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A Democratic Pennsylvania House lawmaker has officially filed the latest marijuana legalization bill to enter the legislature, introducing a companion measure to a proposal that bipartisan senators unveiled last week.<\/p>\n
Rep. Amen Brown (D) circulated a cosponsorship memo for his legislation on Monday, describing a reform proposal that he says reflects \u201cthe strong support of two-thirds of Pennsylvanians across rural, suburban, and urban districts.\u201d<\/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 he said. \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
Brown announced last week that he intended to file a companion version<\/a> of a Senate bill sponsored by Sens. Dan Laughlin (R) and Sharif Street (D)<\/a>, who have long championed legalization in the state.<\/p>\n The House did approve a different legalization bill earlier this session, with controversial provisions to provide for state-run stores that a Senate committee ultimately rejected.<\/p>\n \u201cLegalizing marijuana enables the state to regulate the industry, ensuring that products are tested for safety, purity, and potency,\u201d Brown said in the new memo. \u201cThis approach not only protects consumers but also combats the unregulated black market, where 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 \u201cLegalizing marijuana presents an unprecedented economic opportunity for Pennsylvania,\u201d the lawmaker said<\/a>. \u201cAs states like Colorado and Illinois have demonstrated, legal marijuana markets generate revenue, create thousands of jobs, and support new businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n He added that Pennsylvania is currently \u201csurrounded by states that have already legalized adult-use marijuana, including New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Delaware, Connecticut, and Maryland.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLegalization in these states has not only boosted their economies but has also reduced the strain on local law enforcement agencies. As 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<\/p>\n \u201cHowever, it is essential to carefully consider the taxation structure for adult-use marijuana. Taxing 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 he said, seemingly referencing the governor\u2019s own legalization proposal that was not ultimately incorporated into the state\u2019s biennial budget. \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 The sponsors of the Senate version described the basic framework they\u2019re proposing<\/a> in their own cosponsorship memo in February. The measure as introduced is also supported by four other senators, all Democrats.<\/p>\n Brown\u2019s memo and bill<\/a> filing comes days after Reps. Emily Kinkead (D) and Abby Major (R)\u2014alongside eight other cosponsors\u2014introduced their own adult-use legalization measure.<\/a> The pair have previously\u00a0championed other proposals to end prohibition.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cBy failing to legalize, Pennsylvania is sending millions in needed revenue to other states and failing to address generations of injustice done in communities as a result of the criminalization of recreational cannabis,\u201d Kinkead said in a press release. \u201cThis bipartisan legislation was crafted with considerable input from stakeholders at every level and reflects the strong support for legalization among Pennsylvanians.\u201d<\/p>\n Major added that\u00a0\u201cRepresentative Kinkead and I have worked diligently to craft a piece of legislation that we believe both parties can get behind using lessons learned from the other 24 states that have already done so.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAnyone who believes in personal liberty and fiscal responsibility for Pennsylvania should support the legalization of adult-use cannabis,\u201d she said<\/a>.<\/p>\n Separately, Laughlin and 16 other lawmakers recently filed a separate bill to create a new regulatory body in the state that would begin\u00a0overseeing medical cannabis while preparing to eventually handle the adult-use market<\/a>\u00a0as well.<\/p>\n Laughlin previewed the measure in May, writing that Pennsylvania should first take steps to\u00a0make sure the state is \u201cready to act when legalization becomes law\u201d<\/a>\u00a0by establishing a Cannabis Control Board (CCB) now.<\/p>\n Street, who is also one of the original cosponsors of the bill, said recently that he was working with bipartisan and bicameral lawmakers to develop a passable marijuana legalization measure as the legislature approached a budget deadline\u2014telling supporters at the time that \u201cwe\u2019re getting close\u201d and they shouldn\u2019t \u201cease up\u201d on the fight.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are some basic things that we know we need to have done,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need to make sure when we pass a recreational adult-use bill that we seal and expunge the records of all those people who\u2019ve been who\u2019ve had cannabis convictions in the past.