Latest news with #EmilyKinkead
Forbes
17-04-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Pennsylvania Lawmakers Unveil Recreational Cannabis Legalization Plan
A bipartisan pair of lawmakers has announced plans to introduce a bill to legalize recreational ... More marijuana in Pennsylvania. A bipartisan pair of Pennsylvania lawmakers this week unveiled a plan to legalize recreational marijuana, nine years after the Keystone State legalized cannabis for medical use. Democratic Rep. Emily Kinkead and Rep. Abby Major, a Republican, released highlights of the cannabis legalization plan on Monday in a memo seeking cosponsors for an upcoming bill. 'This bipartisan legislation reflects strong support for legalization across the Commonwealth and the input of stakeholders at every level,' the memo reads, online cannabis news source Marijuana Moment reported on Wednesday. 'Please join us in co-sponsoring this important legislation as we work to move cannabis legalization forward in Pennsylvania.' In the memo, the lawmakers acknowledged Pennsylvania's 'robust' medical cannabis program. They added, however, that 'all but one of our neighboring states have legalized recreational adult-use cannabis.' Kinkead and Major wrote that one of those neighboring states, Ohio, legalized recreational marijuana for adults via a ballot initiative that voters approved in 2023. After regulated sales of adult-use cannabis began last year, they added, the state collected $15.5 million in taxes on recreational marijuana in the first three months of regulated sales. 'It is well past time for Pennsylvania to move in a similar direction, and our proposed legislation represents a bipartisan path to legalize adult-use cannabis, establishing strong tenets for an adult-use market,' they said. 'And perhaps most importantly, this bill is not just about legalization, it's about setting up a stable, well-regulated market that prioritizes public safety and public health, protects children from exposure, promotes social justice, and fosters economic opportunity.' The bipartisan pair of legislators offered key features of an upcoming bill, the text of which has not yet been released. The plan includes establishing an independent commission to regulate both recreational and medical cannabis in Pennsylvania. Stated goals of the program include inclusive economic growth, justice reform, consumer protection and support for law enforcement and local governments, among others. Passing a cannabis legalization bill in Pennsylvania, they wrote, 'would not only boost local economies and create upwards of 30,000 new jobs, but also create a new revenue stream for our state, allowing us to reinvest in essential services like education, healthcare, and infrastructure.' 'Moreover, this bill ends the blanket criminalization of marijuana users, particularly in communities of color that have been disproportionately impacted by cannabis-related arrests, while providing a robust pathway for those individuals and communities to participate in and benefit from the legal market,' the memo continues. 'Legalizing marijuana within this framework allows the industry to be regulated, ensuring that products are tested for safety, purity, and potency,' Major and Kinkead wrote. 'Legalization provides an opportunity to implement public health education, prevent misuse through responsible marketing and regulation, and ensure that marketing efforts are designed to avoid targeting children, with strict age verification measures in place.' Pennsylvania lawmakers legalized medical cannabis in 2016 with the passage of Senate Bill 3, which was signed into law by then-Gov. Tom Wolf in April of that year. Regulated sales of medical marijuana began in February 2018. Legalizing recreational marijuana, however, has so far not been supported by the Pennsylvania legislature. Earlier this month, however, Democratic House Speaker Joanna McClinton said that legalizing recreational cannabis could give the state a new stream of tax revenue. 'Most House Democrats support [marijuana legalization], though we will need Republican support for passing a bill this massive,' McClinton said at an event sponsored by the progressive nonprofit group Represent PA. 'It's going to be a heavy lift.' Late last year, a pair of Democratic lawmakers released their plan to legalize recreational marijuana, saying the state is an 'outlier' in its continued prohibition of cannabis. Pennsylvania state Reps. Rick Krajewski and Dan Frankel, who led several hearings on cannabis reform during the past legislative session, said they plan to introduce legislation to decriminalize cannabis and create a regulated market that focuses on public health, raises revenue for the state and supports those harmed by the criminalization of marijuana. Also in December, Democratic state Rep. Danilo Burgos announced plans to introduce a bill to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana without legalizing recreational cannabis sales. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has indicated his support for legalizing and regulating cannabis for adults. Last month, he said that Pennsylvania is 'losing out' by keeping recreational marijuana illegal. 'I think it's 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,' Shapiro said. 'We should shut down the black market—and, by the way, every state around us is doing it. Pennsylvanians are driving to those other states and paying taxes in those other states.' If Pennsylvania legalizes recreational marijuana, it will join the 24 states that have legalized cannabis for adults.
