Law Pennsylvania

[Baron23]

Financial assistance program expanded for Pa. medical marijuana patients​

The state Department of Health has expanded its financial assistance program for state medical marijuana patients, including waiving annual fees for eligible patients enrolled in financial hardship programs such as SNAP, Medicaid and WIC.

The state said it also plans to distribute cash benefits to eligible patients.

“The department is pleased to be able to expand assistance to medical marijuana patients and caregivers who may be experiencing financial hardships,” acting Health Secretary Keara Klinepeter said in a news release. “Patients deserve to have access to their medicine to treat medical conditions and cost should not be a barrier.”

Act 44 of 2021 allowed state officials to create programs for providing relief to low-income medical marijuana patients. The new program is being rolled out in three phases.

The first two phases, implemented March 1, eliminate annual identification card and background check fees for eligible participants already enrolled in a financial hardship program.

The programs include the Children’s Health Insurance Program, also known as CHIP; the Programs of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly, also known as PACE; the PACE Needs Enhancement Tier, also known as PACENET; the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP; and the Women, Infants and Children program, also known as WIC.

When implemented, the third phase will distribute a to-be-determined benefit amount to eligible patients. That benefit can be applied to any medical marijuana product purchased at Pennsylvania dispensaries, but cannot be used for non-medical products such as devices and accessories. There are 150 dispensaries open and dispensing products to patients within the state.

 

[momofthegoons]

Pennsylvania Senators Approve Marijuana Banking Protection Bill As Congressional Reform Stalls​

As federal marijuana banking reform continues to stall in Congress, a Pennsylvania Senate committee on Wednesday approved a bipartisan bill to safeguard banks and insurers against being penalized by state regulators for working with state-legal medical marijuana businesses.

The Senate Banking & Insurance Committee unanimously approved the legislation, which is sponsored by the panel’s chair and minority chair, Sens. John DiSanto (R) and Sharif Street (D).

At the hearing, DiSanto recognized that while there’s federal guidance in place for banks and insurers that choose to work with state-legal cannabis businesses, they are not “immunized” by federal law because it remains a federally controlled substance—a situation that has made many financial institutions reluctant to take on clients in the industry.

This has “curtailed access to conventional banking and insurance services that are essential for operating any business,” he said. “Safely banking the state-legal cannabis industry removes a public safety risk and is an opportunity to grow our economy and should ultimately lower costs for medical patients.”

The move to provide state-level protections could add pressure on congressional lawmakers to enact a federal change, such as the bipartisan Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act that has passed the House in some form six times at this point, only to stall in the Senate.

The text of the Pennsylvania legislation states that a “financial institution authorized to engage in business in this Commonwealth may provide financial services to or for the benefit of a legitimate cannabis-related business and the business associates of a legitimate cannabis-related business.” The same protections would also be codified for insurers.

However, it specifies that the bill would not require banks or insurers to provide services to medical marijuana businesses.

“This is an issue of public safety. Allowing responsible banking quite frankly means that there will be ways of transmitting money that are less dangerous,” Street, who is also the sponsor of a bipartisan bill that he introduced last year to legalize marijuana for adult use in the state, said.

“Walking around with bags of cash is something that we need to move away from, and both the state and federal government need to take the appropriate provisions to prevent that,” he said. “It is an access issue. Allowing banking improves the quality of access that patients will have, and ultimately, again, we in the commonwealth have an obligation—as does the federal government—to take the appropriate steps to allow this.”

The senators previously circulated a co-sponsorship memo to colleagues ahead of the bill’s introduction that raised similar points.

The text of the bill says that state government agencies cannot “prohibit, penalize or otherwise discourage a financial institution or insurer from providing financial or insurance services to a legitimate cannabis-related business or the business associates of a legitimate cannabis-related business.”

It also says agencies cannot “recommend, incentivize or encourage a financial institution or insurer” to not provide services just because a business is associated with marijuana.

Further, state agencies could “not take adverse or corrective supervisory action on a loan made to a legitimate cannabis-related business,” the text says.

Prior to passing the marijuana banking bill, the panel adopted an amendment that the chairman described as technical in nature, saying it “recognizes legitimate cannabis-related businesses authorized through federal law such as the [Drug Enforcement Administration] grower applications for research and requires disclosures for the suspension or revocation of federal permits. It also clarifies financial institution and insurer requirements to obtain legal protections.”

This is another example of how states are taking proactive steps to shield financial institutions and support their cannabis markets, while at the same time pressuring Congress to act.

For example, Washington State officials on Tuesday held a virtual roundtable to address the recent spate of deadly robberies targeting marijuana retailers, with regulators reiterating their call for a federal policy change and discussing steps the state can take on its own while Congress fails to act.

Lawmakers, advocates and representatives of cannabis businesses that have been recently robbed took part in the event, which was organized by the state’s Liquor and Cannabis Board (LCB) after at least three people were killed within the span of four recent days at three different Washington cannabis retailers.

“A decade of congressional dithering is enough,” Washington State Treasurer Mike Pellicciotti said, referring to the fact that the House has repeatedly advanced marijuana banking legislation only to be blocked in the Senate under Republican and Democratic control. “We are at a point where Congress needs to pass the SAFE Banking Act.”

Pellicciotti made similar remarks at a recent conference of the National Association of State Treasurers (NAST). And Colorado Treasurer Dave Young echoed that sentiment in a recent interview with Marijuana Moment.

SAFE Banking Act sponsor Rep. Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), for his part, is committed to getting something done before his retirement at the end of this session. He’s even made a point to talk about enacting the reform legislation during committee hearings on ostensibly unrelated or wider-ranging legislation, like at a recent House Rules Committee hearing.

At a recent event hosted by the American Bankers Association (ABA), the congressman said that he will “continue to be a real pest, and persistent in getting this done” before he leaves Congress.

Following the bipartisan House passage of the banking bill, Perlmutter said he naively expected it “to sail through the Senate, which is always a bad assumption, because nothing sails through the Senate.”

But he’s taken pains to build support, including from current Senate leadership that has insisted on enacting comprehensive legalization with firm equity provisions in place before advancing a bill viewed as friendly to the industry.

Despite recently saying that he’s “confident” that the Senate will take up his bill this session, the congressman recognized that while he’s supportive of revisions related to criminal justice reform, taxation, research and other issues, he knows that “as we expand this thing, then we start losing votes, particularly Republican votes and we got enough votes in the Senate to do it” as is.

Perlmutter also brought up the fact that Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has addressed the federal-state marijuana banking conflict and “she wants to get this off her plate and get it done.”

