PA House members call on Senate to stop obstructing much needed cannabis legalization
Rep. Rick Krajewski February 4, 2026 | 11:29 AM
HARRISBURG, Feb. 4 – One day after Gov. Josh Shapiro’s renewed his push for the commonwealth to legalize, tax and regulate cannabis, Pennsylvania House members called on Senate leaders to answer that call and finally move a bill.
“The House has done its job and passed a bill to end the disastrous policy of cannabis prohibition in Pennsylvania,’ said Rep. Jordan Harris, majority chair of the House Appropriations Committee. “Every day that the Senate delays, Pennsylvania exports more tax dollars to our neighbors.”
The House passed comprehensive adult use cannabis legislation in May 2025, after two years of hearings to help lawmakers learn lessons from the successes and failures of cannabis marketplaces in other states. Bill sponsor Rick Krajewski noted that at this point, every bordering state to Pennsylvania except West Virginia has legalized cannabis.
"We passed a proposal that creates thousands of jobs, generates billions in revenue and reinvests in the communities hit hardest by criminalization. Pass our bill, amend our bill, or pass a Senate proposal – but the time to act on legalization is now,” Krajewski said.
Co-prime sponsor and House Health Chair Dan Frankel noted that Senate inaction not only exacerbates Pennsylvania’s budget challenges, but it also blocks the commonwealth from setting its own health and safety standards.
“Currently, we have products flooding our communities that are insufficiently regulated, both in their content and their packaging, and there’s nothing we can do about it,” Frankel said. “Once the Senate sends us a bill, we can negotiate a regulatory framework that puts Pennsylvania back in the driver’s seat.”
###
Attention editors/assignment desk: Photos of today’s news conference are available here.