Latest news with #CannabisHealth&SafetyAct
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania Senate lawmakers reject recreational marijuana bill
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — Nearly a week after Pennsylvania House lawmakers passed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana, State Senators voted it down during a committee hearing earlier this morning. On Wednesday, May 7, H.B. 1200, also known as the Cannabis Health & Safety Act, passed on party lines, with 102 Democrats voting yea, and 101 Republicans voting nay. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This vote came after the bill passed through a House committee back on May 5. SPOTLIGHT PA: What's next for marijuana in PA? Earlier today, the Republican-controlled Senate Law and Justice Committee held a hearing to discuss H.B. 1200, and to decide whether or not to put it to a vote in front of the whole Pennsylvania Senate. The committee ended up voting down the legalization bill by a vote of 7 to 3, with one abstention. Chair of the Senate Law and Justice Committee, Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie) took to social media saying that a 'state-store model for adult-use cannabis won't pass the Senate; its a fact, not an opinion. The House's advancement of H.B. 1200 to the Senate wasn't a genuine legalization effort but political theater. I haven't received any discussions from House leadership or bill sponsors.' He continued by saying, 'I remain committed to crafting a cannabis bill that can pass the Senate and be signed into law to benefit all Pennsylvanians. That starts with honest dialogue from everyone involved, including House leadership and the governor, to develop a realistic approach, not political theater.' With H.B. 1200 having gone up in smoke, negotiations on Governor Josh Shapiro's budget plan remain underway. Back in February, Gov. Shapiro proposed a $51.5 billion budget for Pennsylvania, which included a call to legalize marijuana. As part of Shapiro's budget plan, he needs a surplus of cash and new money streams to support future expenditures. These hypothetical money streams included raising an estimated $1.2 billion from legalizing adult-use marijuana and expanding how the corporate net income tax is applied and introducing taxes on skill games. The final budget is due on June 30. abc27 news will keep you updated as more information becomes available. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania House passes recreational marijuana legalization
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Pennsylvania House lawmakers have passed a bill to legalize recreational marijuana. The vote on Wednesday afternoon passed on party lines, 102 Democrats voting yea and 101 Republicans voting nay. Earlier this week, the bill passed through a House committee, also on a party-line vote. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania The bill, known as the Cannabis Health & Safety Act, goes to the Republican-controlled State Senate, where its future is uncertain. A similar bill passed in the Democrat-controlled State House last year but did not advance through the Senate. House Democrats say the bill would give adults 21 and older 'the power of choice,' as well as create a public retail system 'with accountability.' Democrats say the bill also protects both residents' health and Pennsylvania minors, and will 'bring home billions of dollars.' Pennsylvania Governor proposes legalizing marijuana Pennsylvania House Republican Leader Jesse Topper (R-Bedford/Fulton) said following the vote that this was a 'flawed process' that created a 'flawed' bill. 'The bill to legalize marijuana in Pennsylvania was introduced at the end of the day Sunday and then rushed through a committee vote on Monday afternoon, a move that stifled debate and potential amendments,' Topper said. 'That flawed process led to a seriously flawed piece of legislation that creates an unnecessary government monopoly over the sale of marijuana, contains significant constitutional concerns, and fails to deliver on promised state revenue by cannibalizing the sales of legalized marijuana into new programs and state giveaways.' Governor Josh Shapiro has called for the legalization of marijuana as part of his state budget. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as more information becomes available Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27.
CBS News
06-05-2025
- Health
- CBS News
Bill that would legalize recreational marijuana advances out of Pennsylvania House committee
A bill that would legalize recreational marijuana advanced out of the Pennsylvania House Health Committee on Monday. The bill, named the Cannabis Health & Safety Act (HB1200), was approved with a 14-12 party-line vote. It will now move to the full Pennsylvania House of Representatives for consideration. "The time is now for Pennsylvania," Rep. Rick Krajewski, who represents the 188th District in Philadelphia, said in a release. "We have listened carefully to public health experts, criminal justice reformers, small business advocates and community leaders. Our bill reflects what we've learned — that we can and must legalize cannabis in a way that is safe, equitable and beneficial to all Pennsylvanians." What's in the Cannabis Health & Safety Act? According to a news release, here are the key priorities of the Cannabis Health & Safety Act: The bill would clear criminal records and advance "restorative justice for those impacted by cannabis-related offenses." It would reinvest tax revenue into communities hurt by the War on Drugs. The bill would implement "critical public health protections, including THC limits, marketing restrictions and child safety measures." It would create pathways for "diverse and local entrepreneurs" to be involved in the local cannabis market. The bill would also maximize "state revenue and accountability with publicly owned and accountable retail stores." Where is recreational marijuana legal in the United States? In the United States, 24 states, including Pennsylvania's neighbors New Jersey and Delaware, have legalized recreational marijuana. Medical marijuana has been legal in Pennsylvania since 2016, but it's still not legal recreationally like most of the U.S. Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro's budget proposal included some new revenue that would come from legalized marijuana sales.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania lawmakers advance marijuana legalization bill
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) — The legalization of adult-use cannabis has just gotten one step closer to becoming a reality in Pennsylvania. Earlier today, the Cannabis Health & Safety Act (HB1200) was approved by the House Health Committee by a 14-12 party-line vote. The cannabis legalization bill now moves to the state House of Representatives for consideration. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now HB1200 was introduced by Reps. Rick Krajewski (D-Philadelphia) and Dan Frankel (D-Allegheny) earlier this month. Per the proposed legislation, the new bill would regulate cannabis, establish Pennsylvania Cannabis Stores and a Cannabis Revenue Fund, and more. RELATED: Pennsylvania legislators propose legalizing adult-use cannabis Furthermore, HB1200 would clear criminal records for those convicted of cannabis-related offenses, reinvest tax revenue into communities that legislators say were harmed by the War on Drugs, implement public health protections, and more. To read the full bill, you can click here. 'The time is now for Pennsylvania,' Rep. Krajewski previously said. 'We have listened carefully to public health experts, criminal justice reformers, small business advocates and community leaders. Our bill reflects what we've learned — that we can and must legalize cannabis in a way that is safe, equitable and beneficial to all Pennsylvanians.' Previous legislation has passed in the Democrat-controlled State House, but has not advanced through the Republican-controlled State Senate. Governor Josh Shapiro has said he approves of legalizing and taxing adult-use cannabis. This is a developing story. abc27 news will keep you updated as we learn more. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