Ahead of the ABA event, the financial group released a poll that it commissioned showing that a strong majority of Americans support freeing up banks to work with marijuana businesses without facing federal penalties.

Meanwhile, the number of banks that report working with marijuana businesses ticked up again near the end of 2021, according to recently released federal data.

It’s not clear if the increase is related to congressional moves to pass a bipartisan cannabis banking reform bill, but the figures from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) signal that financial institutions continue to feel more comfortable servicing businesses in state-legal markets.

Some Republicans are scratching their heads about how Democrats have so far failed to pass the modest banking reform with majorities in both chambers and control of the White House, too. For example, Rep. Rand Paul (R-KY) criticized his Democratic colleagues over the issue in December.

In the interim, federal financial regulator Rodney Hood—a board member and former chairman of the federal National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)—recently said that marijuana legalization is not a question of “if” but “when,” and he’s again offering advice on how to navigate the federal-state conflict that has left many banks reluctant to work with cannabis businesses.

Back in Pennsylvania, a key Senate committee held the last of three scheduled hearings on marijuana legalization earlier this month, taking testimony that’s designed to help inform a forthcoming reform bill that the panel’s chairman is actively drafting.

The Senate Law and Justice Committee meeting involved testimony from cannabis reform advocates, former regulators from other states and industry stakeholders.

Sen. Mike Regan (R), who chairs the panel, circulated a cosponsorship memo last year along with Rep. Amen Brown (D) to build support for the reform, and these meetings are designed to give lawmakers added context into the best approach to legalization for the state.

At an initial hearing last month, much of the discussion focused on whether creating a regulated market would be sufficient to eliminate illicit sales, how police would be affected and the impact on impaired driving.

The second hearing held late last month centered on varying tax structures and other regulatory approaches that have been created in states like Illinois and California.

While reform bills have been introduced in past sessions and the policy change has the support of Gov. Tom Wolf (D), the committee’s final hearing marked only the third time a legislative panel had debated recreational legalization in the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania General Assembly.

Street and Sen. Dan Laughlin (R), the chief sponsors of the bipartisan legalization bill filed last year, also recently filed a bill that would allow medical marijuana patients to cultivate their own plants for personal use. Street had attempted to get the reform enacted as an amendment to an omnibus bill last summer, but it did not advance.

Pennsylvania lawmakers could also take up more modest marijuana reform proposals like a bill filed late last year to expand the number of medical marijuana cultivators in the state, prioritizing small farms to break up what she characterized as a monopoly or large corporations that’s created supply problems.

Additionally, another pair of state lawmakers—Reps. Jake Wheatley (D) and Dan Frankel (D)—formally unveiled a legalization bill they’re proposing last year.

Philadelphia voters also approved a referendum on marijuana legalization in November that adds a section to the city charter saying that “the citizens of Philadelphia call upon the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Governor to pass legislation that will decriminalize, regulate, and tax the use, and sale to adults aged 21 years or older, of cannabis for non-medical purposes.”

Wolf, the governor, said last year that marijuana legalization was a priority as he negotiated the annual budget with lawmakers. However, his formal spending request didn’t contain legislative language to actually accomplish the cannabis policy change.

The governor, who signed a medical cannabis expansion bill in June, has repeatedly called for legalization and pressured the Republican-controlled legislature to pursue the reform since coming out in favor of the policy in 2019. Shortly after he did that, a lawmaker filed a separate bill to legalize marijuana through a state-run model.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D), who is running for U.S. Senate this year, said one of his key goals in his final year in office is to ensure that as many eligible people as possible submit applications to have the courts remove their cannabis records and restore opportunities to things like housing, student financial aid and employment through an expedited petition program.

A survey from Franklin & Marshall College released last year found that 60 percent of Pennsylvania voters back adult-use legalization. That’s the highest level of support for the issue since the firm started polling people about it in 2006.

An attempt to provide protections for Pennsylvania medical marijuana patients from being charged with driving under the influence was derailed in the legislature last year, apparently due to pushback by the state police association.

 

[momofthegoons]

Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana Patients Could Buy Edibles Under GOP Senator’s Bill​

A Republican Pennsylvania senator on Friday announced that he will soon be introducing a bill to allow medical marijuana patients in the state to buy cannabis edibles at dispensaries.

Sen. Dan Laughlin (R) is circulating a co-sponsorship memo to build support for the proposal, which he said will bring Pennsylvania in line with the majority of states that have legalized medical marijuana by allowing access to the products and instituting restrictions on packaging and labeling.

“Pennsylvania’s patients should be able to buy edible medical cannabis that is safe, uniform and securely packaged and labeled, just as they do in 25 other states that have legalized medical cannabis,” the senator, who has also sponsored legislation to legalize marijuana for adult use and allow patients to cultivate cannabis for personal use, said in a press release.



“For many patients, their medical conditions require gradual relief over an extended period of time,” Laughlin said. “Consuming medical cannabis in edible form is among the best ways to achieve the time-release effect that these patients need.”

The senator’s memo to colleagues stresses that the bill will take specific steps to ensure that cannabis edibles are “tested for consistency/potency and designed in a way that does not appeal to children.”

As it stands, registered medical marijuana patients in Pennsylvania are permitted to purchase pills, oils, topicals and dry leaf cannabis that can be vaporized but not smoked. Patients can use those products to create their own edibles, but the sponsor said it’s important to give those individuals quality-tested options as well.

“Edibles produced by one of Pennsylvania’s licensed grower/processors and tested by one of our approved laboratories would be uniform in their THC distribution and potency, as well as clearly labeled and stored in child-proof containers,” the memo says.

He added in a press release that “edibles offer an easy and appropriate way to get relief from their medical conditions, and that’s always been the goal of medical cannabis: providing relief to patients.”

Meanwhile, a key Pennsylvania Senate committee held the last of three scheduled hearings on marijuana legalization last month, taking testimony that’s designed to help inform a forthcoming reform bill that the panel’s chairman is actively drafting.

The Senate Law and Justice Committee meeting involved testimony from cannabis reform advocates, former regulators from other states and industry stakeholders.

Sen. Mike Regan (R), who chairs the panel, circulated a cosponsorship memo last year along with Rep. Amen Brown (D) to build support for the reform, and these meetings are designed to give lawmakers added context into the best approach to legalization for the state.

At an initial hearing in February, much of the discussion focused on whether creating a regulated market would be sufficient to eliminate illicit sales, how police would be affected and the impact on impaired driving.

The second hearing held in late February centered on varying tax structures and other regulatory approaches that have been created in states like Illinois and California.