Axios
01-04-2025
- Business
- Axios
Lawmakers push DNA privacy after 23andMe bankruptcy
Pennsylvania lawmakers plan to introduce legislation aimed at protecting consumers' genetic data as 23andMe's bankruptcy sends shockwaves through the biotech world. Why it matters: The uncertainty at 23andMe — a household name in at-home DNA testing — has exposed how vulnerable DNA data can be during corporate turmoil. With more than 15 million users, cybersecurity experts fear personal DNA profiles could be sold off like any other asset. Driving the news: State Reps. Emily Kinkead (D-Allegheny) and Brian Munroe (D-Bucks) plan to introduce the Genetic Materials Privacy and Compensation Act, which would give Pennsylvanians legal rights to control how their DNA is used — and ensure they get paid if it's sold. Similar legislation has stalled in past years. What they're saying:"Personal data like DNA should not be treated as a corporate asset that is sold to the highest bidder," Kinkead said. Zoom in: The bill would establish individual ownership over genetic material, require informed consent before DNA can be shared with or sold to a third party and guarantee compensation if a company profits from a person's data. Federal protections like HIPAA don't apply to services like 23andMe because users are considered customers, not patients. Zoom out: California and North Carolina attorneys general have already urged 23andMe consumers to delete their data, though the company insists that data will not be shared with public databases, insurance companies or law enforcement (without a subpoena, search warrant or court order).
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Pennsylvania lawmakers announce bill to protect genetic data
(WHTM)– Pennsylvania lawmakers have announced a bill that would establish new protections for residents' genetic data. One of the world's largest genetic testing companies, 23andMe, filed for bankruptcy on Sunday, leaving many customers concerned about where their personal data will end up. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now State Representatives Emily Kinkead (D-Allegheny) and Brian Munroe (D-Bucks) announced a bill they say will better protect Pennsylvanians. The Genetic Materials Privacy and Compensation Act aims to ensure that Pennsylvanians have inherent rights to the use and sale of their genetic material, according to a release from Kinkead. 23andMe has filed for bankruptcy. What does this mean for your DNA data privacy? The bill would require for-profit genetic testing companies to get permission from consumers before sharing data with a third party and ensure people receive compensation for the use of their DNA, per Kinkead. 'The bankruptcy of 23andMe is exacerbating the data privacy nightmare of tens of millions of Americans who entrusted the company with their genetic material,' said Kinkead, D-Allegheny. 'Personal data like DNA should not be treated as a corporate asset that is sold to the highest bidder. Situations like this are a huge wake-up call that the genetic data of Pennsylvanians will remain vulnerable to exploitation until we strengthen our laws around data privacy through legislation like the Genetic Materials Privacy and Compensation Act.' Kinkead says the bill draws inspiration from Henrietta Lacks, whose cervical cells were collected without her consent and used to develop the polio vaccine and were used in hundreds of other studies. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now The State Reps plan to introduce the legislation soon. 'Our legislation reflects what people already know – that the information contained in their DNA belongs to them, and them alone,' said Munroe. 'While 23andMe's recent bankruptcy filing highlights the challenges some companies in this space face, the broader genetic testing industry remains highly profitable, with companies continuing to make substantial profits from selling genetic data to research and pharmaceutical firms. This bill ensures that people are notified before their genetic data is sold, that they have the right to approve or disapprove such sale and, most importantly, that they receive fair compensation for its use. It's time for companies to be held accountable and for individuals to regain control over their most personal information.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘Common-sense solution' Pennsylvania bill could change firearm license process
HARRISBURG, Pa. (WTAJ) — A Representative announced plans to reintroduce legislation surrounding firearm eligibility licenses in response to gun violence. The bill, authored by Emily Kinkead (D – Allegheny), would create new firearm eligibility under Title 18 of the Crime Code. To apply for the license, residents of Pennsylvania would follow a similar process to the one currently used when applying for a concealed carry permit. To qualify for a license, an applicant will need to be 18 years or older, live in the Commonwealth, complete a firearms safety course and otherwise not be prohibited by law from purchasing or possessing a firearm. Kinkead argued that when Connecticut passed a licensing law, its firearm homicide rate decreased by 28% and its firearm suicide rate decreased by 33%. Before issuing a firearm to a buyer, the issuing body may conduct a review of the applicant's criminal history, juvenile delinquency records and mental health records as well as an investigation as to whether the individual is otherwise precluded by law from owning a firearm, according to the bill. 'The goal of this legislation is simple: to ensure that our communities are safe places for our children to grow,' Kinkead wrote. 'This legislation is a common-sense solution with a broad base of support — in fact, the New England Journal of Medicine has reported that most American gun owners support going through law enforcement to receive a permit—and constitutional: a similar bill enacted in Maryland was upheld in federal court.' Under this legislation, any individual denied a license is entitled to file an appeal by submitting a challenge to the Pennsylvania State Police within 30 days from the date of the denial. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
