Marijuana Moment
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has given initial approval to a bill that would legalize marijuana with a novel model of state-run stores.
This has been an especially fast-moving legislative process for the measure from Reps. Rick Krajewski (D) and Dan Frankel (D). It was introduced on Sunday, advanced through the House Health Committee Frankel chairs on Monday and has now been approved on second reading in the full chamber on Tuesday in a vote of 102-101.
All Democrats in the body voted in favor of the legislation, and all Republicans were opposed. A third reading vote, expected soon, would send the measure to the Senate.
While there’s a competing bipartisan legalization measure that’s expected to be unveiled soon, this one already has 27 House Democrats signed on as cosponsors—more than one-fourth of the party’s caucus in the chamber.
The expedited consideration of the bill has already elicited criticism from the GOP side of the aisle, with Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa (R), a member of the Health Committee, saying during Monday’s Health Committee hearing that “it’s no secret that I stand in opposition to broadly legalized adult-use marijuana—but frankly, I’m appalled by the manner in which it’s being rammed through the committee and the legislature.”
Frankel responded to the critique, saying “this has been a transparent process” that has “taken into consideration input from every potential stakeholder.”
Read more
Pennsylvania House Approves Bill To Legalize Marijuana Sales Through State-Owned Stores