While reform bills have been introduced in past sessions and the policy change has the support of Gov. Tom Wolf (D), the series of hearings marked the first times a legislative panel had debated recreational legalization in the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania General Assembly.

Pennsylvania lawmakers could also take up more modest marijuana reform proposals like a bill filed late last year to expand the number of medical marijuana cultivators in the state, prioritizing small farms to break up what she characterized as a monopoly or large corporations that’s created supply problems.

Additionally, another pair of state lawmakers—Reps. Jake Wheatley (D) and Dan Frankel (D)—formally unveiled a legalization bill they’re proposing last year.

Philadelphia voters also approved a referendum on marijuana legalization in November that adds a section to the city charter saying that “the citizens of Philadelphia call upon the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Governor to pass legislation that will decriminalize, regulate, and tax the use, and sale to adults aged 21 years or older, of cannabis for non-medical purposes.”

Wolf, the governor, said last year that marijuana legalization was a priority as he negotiated the annual budget with lawmakers. However, his formal spending request didn’t contain legislative language to actually accomplish the cannabis policy change.

The governor, who signed a medical cannabis expansion bill in June, has repeatedly called for legalization and pressured the Republican-controlled legislature to pursue the reform since coming out in favor of the policy in 2019. Shortly after he did that, a lawmaker filed a separate bill to legalize marijuana through a state-run model.

Meanwhile, Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D), who is running for U.S. Senate this year, said one of his key goals in his final year in office is to ensure that as many eligible people as possible submit applications to have the courts remove their cannabis records and restore opportunities to things like housing, student financial aid and employment through an expedited petition program.

A survey from Franklin & Marshall College released last year found that 60 percent of Pennsylvania voters back adult-use legalization. That’s the highest level of support for the issue since the firm started polling people about it in 2006.

An attempt to provide protections for Pennsylvania medical marijuana patients from being charged with driving under the influence was derailed in the legislature last year, apparently due to pushback by the state police association.

As federal marijuana banking reform continues to stall in Congress, a Pennsylvania Senate committee approved a bipartisan bill late last month to safeguard banks and insurers against being penalized by state regulators for working with state-legal medical marijuana businesses.

Meanwhile, a bill meant to promote research into the therapeutic potential of psilocybin mushrooms for certain mental health conditions may be in jeopardy, with the sponsor saying recently that the chair of a key House committee is expressing reservations even after the legislation was amended in an effort to build support.

 

[Baron23]

And this is how full legalization will be driven forward.....people telling their politicians to go fuck themselves and getting in their car to drive to where it is legal and said politicians scrambling to recover lost tax revenue as their citizens are getting it anyway.

And while we are at it....fuck Trooper Petroski too.

Pennsylvanians flock to New Jersey for legal weed​

While state legislators continue efforts to legalize recreational marijuana in the Keystone State, Pennsylvanians can now cross the river to New Jersey to get it.


PHILLIPSBURG, N.J. — Reefer, pot, Mary Jane, weed—whatever you call it, you can now purchase marijuana and light it up in the state of New Jersey if you're 21 or older. That means millions of Pennsylvanians now have access to legally consume marijuana.

"I'm looking to get some f***ing weed. That's what I'm looking to get," said Dave Sollin of Albrightsville.

At the Apothecarium Dispensary in Phillipsburg, New Jersey, just across the river from Easton, long lines wrapped around the parking lot. Plenty of people from both states were looking to snag some.

"It's a good recreational alternative to, I guess, what everyone is accustomed to, which is alcohol. But you now also have to have that self-control," said Christian Cruz of Bethlehem.

"I'm excited to, you know, get an opportunity to at least have it legalized somewhere close," Sollin said.

"I've smoked weed before. I think everyone here has, and it is not, you know, going to ruin your life. It's not going to cause you to do anything that you wouldn't normally do, you know? If you can drink a beer, you can smoke a joint," said Anthony Perez of Bethlehem.

You can get everything from pre-rolled joints to bud itself, even vapor cartridges, and you can do it in New Jersey. But remember, you can't bring it across the river to Pennsylvania.

"We understand what's happening in New Jersey, but that doesn't mean it transfers over to Pennsylvania at the time," said Trooper Anthony Petroski.

Trooper Petroski with the Pennsylvania State police says not to be blunt, but you could get in big trouble for carrying marijuana across state lines, as it's not yet legal in the state.

"It's important for people to understand that marijuana is a Schedule 1 controlled substance in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania," Trooper Petroski said. "As Pennsylvania's law currently stands, a person can be charged by any law enforcement agency in Pennsylvania for illegal possession of marijuana."

Trooper Petroski says any Pennsylvania resident who risks returning home with it could get a charge of possession, DUI, or something worse.

 

[Baron23]

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Pennsylvania court rules medical cannabis still a controlled substance​

Judge Deborah A. Kunselman rejected an appeal from a Pennsylvania medical cannabis patient who was convicted of DUI.​

A court in Pennsylvania this month ruled against a medical cannabis patient who had appealed a 2021 driving under the influence conviction.

The York Daily Record has the background on the case involving Franklin Dabney, a 29-year-old from Hanover, Pennsylvania who was arrested in 2020 after a Pennsylvania state trooper in an unmarked vehicle clocked him going 93 miles per hour in a 65 zone.

The trooper “noticed a ‘strong odor of raw marijuana’ coming from inside the vehicle,” the York Daily Record reported, prompting Dabney to “[take] out a medical marijuana card and [state] that the smell was probably originating from his clothes.”

“Law enforcement conducted a warrantless search of the vehicle, finding flakes of suspected marijuana near the center console and front-passenger seat as well as a shopping bag containing three baggies of weed,” the Daily Record reported.

“Dabney, police said, had dilated and red eyes. He also showed signs of impairment during standard field sobriety tests. Police arrested Dabney and took him to Gettysburg Hospital, where a blood test revealed that he had active marijuana compounds and metabolites in his system. Prosecutors later agreed to exclude the weed found in his car from evidence and withdrew three of the charges against him.”

A little more than a year after the arrest, a Pennsylvania judge “found Dabney guilty of driving under the influence, careless driving, and speeding and sentenced him to six months’ probation, with 10 days on house arrest and handed down almost $1,115 in fines,” according to the Daily Record, which spurred the appeal.

Per the newspaper, Dabney and his attorneys contended that “that medical marijuana is not a Schedule 1 controlled substance in Pennsylvania and that law enforcement should be prohibited from charging and prosecuting him for two subsections of DUI,” and if it were, the DUI law would be in conflict with the state’s medical cannabis statute.