\u201d<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R) previewed that\u00a0marijuana legalization would not be included in the 2026 budget<\/a>\u00a0as lawmakers approached the deadline he expected they would miss. Ahead of the deadline, Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) held out hope that negotiators can \u201cget it done.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ve had really good, honest dialogue about it,\u201d the governor,\u00a0who separately criticized the Senate for abruptly derailing the House marijuana legalization bill<\/a>, said.<\/p>\n \u201cLook, I think this is an issue of competitiveness,\u201d he said. \u201cEvery state around us, with the exception of West Virginia, has gotten it done. You go visit some of these dispensaries along our border\u2014in this case with Maryland, [that] is probably the closest one here. Sixty percent of the people walking into those dispensaries are from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.\u201d<\/p>\n Also, in May, Sen. Marty Flynn (D)\u00a0announced his intent to file a new bill to legalize marijuana<\/a>\u00a0in the state, calling on colleagues to join him on the measure.<\/p>\n While the House legislation Krajewski sponsored alongside Rep. Dan Frankel (D) was rejected in a Senate committee following its expedited passage through the House along party lines, Street said he\u2019s \u201ccautiously optimistic we\u2019re going to be able to revive the bill and amend it and move forward with a work product that allows us to get a bill on the governor\u2019s desk and realize revenue.\u201d<\/p>\n Following the Senate committee vote, lawmakers from both chambers who support legalization have been\u00a0trading criticisms about each other\u2019s roles in the stalled push to end prohibition<\/a>.<\/p>\n Krajewski, for example, recently wrote in a Marijuana Moment op-ed that\u00a0Senate Republicans who killed his House-passed cannabis legalization bill are \u201cstuck in their prohibitionist views of the past\u201d<\/a>\u00a0and are \u201cout of touch with the will of our Commonwealth.\u201d<\/p>\n Prior to that vote, Pennsylvania\u2019s Republican attorney general said that while he doesn\u2019t currently support the House-passed marijuana legalization bill,\u00a0he\u2019s open to changing his mind about the policy change<\/a>\u00a0after continuing to review the details.<\/p>\n For what it\u2019s worth, a recent poll found that Pennsylvania voters say they\u00a0favor a model where cannabis is sold by licensed private businesses<\/a>, rather than through a system of state-run stores.<\/p>\n The governor has repeatedly called for adult-use marijuana legalization<\/a>. However, he hasn\u2019t endorsed the specific idea of having a state-controlled model.<\/p>\n GOP lawmaker Major\u2014who is\u00a0sponsoring another forthcoming legalization bill<\/a>\u00a0that envisions a traditional private sales model alongside Democrat Kinkead\u2014said during the House floor debate on HB 1200 that she stands opposed to the competing bill, emphasizing that she disagrees with the state-run stores proposal.<\/p>\n While Democrats control the House and governor\u2019s office, they will still need to reach a deal with the GOP-controlled Senate to effectuate change. And in addition to the conflicting perspectives among pro-legalization legislators, another potential barrier to reform is exactly that political dynamic.<\/p>\n Regardless of which direction Pennsylvania lawmakers do\u2014or don\u2019t\u2014go on marijuana legalization this session, a survey released in April shows\u00a0a majority of adults in the state support the reform<\/a>\u2014and opposition to the policy change has fallen by nearly 50 percent over the last decade.<\/p>\n Kinkead has made the case in another recent interview that legalizing cannabis in Pennsylvania will\u00a0help the state mitigate public health and safety concerns<\/a>\u00a0associated with the illicit market, including the fact that unregulated products can be laced with fentanyl.<\/p>\n The lawmaker\u00a0previously introduced a separate bipartisan marijuana legalization bill<\/a>, alongside 15 other cosponsors, last September. It did not advance, however.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Laughlin recently called for the\u00a0creation of a state \u201clegacy\u201d fund, using tax revenue from adult-use marijuana sales<\/a>\u00a0and gaming to make long-term investments in the Commonwealth\u2019s economy.<\/p>\n The senator argued that, beyond using any resulting tax revenue to fund day-to-day projects and public services, the state should earmark a portion of those tax dollars for a fund to \u201cprovide a sustainable source of prosperity that lasts for generations.\u201d<\/p>\n Another GOP Pennsylvania senator, Sen. Gene Yaw (R),\u00a0is backing the push to legalize marijuana in the commonwealth<\/a>, pointing out that, historically, prohibition \u201chas not turned out well,\u201d noting the country\u2019s experience with alcohol criminalization.