Is Pennsylvania on the verge of making marijuana legal?
While there hasn’t been much talk about the topic recently, legalization took a huge step forward with Democrats winning three recent primaries to take a 102-101 edge in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives. With control of the chamber, Democrats can now decide which bills can come up for votes and when they can be voted on.
Democrats had tried for years to get their Republican counterparts to consider legalization, but GOP lawmakers refused to even discuss the proposal much less take an actual vote on the topic.
However, with Democrats in charge of the agenda, it’s possible they could agree to discuss the proposal and possibly even pass it.
If the legislation passes the House of Representatives, it could eventually end up in the governor’s office. Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has said he supports legalization .
Before that can happen, though, the legislation would have to be passed by the state Senate where Republicans hold the majority.
But two Republican senators, Mike Regan, of York County and Dan Laughlin, of Erie, have come out in favor of legalization, meaning it could pass the Senate if Democrats stand firm and one more Republican favors legalization.
Regan noted that his support for the legislation may have surprised some given his two decades in law enforcement.
However, he said there are estimates that legalization could bring $1 billion in revenues which could be used to provide police with…