Last week, a panel of three judges in the Pennsylvania Superior Court rejected that argument.

In the ruling, Judge Deborah A. Kunselman, said that “medical marijuana remains a Schedule I controlled substance,” and that “no conflict exists between the [Medical Marijuana Act] and the Vehicle Code.”

“There is no need for ‘medical marijuana’ to be listed as a Schedule I controlled substance because medical marijuana is marijuana, specifically marijuana ‘for certified medical use,’” Kunselman wrote, adding that the Medical Marijuana Act “did not remove marijuana from the list of Schedule I controlled substances.”

Additionally, the panel rejected Dabney’s contention that the state trooper was wrong to conclude that there was probable cause to arrest him for DUI.

“We find no merit to this issue. Our Supreme Court has held that because of the MMA, ‘the odor of marijuana alone does not amount to probable cause to conduct a warrantless search of a vehicle but, rather, may be considered as a factor in examining the totality of the circumstances,” Kunselman wrote.

The case could have ripple effects for Pennsylvania’s more than 400,000 medical cannabis patients.

As the York Daily Record noted, the ruling “is precedential, which means that it has a binding effect on future cases in Pennsylvania,” and it remains unclear if Dabney will file another appeal.

“That’s certainly something we’re considering,” Dabney’s attorney, Christian DeFilippo, said, as quoted by the York Daily Record.

“I want to let him take some time to make that decision.

 

[Baron23]

Pennsylvania Marijuana Banking Bill Clears House Committee After Passing Full Senate​

A Pennsylvania House committee on Wednesday approved a Senate-passed bill to protect banks and insurers that work with medical marijuana businesses against being penalized by state regulators.

The House Commerce Committee advanced the legislation from Sens. John DiSanto (R) and Sharif Street (D), with two amendments, in a 22-1 vote. This action comes about two months after the full Senate passed the measure.

Chairman Brad Roae (R) filed both amendments. One clarifies that banking protections only apply to state-legal medical cannabis businesses and not to any broader recreational marijuana businesses that may become legal in the state in the future. The other, more technical change, removes a specific mention of the federal Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and replaces that with a broader reference to a “federal financial regulatory agency.”

While one member described the first amendment “redundant,” it was still adopted, as was the other revision. Because the bill has now been changed from its Senate-passed form, it will have to return to that chamber for concurrence if it passes on the House floor.

Minority Chairman John Galloway (D) hinted at additional amendments that could come before the full House, saying that there are “certain things the district attorneys and the Attorney General pointed out—they seem to be technical in nature, but they’re important.”

“But we’ve got to move this bill along. We’re running out of time, and it’s a good bill,” he said. “So I’m going to support it and look forward to working this bill over the finish line.”

The Pennsylvania legislation is another example of how states are working to provide protections to financial institutions that are willing to service the cannabis market as Congress continues to stall on a federal fix.

 

[momofthegoons]

Pennsylvania Officials Promote Marijuana Pardon Program Ahead Of Friday Deadline, With Thousands Applying For Relief So Far​

Pennsylvanians with low-level marijuana convictions on their records have until the end of Friday to submit applications for expedited pardons under a program launched by the governor last month.

The state Board of Pardons is facilitating the PA Marijuana Pardon Project, and Board Secretary Celeste Trusty told Marijuana Moment on Thursday that they’ve received about 2,500 applications for relief so far. That’s about 300 more applications that have come in since Trusty’s previous public update last Friday.

Now officials are making a final push to get “as many people as possible on their way to a completely clear record before the governor and lieutenant governor leave office,” Trusty said in a phone interview.

Applications can be submitted up through midnight on Friday. People with certain cannabis convictions involving up to 30 grams of marijuana or eight grams of hashish are eligible for the streamlined program.



“We hear stories all the time about people who are not allowed to chaperone their children at a field trip, they’re not allowed to coach their kid’s soccer team—we hear about people who are unable to access loans for school aid, for things that people are really trying to just do to advance their careers advance their education—but they’re shut out because of a criminal conviction,” the BOP secretary said.

“This program is going to be able to help these people move ahead because of a past conviction for something that so many people in Pennsylvania don’t even think should be a crime and also something so many people in Pennsylvania do legally,” she said, referring to the state’s medical cannabis program.

Gov. Tom Wolf (D) and Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D) have been vocal advocates for ending cannabis criminalization in Pennsylvania and replacing the policy with a system of regulated adult-use sales. But with the legislature stalling on cannabis reform, the administration said it would do what it can in the interim.

Fetterman, a reform advocate who chairs the pardons board, previously said that he wants to process cannabis clemency for as many people as possible before leaving office.

Trusty said that anyone who might be on the fence about submitting an application out of concern about the process should know that the “application takes minutes to complete” and the board is available to assist those with questions.

“This is something that, if you’re eligible, you should apply because nobody should be held back from doing something like getting a professional license or being able to advance their career for a minor weed conviction,” she said.



Fetterman’s vocal advocacy for marijuana reform and clemency “brought a lot of people into the conversation,” she added. “This is just something that makes sense. It’s smart.”

The state already has a separate process through which people can get their marijuana records cleared that the officials have routinely promoted, but the PA Marijuana Pardon Project is a one-time opportunity to expedite clemency for select offenses. People can submit application regardless of when the conviction took place.

While pardons represent full forgiveness for the conviction, the governor’s office stressed that eligible people will still need to separately petition the courts to have their records formally expunged.

“The deadline is September 30, so please get your application in,” Trusty said of those who are eligible. “It is so simple and so easy. And if you don’t qualify for the PA Marijuana Pardon Project, please consider applying for clemency through our traditional processes.”

Trusy, Fetterman and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) separately talked about marijuana reform and the pardon program during the 5th annual Cannabis Opportunities Conference in Pennsylvania last week.

Fetterman, who is running for a U.S. Senate seat, said that “Pennsylvania is a place for a second chances” and the initiative “will help people get pardons quickly for stupid weed convictions” while the legislature stalls on legalization.

A poll released this month found that two in three Pennsylvania voters say they support marijuana legalization, which should be welcome news for Fetterman as his GOP Senate opponent levies attacks over the candidate’s support for drug policy reform.

Earlier this month, President Joe Biden and Fetterman briefly discussed marijuana policy reform during a meeting near Pittsburgh on Labor Day.

Wolf, meanwhile, signed a medical cannabis expansion bill last year, and he’s repeatedly called for legalization and pressured the Republican-controlled legislature to pursue the reform since coming out in favor of the policy in 2019.

