers a pathway to expunge past marijuana possession convictions, giving individuals a fair chance at employment and community reintegration.\u201d<\/p>\n Last week, top Pennsylvania police and health officials told lawmakers they are prepared to implement marijuana legalization<\/a> if the legislature moves forward with the reform\u2014and that they stand ready to work together as the details of legislation to achieve it are crafted.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, amid the growing calls for marijuana legalization in Pennsylvania,\u00a0a GOP state senator says prohibition has been a \u201cdisaster,\u201d<\/a>\u00a0and a regulated sales model for cannabis\u2014similar to how alcohol and tobacco are handled\u2014could serve as an effective alternative.<\/p>\n Voters are ready to see that policy change,\u00a0according to a poll released last week<\/a>.<\/p>\n The survey, commissioned by the advocacy group ResponsiblePA, found that nearly 7 in 10 voters in the state support the reform\u2014including a majority of Republicans. And 63 percent want to see the legislature enact the reform this year, rather than delaying it.<\/p>\n \u201cThe leadership from Senator Laughlin and Senator Street through the introduction of bi-partisan legislation meaningfully advances adult-use legalization in Pennsylvania,\u201d ResponsiblePA\u2019s Brit Crampsie said in a press release about the new cosponsorship memo. \u201cIn addition to being an extremely popular policy among all Pennsylvania voters with a recent poll showing 74 percent of voters supporting the legalization of adult-use cannabis, this bill comes at an important moment when this year\u2019s budget calls for passage.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis issue is no longer just about what Pennsylvanians want\u2014it\u2019s about what the state needs to meet revenue projections,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n \u2014 While Shapiro once again included a proposal to enact cannabis legalization in his latest budget request, there\u2019s been mixed feedback from legislators\u2014some of whom want to see the governor more proactively come to the table to discuss possible pathways for reform and others skeptical about the possibility of advancing the issue this session.<\/p>\n Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Scott Martin (R), for example, said this week\u00a0that he doesn\u2019t \u201csee any path whatsoever\u201d<\/a>\u00a0to enacting legalization in line with the governor\u2019s plan.<\/p>\n At the same time, the state secretary for the Department of Revenue has predicted that Shapiro\u2019s proposal could be passed during the current budget cycle, indicating that he feels reform could start to be implemented within months.<\/p>\n House Majority Leader Matt Bradford (D), meanwhile, said following the governor\u2019s budget speech that \u201cthere is real diversity of opinions among our members,\u201d likely referencing split perspectives on regulatory models, with some lawmakers pushing for a state-run cannabis program.<\/p>\n He also said recently that he feels\u00a0the time is ripe to advance marijuana reform this session<\/a>, saying \u201cit strikes me as abdicating our responsibility to protect our communities and our children, and at the same time, we are losing revenue that is going to go into our neighboring states.\u201d<\/p>\n Key lawmakers have expressed skepticism about the governor\u2019s ability to see through the cannabis reform<\/a> he\u2019s proposing, however.<\/p>\n \u201cThe governor needs to lead on something. If he wants something done, he needs to lead on it,\u201d Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R) said. \u201cHe can\u2019t throw an idea out there\u2014which he did last year\u2014and say, \u2018Let the legislature figure it out. I\u2019ll sign it. Then I\u2019ll go do press conferences all over the state.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n House Minority Leader Jesse Topper (R) was also asked about the prospect of enacting various of the governor\u2019s budget proposals, including marijuana. And he said while he\u2019s \u201cnot going to speak for the governor,\u201d there\u2019s \u201cone person that has the ability to bring those deals together\u2014and that is the governor.\u201d<\/p>\n He referenced recent remarks from Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R) who said\u00a0there are logistical challenges to advancing legalization<\/a>\u00a0that he\u2019s unsure lawmakers will be able to overcome.<\/p>\n The feedback from GOP lawmakers is reminiscent of earlier criticism from the caucus about the governor, who they\u2019ve claimed has\u00a0made the call for reform without meaningfully engaging with the legislature<\/a>\u00a0about how to get it done.<\/p>\n Also, the new Republican state attorney general of Pennsylvania recently raised concerns about\u00a0the \u201cpotential harm that could be caused criminally\u201d<\/a>\u00a0by enacting the reform.<\/p>\n The Republican chair of a key Senate committee recently said he\u2019s expecting to take up legislation this year that would make Pennsylvania the 25th in the U.S. to legalize adult-use marijuana. He also thinks that\u00a0more of his GOP colleagues could get on board with the reform<\/a>\u00a0soon than have in the past.<\/p>\n While many legalization advocates and observers think Pennsylvania is among the most likely states to pass a recreational marijuana law this session, the devil is in the details. One lawmaker has floated a\u00a0relatively simple bill to decriminalize personal possession<\/a>, while two others plan to introduce\u00a0more sweeping legislation that would legalize through a state-run system of stores<\/a>.<\/p>\n Laughlin last spring introduced a bill meant to\u00a0remove state barriers to medical marijuana patients carrying firearms<\/a>. While it didn\u2019t move forward, the lawmaker said in the recent interview that he believes political support for legalization more broadly has been building.