For the first time ever, a Pennsylvania Senate committee held a legislative hearing on the possible legalization of recreational marijuana. State senators heard from law enforcement officials, including York County District Attorney Dave Sunday and the chief county detective in Dauphin County.Pennsylvania Sen. Mike Regan, a Republican who represents parts of York and Cumberland counties, chairs the committee and has expressed interest in crafting a bill to legalize recreational marijuana.Regan is hoping to convince fellow Republicans to back a bill he’s drafting with Rep. Amen Brown (D-190).”Certainly produce a product that’s a lot safer than what’s out there now and the process of purchasing it a lot safer than it is right now,” Regan said.Brown told lawmakers at a Senate Law & Justice Committee meeting that pot bought on the black market could be laced with other drugs or contaminated. He wants to make those sales safer and to siphon the revenue to help communities.”I’m focusing on fully funding after-school programs and summer camps and things of that nature,” Brown said.Gov. Tom Wolf supports legalizing pot but Republican leadership says it’s not a priority.Some law enforcement groups say the idea of more impaired driving is a concern.”Not only for our traveling populous but certainly our children as well,” said Scott Bohn, with the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association.Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-49) is sponsoring a separate bill to legalize pot. He says Monday’s hearing was a good first step.”I think it’s good to get it out in the public and kind of vet it and start the conversation,” he said.Regan and Laughlin disagree on the matter of whether people should be allowed to grow their own marijuana. Laughlin believes that should be part of any legalization bill, but Regan isn’t sure it will be part of the final version of the bill.
For the first time ever, a Pennsylvania Senate committee held a legislative hearing on the possible legalization of recreational marijuana.
State senators heard from law enforcement officials, including York County District Attorney Dave Sunday and the chief county detective in Dauphin County.
Pennsylvania Sen. Mike Regan, a Republican who represents parts of York and Cumberland counties, chairs the committee and has expressed interest in crafting a bill to legalize recreational marijuana.
Regan is hoping to convince fellow Republicans to back a bill he’s drafting with Rep. Amen Brown (D-190).
“Certainly produce a product that’s a lot safer than what’s out there now and the process of purchasing it a lot safer than it is right now,” Regan said.
Brown told lawmakers at a Senate Law & Justice Committee meeting that pot bought on the black market could be laced with other drugs or contaminated. He wants to make those sales safer and to siphon the revenue to help communities.
“I’m focusing on fully funding after-school programs and summer camps and things of that nature,” Brown said.
Gov. Tom Wolf supports legalizing pot but Republican leadership says it’s not a priority.
Some law enforcement groups say the idea of more impaired driving is a concern.
“Not only for our traveling populous but certainly our children as well,” said Scott Bohn, with the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association.
Sen. Dan Laughlin (R-49) is sponsoring a separate bill to legalize pot. He says Monday’s hearing was a good first step.
“I think it’s good to get it out in the public and kind of vet it and start the conversation,” he said.
Regan and Laughlin disagree on the matter of whether people should be allowed to grow their own marijuana. Laughlin believes that should be part of any legalization bill, but Regan isn’t sure it will be part of the final version of the bill.
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