It’s Time For Pennsylvania Senate GOP To Get Serious About Marijuana, Sponsor Of House-Passed Legalization Bill Says (Op-Ed)

Senate Republicans, in a rash act of political theater, killed the clearest path to legal cannabis in Pennsylvania history.

By Pennsylvania Rep. Rick Krajewski (D)

This month Pennsylvania had the opportunity to join the rest of the country in leaving behind the failed policies of the War on Drugs. Instead, it appears Republicans are still living in the past.

Here’s what the path to legalization could have been: Over the last two years, I chaired six hearings where testimony was heard from public health professionals, labor unions, criminal justice advocates, cannabis regulators in other states and other experts.

With the partnership of my colleague and chair of the Health Committee, Rep. Dan Frankel (D), we shepherded a bill through a committee vote and final passage in the House. We heard hours of speeches and debated the merits of our bill with lawmakers on both sides of the aisle, ultimately passing the first cannabis legalization bill in Pennsylvania history.

Senate Republicans would then bring our bill up for consideration. If there were concerns, they would amend it or pass an alternative. Eventually we would reach a solution that both chambers could support.

We did our part.

Our bill, HB 1200, takes an innovative approach at including both public retail stores and licensing for private and social equity entrepreneurs. It provides real opportunities for small business owners, generates twice as much public revenue as a fully private model and creates a fair and just record expungement process. As Democrats, we have a responsibility to put the needs of the working class first, not massive corporations.

But I know our state legislature holds a diversity of opinions. This bill is a first step, an opening proposal in what’s inevitably going to be a tense battle between two parties with different visions for public health, economics, criminal justice and how to run a new multi-billion-dollar industry.

Instead, Republicans backed out. The chair of the Senate Law and Justice Committee called for a vote on HB 1200 with less than 24 hours notice. There was no discussion with experts, no hearing, not a single amendment filed.

Within a matter of minutes, they voted our bill down. This means the only cannabis bill to ever pass a chamber cannot proceed for further consideration.

We’re back to square one.

The chair claimedhe wanted to send a message that he opposes our proposal for a hybrid model. But if that’s the case, why not amend the bill? Why not replace it with his own proposal?

He was asked this exact question at the voting meeting and gave a clear answer: “We’re not ready.”

And there is the truth. The Senate isn’t ready to get this done, despite publicly saying they support legalization. Republicans seem to still be stuck in their prohibitionist views of the past.

Seventy percent of Pennsylvania voters support legalization, regardless of party affiliation.

Neighboring states are collecting hundreds of millions of tax dollars that could be ours.

Twelve thousand people yearly are being arrested and having their lives upended for simple possession.

Every day that goes by without legal cannabis in Pennsylvania is the fault of Senate Republicans who are in denial about the inevitable reality of legalization and out of touch with the will of our Commonwealth. If the Senate is serious about legalization, they must either bring up HB 1200 for reconsideration or send us another bill.

No more political theater. We’re ready to negotiate when you are.

Rick Krajewski is a member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where he chairs the Subcommittee on Health Care.

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Photo courtesy of Mike Latimer.