 

[momofthegoons]

Pennsylvania Marijuana Pardon Initiative Disappoints As Thousands Of Applicants Are Rejected​

Pennsylvania’s marijuana pardon project has fallen far short of expectations, with officials tentatively considering just 231 of more than 3,500 clemency applications it received over a one-month period.

Gov. Tom Wolf (D) launched the statewide pardon initiative in October, touting it as an opportunity to let citizens have minor cannabis possession convictions cleared from their records.

But while the administration and Board of Pardons (BOP) touted the significant number of applications it received through the project, it seems that something went amiss, as PennLive first reported on Thursday.

There were signs of potential issues in late October, when the board initially voted to hold the roughly 3,500 applications they got under advisement until partnering state agencies could carry out a review to ensure that all eligible applicants were properly considered.

That review resulted in a much smaller pool of eligible pardon applicants than officials would have hoped. And even the 231 people who made it through the last review round must still be formally approved by the board later this month.

An additional 2,002 applications were denied by BOP “because they did not meet the requirements of the project,” PennLIve reported. The board voted to hold another 434 applications under advisement, a status that allows them to be reconsidered at a future meeting.

It’s not clear why the majority of applicants were rejected, but it’s possible that there were technical problems with their submissions or that people who applied had multiple, uncovered convictions on their records, for example.

“The Pennsylvania Marijuana Pardon Project was a first of its kind project with a goal to pardon a large amount of people with select minor, non-violent marijuana criminal convictions since the governor cannot unilaterally issue pardons and the General Assembly has yet to act to legalize adult-use marijuana,” Emily Demsey, a deputy press secretary for the governor, told PennLive. “It is the hope of Governor Wolf that the next administration will continue working to improve this process and give people with these offenses their rightful clean slates, until marijuana becomes legal in Pennsylvania.”

Marijuana Moment reached out to BOP for additional comment, but a representative was not available by the time of publication.

BOP Secretary Celeste Trusty had previously told Marijuana Moment that the board identified “quite a few folks who entered incorrect data” on their applications, which may have been due to accidentally entering the wrong docket number for their cannabis case or other minor errors on the online form.

Lt. Gov. John Fetterman (D), who was elected to the U.S. Senate last month and currently serves as chair of the state BOP, told Marijuana Moment in October that while the pardons would meaningfully benefit thousands of Pennsylvanians, “the only lasting relief will come when our Republican legislature finally decides to do the right thing and legalize it.”

The lieutenant governor previously said that he wants to process cannabis clemency for as many people as possible before leaving office.

While pardons represent full forgiveness for the conviction, the governor’s office has stressed that eligible people will still need to separately petition the courts to have their records formally expunged.

Trusty, Fetterman and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) separately talked about marijuana reform and the pardon program during the 5th annual Cannabis Opportunities Conference in Pennsylvania in September.

Fetterman said that “Pennsylvania is a place for a second chances” and the initiative would “help people get pardons quickly for stupid weed convictions” while the legislature stalls on legalization.

The Pennsylvania pardon project launched just before President Joe Biden issued a proclamation granting a mass marijuana pardon for those who’ve committed federal possession offenses.

Biden used the opportunity to encourage governors across the U.S. to grant cannabis clemency to people with state-level convictions, and some like Oregon Gov. Kate Brown (D) have followed suit.

In contrast to Pennsylvania, where just over 200 pardon applications are proceeding, there are more than 45,000 people in Oregon who are expected to receive relief under their governor’s recent action, which has been celebrated by Biden.

Back in Pennsylvania, state Democratic lawmakers have won enough seats to take control of the House after last month’s election—a development that could have major implications for marijuana reform in the state, where Gov.-elect Josh Shapiro (D) backs legalization.

 

[Baron23]

Pennsylvania Lawmakers will introduce bill allowing farmers to grow Medical pot ​

Pennsylvania officials say the current “prohibitions on acquiring new permits harm both entrepreneurs and consumers.”​

A pair of Pennsylvania lawmakers want to create new opportunities for farmers in the state to grow medical marijuana.

State House Reps. Melissa L. Shusterman and Ismail Smith-Wade-El, both Democrats, filed a memo to colleagues on Monday detailing their plans to introduce legislation that “would allow Pennsylvania farmers to grow medical cannabis,” local news station WHTM reported.

“It is crucial that Pennsylvanians have accessible and equitable entry into the burgeoning medical cannabis industry. Currently, however, prohibitions on acquiring new permits harm both entrepreneurs and consumers. Farmers and small enterprises are denied the freedom to share in the nearly $2 billion that has been generated by the industry to date. The resulting unfair market conditions deny consumers more affordable options to a proven and recognized medication,” Shusterman and Smith-Wade-El said in the memo, which was posted on Monday.

Their bill “would allow for a new permit that farmers and other small agricultural ventures can apply for to grow and sell medical cannabis to existing growers/processors on a limited basis,” according to WHTM, with both Shusterman and Smith-Wade-El saying that “passing this legislation would open the door to new growers, including those in marginalized communities.”

“There is a palpable need to change this prevailing imbalance. My legislation will establish a new permit for farmers and other small agricultural ventures to grow and sell medical cannabis to existing grower/processors on a limited basis,” the lawmakers said in the memo. “Enabling small scale cultivation will allow our small farmers to be able to pull their crops together to share in a new license so that they can be part of this large economic gain for Pennsylvania. Moreover, this legislation opens the door for growers new to the industry, women growers, and growers from marginalized communities to take part in this thriving enterprise.”

“Please join me in this effort to promote the economic wellbeing of small farmers and health of patients throughout Pennsylvania,” they said in closing.

Pennsylvania legalized medical cannabis treatment in 2016, when lawmakers there passed a bill opening the treatment up to qualified patients in the state.

Last year, two Pennsylvania state senators introduced a bill that would have allowed medical cannabis patients there to grow their own cannabis plants at home.

The two lawmakers, state Sen. Sharif Street, a Democrat, and Dan Laughlin, a Republican, told colleagues in a 2021 memo that their legislation would remedy “inefficiencies” in the state’s medical cannabis program.

“Since the passage of Act 16 in 2016, Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana (MMJ) program has offered lifesaving medicine to communities across the Commonwealth. However, there are still inefficiencies around MMJ that are well known, especially as it relates to cost and access,” the lawmakers said in the memo. “This year’s quarterly Pennsylvania MMJ Advisory board meeting revealed significant disparities in accessibility. The PA Department of Health indicated that patients in some counties must travel more than two hours in order to reach a dispensary. This is simply not feasible for many Pennsylvanians. In addition, patients have also been vocal on the fiscal challenges around the rising costs of medicine and affordability.”