<\/p>\n Pennsylvania House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D) recently said that\u00a0Democrats are ready to pass a marijuana legalization bill this session<\/a>, but that the party \u201cwill need Republican support\u201d to get the job done\u2014adding that it will be a \u201cheavy lift.\u201d<\/p>\n Polls have shown bipartisan support for legalization among voters, but the reform has consistently stalled in the legislature, owing in large part to GOP opposition. But not all Republican members are against the policy change\u2014and one recently said she felt her party should\u00a0seize the \u201copportunity to snatch\u201d the issue from Democrats<\/a>.<\/p>\n Separately in March, the Pennsylvania House approved a bill sponsored by Frankel that\u2019s meant to\u00a0strengthen safety standards and oversight of the state\u2019s medical marijuana program<\/a>\u00a0as lawmakers work to advance adult-use legalization.<\/p>\n While Pennsylvania\u2019s medical cannabis program was enacted nearly a decade ago, lawmakers say the measure, which now heads to the Senate, is necessary to improve testing compliance, product audits and lab inspections, among other aspects of the industry.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Pennsylvania Democratic lawmakers recently introduced a bill that would allow farmers and other small agriculture operators to\u00a0sell marijuana they cultivate to existing growers and and processors<\/a>\u00a0if the state moves to legalize adult-use cannabis.<\/p>\n Separately, an independent Pennsylvania agency is\u00a0projecting more tax dollars to be generated from adult-use marijuana sales<\/a>\u00a0compared to what the governor\u2019s office has estimated, although it expects significantly less overall revenue from cannabis legalization due to differing views on licensing fees.<\/p>\n Pennsylvania officials have also launched a new survey that invites legal marijuana businesses across the country to provide information about their operations to help the state better understand the cannabis industry as lawmakers consider enacting adult-use legalization this session.<\/p>\n \u2014 Also, in a video interview released in March, the governor emphasized that\u00a0the state is \u201closing out\u201d to others that have already enacted adult-use legalization<\/a>, while maintaining a policy that\u2019s enriched the illicit market.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it\u2019s an issue of freedom and liberty. I mean, if folks want to smoke, they should be able to do so in a safe and legal way,\u201d he said. \u201cWe should shut down the black market\u2014and, by the way, every state around us is doing it. Pennsylvanians are driving to those other states and paying taxes in those other states.\u201d<\/p>\n The state\u2019s agriculture secretary separately told lawmakers that he\u2019s fully confident that his department is in a\u00a0\u201creally good\u201d position to oversee an adult-use marijuana program<\/a>\u00a0if lawmakers act.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, in February, top Pennsylvania police and health officials told lawmakers\u00a0they are prepared to implement marijuana legalization<\/a>\u00a0if 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 Amid the growing calls for marijuana legalization in Pennsylvania,\u00a0a GOP state senator said 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 A Republican Pennsylvania senator also recently\u00a0defended the push to legalize and regulate marijuana<\/a>, calling it \u201cthe most conservative stance\u201d on the issue.<\/p>\n Photo courtesy of Max Pixel<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n The post Another Pennsylvania Lawmaker Files A Marijuana Legalization Bill, Saying It Will Bring \u2018Unprecedented Economic Opportunity\u2019<\/a> appeared first on Marijuana Moment<\/a>.<\/p>\n
A Democratic Pennsylvania House lawmaker has officially filed the latest marijuana legalization bill to enter the legislature, introducing a companion measure to a proposal that bipartisan senators unveiled last week. Rep. Amen Brown (D) circulated a cosponsorship memo for his legislation on Monday, describing a reform proposal that he saysContinue Reading<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":458,"featured_media":82265,"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\/82264"}],"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=82264"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82264\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":82266,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/82264\/revisions\/82266"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/82265"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=82264"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=82264"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/cannabiscultivatornews.com\/home\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=82264"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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\nRead More: Another Pennsylvania Lawmaker Files A Marijuana Legalization Bill, Saying It Will Bring \u2018Unprecedented Economic Opportunity\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"