A renewed effort to legalize recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania has gained momentum with a fresh bipartisan bill and a new strategy: start in the House, not the Senate.
State Senator Dan Laughlin, a Republican from Erie, says that although he and Democratic Senator Sharif Street have reintroduced their marijuana legalization bill in the Senate, the path forward will begin in the House, where Democrats hold a narrow majority. State Representative Amen Brown, a Democrat from Philadelphia, has agreed to carry companion legislation in that chamber.
“The expectation is that a state rep will copy our legislation and pass it through the House,” said Laughlin. “This will prove the House can move the bill and give me a chance to sit with Senate leaders and the governor to see if cannabis revenue is more palatable than raising other taxes.”
Governor Josh Shapiro’s proposed 2025–26 budget does not raise the personal income or sales tax but does assume revenue from marijuana legalization, estimating $540 million annually from a 20% wholesale and retail tax.
Representative Brown, announcing his support, said he’s backing the measure because he’s witnessed the harms of outdated marijuana laws, especially on communities of color. “This legislation is about more than economic opportunity; it’s about justice, equity, and creating a responsible framework that benefits all Pennsylvanians,” said Brown.
The bill would legalize marijuana for adults 21 and older, allow existing medical marijuana operators to apply for adult-use licenses, and establish a Cannabis Control Board to regulate the market. It includes an 8% sales tax and 6% excise tax, with revenue going toward public safety, addiction prevention, workforce development, and more. It would also expunge prior low-level marijuana convictions and prioritize business licenses for areas disproportionately impacted by past prohibition.
Support from other Republicans could prove pivotal. In May, Senator Gene Yaw, a Republican, became the latest lawmaker to endorse adult-use legalization. Laughlin believes that if the House passes the bill, it will be increasingly difficult for Senate leadership to ignore.
“I firmly believe that if the House passes our language, we have a path to get this done,” Laughlin said.
Recent polling shows a slim majority of Pennsylvanians support legalization. Five of six states bordering Pennsylvania have already fully legalized marijuana, with West Virginia the lone exception. Lawmakers have warned that the state is losing out on millions in potential tax revenue.