“It is critical that policy meet people where they are. By allowing medical marijuana patients to grow cannabis plants at home, we can help ease the cost and accessibility burdens for this important medicine. This legislation would go a long way towards helping everyday Pennsylvanians meet their health needs and ensuring everyone is treated equitably and fairly under Act 16,” they added.

The bill fizzled out in last year’s legislative session.

 

[CarolKing]

Montco DA investigating THC gummies sold in smoke shops

THC containing fentanyl was found in products sold at three Montgomery County Tobacco Huts.

www.inquirer.com

Fentanyl found in THC gummies sold in 3 Montgomery County smoke shops, DA warns​

“If you have bought any of these items from any of these stores please do not eat them,” Steele said.

Happy Cubes?

 

[CarolKing]

Montco DA Walks Back Statements About Heroin and Fentanyl in Smoke Shop Gummies​

On Friday, I told you that the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office had sent out a red alert over THC-like gummies containing fentanyl and heroin. The discovery came after two non-fatal fentanyl overdoses that investigators had traced to gummies purchased at Tobacco Hut smoke shops in Montco. And so officials confiscated a bunch of gummies from three Tobacco Hut shops, tested them, and voila, every major local news outlet ran scary stories about smoke shop gummies containing fentanyl and heroin. Alas, things might not be as they first appeared.

Come Monday, I was hearing from sources that these results were either inaccurate or less than definitive. And by late Monday afternoon, Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin Steele more or less admitted to the same in a statement, declaring, “I don’t have any definitive answers.”


It turns out that the investigators who performed the original tests used some ridiculously sensitive portable equipment whose threshold for detection is .01 nanogram. One nanogram is equivalent to 0.000000001 grams, which, if my decimal-place counting is correct, is the same as one billionth of a gram. And that’s for one nanogram. In this case, we’re talking about a threshold that is one one-hundredth of said nanogram.

Over the weekend, investigators sent the supposedly fentanyl-positive products off to a lab for further testing. And the lab found absolutely zero illegal drugs in any of those products. It’s unclear what the lab’s detection threshold is, but it’s clearly more than .01 nanogram, an amount that wouldn’t even begin to get a person high.

“What I do know is the public needs to be wary of these [gummies] that are produced in an unregulated industry and in varying settings,” Steele said, adding that the public needs to know it is “buyer beware” in this world of edibles. “A toddler getting ahold of them and ingesting them or a teenager who eats a handful at once could be very dangerous.”

Steele also made it a point to thank the Tobacco Hut shops, which he said have been “fully cooperative.”

All of this is just more evidence that we need legal, well-regulated recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania. Even the medical marijuana dispensaries aren’t allowed to sell edibles. As with our liquor laws, we’re very behind the times.

 

[momofthegoons]

Pennsylvania Governor Proposes Taxes on Pot—But No Legalization Bill​

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro outlined a tax plan in his budget proposal.

Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro on Tuesday unveiled his proposed budget for the state, which included a plan to levy a tax on marijuana sales.

The sale of cannabis is, notably, still illegal in Pennsylvania.

But Shapiro’s proposal is a nod toward a weed-friendly feature in the Keystone State.

The first-term governor’s budget “proposes an adult use cannabis tax that would be imposed on the wholesale price of products sold through the regulated framework of the production and sales system, once legalized.”

“The proposed rate is 20 percent of the wholesale price of cannabis products sold through the regulated framework,” the budget reads.

The proposal includes an estimate that “sales would commence January 1, 2025, with initial revenue collections realized in 2024-25.”

But as the Philadelphia Inquirer noted, Shapiro’s budget “does not include any proposed policy changes in the budget.”

According to the Inquirer, Shapiro’s “proposal includes estimates that assume adult-use sales would begin in January 2025 and bring in about $16 million in tax revenue that year … [and] tax revenue [would] increase to $64.1 million in 2026, $132.6 million in 2027, and $188.8 million in 2028.”

Shaprio, who was elected as governor last year, and other Pennsylvania Democrats have made it known that they want to legalize marijuana in the state.

“Legalize marijuana. Regulate it. Tax it,” Shapiro said on Twitter in 2021.

He also emphasized the importance of any new cannabis law to include social equity provisions to right previous wrongs of the Drug War.

“But let me be clear: legalization must include expungement for those in jail or who have served time for possessing small amounts of marijuana,” Shapiro continued in the tweet. “Our Black & brown communities have been disproportionately impacted by this for far too long.”

A pair of Pennsylvania lawmakers filed a memo earlier this year stating their desire to pass a cannabis legalization bill this year.

“It’s time to regulate and tax this major crop product in service of the health and well-being of Pennsylvanians,” state House Reps. Dan Frankel and Donna Bullock, both Democrats, said in the memo, which was released in January. “Soon we will be introducing legislation to do just that.”

Frankel and Bullock highlighted the ubiquity of cannabis use in Pennsylvania––both through the state’s established medical marijuana program, and the illicit market.

“Pennsylvanians are using cannabis,” they wrote in the memo. “Some of that cannabis is sold legally to patients through the medical cannabis program. Those products are regulated for safety and producers pay for the costs of managing the program.”

Cannabis is also sold illegally in Pennsylvania,” the lawmakers continued. “We have no idea what’s in it, how it was produced or where it comes from. We do know that it gets into the hands of young people, and we get no tax benefit to support our communities; meanwhile, the enforcement of our cannabis laws has not affected all communities equally – far from it. Although white people and people of color use cannabis about equally, black Pennsylvanians are about 3.5 times as likely to be arrested for cannabis use as their white counterparts, according to Pennsylvania State Police data compiled by NORML.”

They said that their proposal “will create a legal and regulatory framework structured to control and regulate the cultivation, processing, transportation, distribution, delivery and sale at retail of cannabis and cannabis products with the following central goals in mind: Consumer Safety; Social Justice; Economic Equity; Prevention of Substance Use Disorder; Revenue.”

But the prospects for legalization in Pennsylvania remain unclear.

“Since late last year, several lawmakers have filed memos about legalization proposals that give an idea of what an adult-use market could look like — though it’s unclear if or when a legalization bill will be passed,” the Inquirer reported.

 

[Baron23]

Pennsylvania Senate Passes Bill Letting Medical Marijuana Growers Sell Directly To Patients, With House Considering Home Cultivation Amendment​

The Pennsylvania Senate has overwhelmingly approved a bill to allow all licensed medical marijuana grower-processors in the state to sell their cannabis products directly to patients—and there’s talk of potentially expanding the legislation in the House to allow for personal home cultivation as well.


