A new marijuana legalization bill has been filed in the Pennsylvania House and referred to the Health Committee, with eight Democratic lawmakers backing the proposal.
House Bill 1773, sponsored by Representative David Delloso and seven Democratic colleagues, would legalize marijuana for individuals aged 21 and older. The legislation would allow for personal possession, home cultivation of up to six plants, and retail sales conducted through a state-regulated system operated by the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB).
The proposal is comprehensive, encompassing legalization, retail regulation, taxation, and criminal justice reform. Adults would be allowed to possess and use marijuana and cannabis accessories, and to give up to one ounce to other adults without compensation. Public consumption would remain prohibited, and businesses would be banned from selling to those under 21.
Under the bill, licensed cultivation, product manufacturing, and testing facilities would be permitted, with Pennsylvania farms eligible for partnerships that could exempt them from the bill’s 10% gross receipts tax. Marijuana products sold to consumers would be subject to a 19% excise tax.
The measure includes strong equity provisions, including diversity goals for licensing and a mandate that the PLCB conduct outreach to disadvantaged, minority-owned, women-owned, and veteran-owned businesses. It also prohibits employers from taking disciplinary action based solely on the presence of non-intoxicating levels of cannabis in random drug tests.
Importantly, HB 1773 includes an automatic expungement provision. Individuals with previous convictions under specific marijuana-related statutes would have their records cleared, and those currently incarcerated would be eligible for release.
The bill stands in contrast to a separate bipartisan legalization measure filed last month by Representative Aaron Kaufer, a Republican, and Senator Sharif Street, a Democrat. That proposal—supported by 15 lawmakers—would legalize marijuana through a licensed retail system without the state-run model featured in HB 1773.
Both measures face an uphill climb in the GOP-controlled Senate but reflect growing momentum for legalization within the state legislature. Governor Josh Shapiro has repeatedly voiced support for legalizing marijuana and included cannabis tax revenue in his most recent budget plan.