<\/p>\n The senator said an event last May that the state is \u201cgetting close\u201d to legalizing marijuana, but\u00a0the job will only get done if House and Senate leaders sit down with the governor and \u201cwork it out.\u201d<\/a><\/p>\n Reps. Dan Frankel (D) and Rick Krajewski (D) announced in December that they planned to file legalization legislation, emphasizing that\u00a0there\u2019s a \u201cmoral obligation\u201d to repair harms of criminalization<\/a>\u00a0while also raising revenue as neighboring state markets mature.<\/p>\n Frankel said sponsors hope for a vote on the bill \u201csometime early spring,\u201d though questions remain as to whether the legislature would be willing to get behind the push to end cannabis prohibition, especially through the state-run sales model he is proposing.<\/p>\n A separate decriminalization measure, meanwhile, from Pennsylvania Rep. Danilo Burgos (D), would\u00a0make simple possession of cannabis a summary offense punishable by a $100 fine without the threat of jail time<\/a>. Currently, low-level possession is considered a misdemeanor, carrying a penalty of up to 30 days in jail, a maximum $500 fine or both.<\/p>\n Additionally, in September, bipartisan Reps. Aaron Kaufer (R) and Kinkead\u00a0formally introduced a bipartisan marijuana legalization bill<\/a>, alongside 15 other cosponsors.<\/p>\n In July, the governor said his administration and lawmakers would\u00a0\u201ccome back and continue to fight\u201d for marijuana legalization<\/a>\u00a0and other policy priorities that were omitted from budget legislation he signed into law that month.<\/p>\n As for medical marijuana, the governor in October signed a\u00a0bill to correct an omission in a law that unintentionally excluded dispensaries<\/a>\u00a0from state-level tax relief for the medical marijuana industry.<\/p>\n About three months after the legislature\u00a0approved the underlying budget bill that Shapiro signed<\/a>\u00a0containing tax reform provisions as a partial workaround to a federal ban on tax deductions for cannabis businesses, the Pennsylvania legislature passed corrective legislation.<\/p>\n Separately, at a Black Cannabis Week event hosted recently by the Diasporic Alliance for Cannabis Opportunities (DACO) in October, Street and Reps. Chris Rabb (D), Amen Brown (D), Darisha Parker (D) and Napoleon Nelson (D) joined activists to\u00a0discuss their legislative priorities and motivations behind advancing legalization<\/a>\u00a0in the Keystone State.<\/p>\n Other lawmakers have also\u00a0emphasized the urgency of legalizing as soon as possible given regional dynamics<\/a>, while signaling that legislators are close to aligning House and Senate proposals.<\/p>\n As for cannabis and gun ownership, Laughlin had been looking at the issue for more than a year before introducing last year\u2019s bill,\u00a0writing last February to the state\u2019s acting police commissioner<\/a>\u00a0to \u201cstrongly encourage\u201d he review a federal ruling that the\u00a0U.S. government\u2019s ban on gun ownership by people who use marijuana is unconstitutional<\/a>.<\/p>\n Since then, further federal court cases have questioned the constitutionality of the federal firearm ban. A federal judge in El Paso, for example, recently ruled that the ongoing ban on gun ownership by habitual marijuana users was\u00a0unconstitutional in the case of a defendant who earlier pleaded guilty to the criminal charge<\/a>. The court allowed the man to withdraw the plea and ordered that the indictment against him be dismissed.<\/p>\n Former U.S. Senator Calls On Arizona Lawmakers To Pass Ibogaine Research Bill, Pledging To Raise $5 Million To Support Psychedelic Trials<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n Photo courtesy of Chris Wallis \/\/ Side Pocket Images.<\/em><\/p>\n The post Bipartisan Pennsylvania Senators Announce New Marijuana Legalization Plan, Criticizing Governor\u2019s Proposed Cannabis Tax Rate As Too High<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Bipartisan Pennsylvania senators are soliciting support from colleagues for a forthcoming marijuana legalization bill they plan to introduce soon. Sens. Dan Laughlin (R) and Sharif Street (D) are once again teaming up on the reform proposal, as they have in past session. And the circulation of their co-sponsorship memo onContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":80383,"comment_status":"false","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[18,81],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80382"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/458"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=80382"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80382\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":80384,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/80382\/revisions\/80384"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/80383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=80382"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=80382"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=80382"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nMarijuana Moment is tracking hundreds of cannabis, psychedelics and drug policy bills<\/a> in state legislatures and Congress this year. Patreon supporters<\/a> pledging at least $25\/month get access to our interactive maps, charts and hearing calendar so they don\u2019t miss any developments.<\/strong>
\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/02\/MM_Bill_Tracker_V5_blank-24.jpg\"){kind=tracking}
<\/a>
\nLearn more about our marijuana bill tracker<\/a> and become a supporter on Patreon<\/a> to get access.
\n\u2014<\/strong><\/p>\n\n
\n
\nRead More: Bipartisan Pennsylvania Senators Announce New Marijuana Legalization Plan, Criticizing Governor\u2019s Proposed Cannabis Tax Rate As Too High<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"