In a 44-3 vote on Wednesday, the Republican-controlled Senate advanced the measure from Sen. Chris Gebhard (R), who first previewed plans to file the reform bill late last year.


Pennsylvania’s medical marijuana law currently says that only 25 businesses can be licensed for marijuana growing and processing, and only five of those licensees can sell directly to patients through vertically integrated dispensaries.


That’s created a near-monopoly in the state, giving select out-of-state operators dominance over the industry “to the detriment of these independent grower-processors,” Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D) told Pennlive, which first reported Wednesday’s vote. Allowing independent in-state growers to vertically integrate represents a partial remedy.


While Pennsylvania has yet to enact adult-use legalization, there’s a growing expectation that the state will eventually follow others in the region and begin allowing recreational sales. Some businesses have felt the strain as anticipation about the policy change builds, especially as wholesale marijuana prices drop and multi-state operators continue to acquire smaller businesses.


To that end, some lawmakers have discussed using the bill that’s now advanced to the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives as a vehicle for additional reforms, including the possibility of legalizing cannabis for adult use, or at least permitting medical marijuana patients to grow plants for personal use.


“There will certainly be vigorous discussions there on what shape this bill will come back to the Senate in,” Sen. Dan Laughlin (R), who is one of a small handful of GOP lawmakers to have championed legalization legislation in past sessions, said.


“If this becomes a vehicle for adult use, I doubt that it would pass this chamber,” he said. “However, I think if they do add home-grown to this bill, it would strengthen the bill and I believe that we would be able to get it through this chamber as well.”


One of the three senators who voted against the bill on Wednesday, Sen. Camera Bartolott (R), said the reason she opposed it was specifically because it did not feature home grow provisions.


Sen. Sharif Street (D), who has sponsored legalization measures alongside Laughlin, did vote for the vertical integration for growers measure, but he sharply criticized the omission of home cultivation, saying “it is unconscionable that we continue to do this without addressing the issues that so many patients are having with cost, and the best way to do that is to allow home-grown in small amounts.”


Costa, the minority leader, said the legislation “gives us the opportunity to continue to work not only in this space going forward but also in the recreational marijuana space as well, which I think will require further discussion.”


Laughlin and Street separately filed a bill in July that would expand the state’s medical cannabis program by giving patients 21 and older the right to grow their own plants for personal use. That came shortly after the bipartisan senators again unveiled another bill to legalize marijuana for adult use. Neither have advanced yet, however.

 

[Baron23]

Well, it passed and was signed

Pennsylvania Governor Signs Bill To Let Medical Marijuana Growers Sell Directly To Patients, While Also Allowing Dispensaries To Cultivate

The governor of Pennsylvania has signed a bill to allow all licensed medical marijuana grower-processors in the state to serve as retailers and sell their cannabis products directly to patients.


Just two days after the Senate gave final approval to the legislation—which was amended to further grant grower permits to independent dispensaries—Gov. Josh Shapiro (D) signed it into law on Thursday.


Under the measure, sponsored by Sen. Chris Gebhard (R), the state Department of Health will create a process to allow the state’s 10 independent marijuana grower-processors to apply to obtain a dispensary permit to engage in direct commerce with patients. Meanwhile, the state’s four independent dispensaries can also get grower permits to cultivate products in-house.


This replaces the current law that states no more than five of the state’s 25 grower-processor license holders can also hold dispensary licenses. Others must sell their products to a licensed dispensary, which in turn can sell products to patients.


This has created a near-monopoly in the state, giving select out-of-state operators dominance over the industry, and supporters say allowing independent in-state growers to vertically integrate represents a partial remedy.


A fiscal note posted last month also estimates that the reform would bring in nearly $2 million in revenue from application and permit fees. For subsequent fiscal years, the state could expect to generate about $90,000 annually. Some of that revenue would be offset by administrative costs that the health department would take on to process applications and oversee the permitting.


Over the course of the legislative session, some lawmakers had predicted SB 773 would be amended to make more sweeping changes to the state’s marijuana law, for example by legalizing home cultivation of medical marijuana or even expanding legalization to include adult use. But those substantive changes were not ultimately incorporated.


One provision in the legislation that the governor signed would bar licensees from transferring permits for a period of time, which lawmakers said is meant to prevent larger, sometimes out-of-state companies to buy up permits and control the market.


While Pennsylvania has yet to enact adult-use legalization, there’s a growing expectation that the state will eventually follow others in the region and begin allowing recreational sales. Some businesses have felt the strain as anticipation about the policy change builds, especially as wholesale marijuana prices drop and multi-state operators continue to acquire smaller businesses.

 

[Baron23]

LOL....this is the only thing you can get 2/3's of the electorate to agree on.


Two-Thirds Of Pennsylvania Voters Support Marijuana Legalization, New Poll Finds As Lawmakers Plan Cannabis Hearing Next Week


As Pennsylvania lawmakers prepare to meet again to discuss marijuana legalization next week, a new poll shows that about two-thirds of voters in the state support enacting the reform.
The survey published on Thursday by Franklin & Marshall College shows that 63 percent of registered Pennsylvania voters agree that “the use of recreational marijuana should be made legal,” including 44 percent who said they “definitely” back the policy change.
Support for legalization has increased by three percentage points since the same institute polled voters on the issue in 2021. But despite the consistent majority support, comprehensive cannabis reform has so far stalled in the legislature.
CDC says teen pot use declined in Washington after legalization

The latest survey

involved interviews with 1,006 voters from January 17-28, with a +/-3.6 percentage point margin of error.


Advocates are hoping to see a break from the status quo this year. And on Monday, lawmakers will take another step toward advancing the issue, holding a third informational hearing in the House Health Subcommittee on Health Care to chart a path forward for legalization.



At December’s meeting, members heard testimony and asked questions about various elements of marijuana oversight, including promoting social equity and business opportunities, laboratory testing and public versus private operation of a state-legal cannabis industry.


It’s not clear what the committee will focus on during next week’s hearing

, and there are currently no details about invited guests who might testify.


Rep. Dan Frankel (D), chair of the full Health Committee who previously sponsored cannabis legalization legislation, circulated a cosponsorship memo last year previewing plans to file another reform bill this session.

 

[Baron23]

Yeah, only problem is that the ATF/DEA don't give a shit what PA says about MJ and firearm ownership. The BS continues.

