(The Center Square) – A Republican-led Senate committee on Monday approved a bill that would create a Cannabis Control Board to oversee both the state’s existing medical marijuana program and – should legalization happen in the future – recreational-use marijuana.
The action by the Senate Law & Justice Committee came as the Senate started its last week of voting session days before an extended break. Also on Monday, a different Senate committee passed a bill that would eradicate the need for emissions tests on newer vehicles, and the full Senate approved a bill to toughen criminal penalties for attempted murder of a law enforcement officer.
The Cannabis Control Board bill sponsored by Republican Sen. Dan Laughlin of Erie County does not legalize recreational use marijuana. But, in Laughlin’s words, it would allow for it to be carried out “in a professional manner” if approval happens.
Five of the six states bordering Pennsylvania already have legalized recreational marijuana, with West Virginia the only outlier. That dynamic is often cited by Pennsylvania legalization backers, while opponents cite a steady stream of research illustrating the negative effects of marijuana.
One recent report, available on JAMA Network, showed that a screening of a large group of teenagers found past-year marijuana use was tied to a significantly increased risk by age 26 of bipolar, anxiety, and other disorders.
Laughlin said legalization is “probably on the horizon” for Pennsylvania. Gov. Josh Shapiro has repeatedly called for it to happen, and his proposed 2026-27 budget includes $729 million in new revenue from anticipated legalization.
The Republican-dominated Law & Justice Committee passed the control board bill in a 6-5 vote. All Democrats voted against the measure and were joined by Republican Sen. Dawn Keefer of York County.
The bill now goes to the full Senate for consideration. A staffer said Senate Democrats continue to consider legalization a priority.
Separately, Senate Republicans renewed an attempt made in earlier sessions to end Pennsylvania emissions inspections for vehicles that are less than five years old.
A bill that would exempt that group of vehicles and also completely remove a group of seven counties from the emissions testing program was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on Monday. The counties that would be removed are Blair, Cambria, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Lycoming, Mercer and Westmoreland.
The bill’s sponsor, Sen. Wayne Langerholc of Cambria County, said less than 1 % of vehicles less than five years old fail annual emissions inspections. The point, he said last month, is “to save Pennsylvania motorists from having to pay for this outdated, unneeded government mandate.”
The Appropriations Committee vote was a party-line 13-8, with all Republicans in favor and all Democrats opposed. That bill also will go to the full Senate for consideration.
The Senate on Monday gave final approval to a bill that would toughen penalties for attempted murder of a law enforcement officer when serious bodily injury results. Sponsoring Sen. Lisa Baker, a Luzerne County Republican, said the move to “right a terrible wrong in the sentencing guidelines” came about because of advocacy by Lackawanna County District Attorney Brian Gallagher. The district attorney was motivated by a 2024 incident in which Scranton Police Detective Kyle Gilmartin was shot in the head.
The bill sets a 20-year mandatory minimum sentence for attempting, conspiring or soliciting the murder of a law enforcement officer when serious bodily injury results. Baker said current law might allow for a prison sentence as brief as seven years.
Gilmartin was in the Senate gallery on Monday when the bill was approved in a 41-8 vote.
It now goes to the House for consideration.
