A bill to legalize recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania was struck down in the state Senate less than a week after passing the House. House Bill 1200, which proposed a state-run sales model through the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, was rejected by the Senate Law & Justice Committee in a 7-3 vote on Tuesday.
Committee Chair Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-Erie), a long-time supporter of legalization, said he couldn’t back the current bill due to concerns over the state-store sales approach, home-grow restrictions, and potential budgetary impacts. Laughlin advocates for a free-market system and has co-sponsored an alternative legalization bill with Sen. Sharif Street (D-Philadelphia).
Other senators, including Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward (R-Westmoreland) and Sen. Devlin Robinson (R-Allegheny), opposed the bill over concerns about marijuana’s continued classification as a federally illegal substance. Ward questioned how the state could pay employees using funds from cannabis sales, calling the issue legally problematic.
Some Democrats also declined to support the bill. Sen. Lisa Boscola (D-Northampton) said while she backs legalization, the House proposal lacked the bipartisan support needed to move forward. Sen. Christine Tartaglione (D-Philadelphia), one of the few Democrats voting in favor, said the bill could serve as a foundation for future negotiations but criticized the short notice of the vote.
Laughlin noted that compromise is possible but warned that the current proposal is unlikely to succeed without more input from Governor Josh Shapiro, who has voiced support for legalization.
Source: Pennsylvania Capital-Star