Bill protects Medical Marijuana patients’ gun ownership rights​

Pennsylvania Lawmakers Call for Improvements to Medical Marijuana Program Amid Debate on Adult-Use Legalization.​

Amid debate over legalizing adult-use marijuana, lawmakers say Pennsylvania’s medical program needs some improvements – and call on the governor to lead the way.

The medical program grinds against federal law: every cardholder faces the loss of their Second Amendment rights. That tradeoff was made clear in January when Warren County District Attorney Rob Greene announced that he obtained a medical marijuana card — and the law required the county sheriff to confiscate his license to carry a firearm.

Phantom impairment, too, complicates the medical program. Though a high may only last a short time, traces of medical marijuana stay in a person’s system for weeks; during a traffic stop, they could get charged for a DUI without being impaired. The General Assembly is debating a bill in the House to clarify the rules, but it still awaits action.

Soon, the Senate will have a new reform bill. Sen. Dan Laughlin, R-Erie, wants to codify in state law that medical marijuana cardholders are not unlawful users and should not have restrictions on gun ownership.

“I’ve had a lot of people tell me that the reason they aren’t comfortable with getting a medical marijuana card is because they’re gun owners,” Laughlin said.

Though the bill’s language is still in the works and federal law remains an obstacle, he said the change could fix some ambiguities.

“I felt that it was important to put some legislation together that just clarifies it,” Laughlin said. “If you're a legal medical marijuana cardholder with no other issues, you should have your Second Amendment rights just like anyone else.”

The status quo leaves Pennsylvania residents in an odd position: they could buy recreational marijuana legally in almost every border state, but for medical use in their own state, some stay mum.

“We’re almost in this weird era of cannabis and guns and legality where it’s almost like the old ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ phase in the military,” Laughlin said.

Police and prosecutors statewide have adjusted accordingly — marijuana has become low-priority. Warren DA Rob Greene that district attorneys prioritize hard drugs, not low-level marijuana offenses. Laughlin noted that, anecdotally, many police officers he’s talked to want to legalize marijuana and said that “cannabis isn’t really an issue.”

Federal reforms could make some legal barriers for states disappear; Laughlin pointed to rescheduling marijuana from a schedule I to schedule II or III drug, for example. The limited access that marijuana companies have to the banking system, too, comes from federal regulations and may make the industry more dangerous than it needs to be.

For state reform, though, Gov. Josh Shapiro may need to step in.

“Pennsylvania is currently at a competitive disadvantage, losing out on critical tax revenue and new businesses to our neighbors,” Shapiro said in his budget proposal, aiming for recreational use to be legal by July 1, expecting about $14.8 million in new tax revenue for fiscal year 2024-25.

When fully mature, his administration anticipates more than $250 million in tax revenue from the industry.

“If the governor’s serious about legalizing cannabis in Pennsylvania, I think that he’s going to have to convene a meeting between House and Senate leadership and say, ‘What’s it gonna take to get this done?’” Laughlin said. “These bigger bills don’t move without some negotiations.”

The governor has treated legalization as inevitable.

“We don’t even have a choice anymore given the way in which this is moving so quickly across our region,” Shapiro said last week, calling legalization “wildly popular across the country.”

But to make it work in Pennsylvania, legislators expect more from Shapiro.

“Pick up the phone,” Laughlin said. “The governor’s gonna have to be the one to convene a meeting and get everyone at the table,” Laughlin said.

 

[Baron23]

"Metzgar acknowledged the idea “has legs” – recent polls have suggested two-thirds of Pennsylvanians support the step – but it hasn’t swayed his stance."

2/3's of the PA electorate support full rec legalization and this jamoke "hasn’t swayed his stance".

This ^^ is why I hate politicians (well, among a host of other reasons such as dishonesty, corruption, self-entitlement, stupidity, etc haha)

Local lawmakers predict budget proposal to legalize Marijuana won't pass​

State Legislators Express Skepticism on Recreational Marijuana Legalization in Pennsylvania.​

State Sen. Patrick Stefano said he sees opportunity for compromise with Gov. Josh Shapiro’s 2024 budget proposal that could benefit Pennsylvanians statewide.


But Shapiro’s call to legalize recreational marijuana will likely be dead on arrival in the state Senate – as are any ideas the move would generate $275 million in new income over the next year, he said Thursday.


Stefano, R-Fayette, and state Rep. Carl Walker Metzgar, R-Somerset, both told Somerset County Chamber of Commerce business leaders that lawmakers will need to look elsewhere to fund the 2024-2025 spending plan – and that they don’t plan to support the proposal.


“We’ve already talked about it, and I don’t think the votes are there in the Senate. We don’t need another sin tax,” Stefano said, noting the state is already heavily reliant on gambling revenue.


The fact nearby Ohio, Delaware and Maryland have legalized cannabis offers just as many lessons on why Pennsylvania shouldn’t follow suit, he said.


Metzgar acknowledged the idea “has legs” – recent polls have suggested two-thirds of Pennsylvanians support the step – but it hasn’t swayed his stance. Legal marijuana may only add to the state’s “societal problems,” he said.


As a legislator representing one of the state’s most rural regions, Metzgar has taken a hard stance on drug laws. That includes a bill he introduced that would require welfare recipients to be tested for drugs – marijuana included – to receive benefits.


Metzgar first introduced that bill in 2015, noting people working jobs across the state – from coal mines to warehouses – have to abide by the same rules.


He said the law would likely result in a savings that would match or exceed the $275 million Shapiro is seeking to generate.


Both lawmakers said efforts need to focus on ways to cut spending – not raise it.


Still, Stefano said there’s areas where the governor and Republican lawmakers in the House and Senate do see eye to eye.


He noted Shapiro didn’t include a carbon tax in his 2024 proposal – something other Democrats have floated.


And Stefano said he agrees with Shapiro’s proposal to ramp up economic development efforts to attract high-tech fields such as microchip manufacturing.


“Those are components we’re reliant on from overseas, and we can be making them right here. Not just in America but Pennsylvania,” he said.


Metzgar said increased education spending is also important – just not in line with the $5 billion increase Shapiro proposed over the past five years.


He said, as proposed, efforts to revamp the state education funding formula won’t bring significant benefits to Somerset County’s rural, shrinking districts.


Stefano said Shapiro’s plan isn’t as polarizing as many past proposals he’s seen presented in the state Capitol during his years in office.


But that doesn’t mean a 2024-25 budget will likely see final approval much sooner.


“We’re a split Legislature – and that makes it so much harder,” he said. “What gets everyone to (a compromise that will generate a majority vote) is that June 30 deadline.”