Pennsylvania HB 1773: An Act amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known as the Liquor Code, providing for adult use cannabis; imposing certain gross receipts tax and excise tax; and making repeals.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 2181
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1773
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY DELLOSO, WAXMAN, PIELLI, ISAACSON, HILL-EVANS,
PROBST, HOHENSTEIN AND SANCHEZ, JULY 29, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HEALTH, AUGUST 4, 2025
AN ACT
Amending the act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), entitled "An
act relating to alcoholic liquors, alcohol and malt and
brewed beverages; amending, revising, consolidating and
changing the laws relating thereto; regulating and
restricting the manufacture, purchase, sale, possession,
consumption, importation, transportation, furnishing, holding
in bond, holding in storage, traffic in and use of alcoholic
liquors, alcohol and malt and brewed beverages and the
persons engaged or employed therein; defining the powers and
duties of the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board; providing
for the establishment and operation of State liquor stores,
for the payment of certain license fees to the respective
municipalities and townships, for the abatement of certain
nuisances and, in certain cases, for search and seizure
without warrant; prescribing penalties and forfeitures;
providing for local option, and repealing existing laws,"
providing for adult use cannabis; imposing certain gross
receipts tax and excise tax; and making repeals.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. The act of April 12, 1951 (P.L.90, No.21), known
as the Liquor Code, is amended by adding an article to read:
ARTICLE VIII-A
ADULT USE CANNABIS
Section 801-A. Purpose, findings and declarations.
(a) Findings and declarations.--In the interest of the
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efficient use of law enforcement resources, enhancing revenue
for public purposes and individual freedom, the people of this
Commonwealth find and declare that the use of cannabis should be
legal for individuals who are at least 21 years of age and
should be taxed.
(b) Additional findings and declarations.--In the interest
of the health and public safety of our citizenry, the people of
this Commonwealth further find and declare that cannabis should
be regulated in a manner similar to alcohol so that:
(1) individuals will have to show proof of age before
purchasing cannabis;
(2) selling, distributing or transferring cannabis to
minors and other individuals under 21 years of age shall
remain illegal;
(3) driving under the influence of cannabis shall remain
illegal;
(4) legitimate, State-operated stores and not criminal
actors will conduct sales of cannabis; and
(5) cannabis sold in this Commonwealth will be labeled
and subject to additional regulations to ensure that
consumers are informed and protected.
(c) Industrial hemp.--In the interest of enacting rational
policies for the treatment of all variations of the cannabis
plant, the people of this Commonwealth further find and declare
that industrial hemp should be regulated separately from strains
of cannabis with higher delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)
concentrations.
(d) Matters of Statewide concern.--The people of this
Commonwealth further find and declare that it is necessary to
ensure consistency and fairness in the application of this
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article throughout this Commonwealth and that, therefore, the
matters addressed by this article are, except as specified in
this article, matters of Statewide concern.
Section 802-A. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this article
shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Adult use cannabis." Cannabis ingested for any reason other
than medical purposes.
"Cannabis." The plant of the genus cannabis whether growing
or not, the parts and seeds thereof, the resin extracted from
any part of the plant and every compound, manufacture, salt,
derivative, mixture or preparation of the plant, and the plant's
seeds or resin, including cannabis concentrate. The term does
not include industrial hemp or fiber produced from the stalks,
oil or cake made from the seeds of the plant, sterilized seed of
the plant that is incapable of germination or the weight of
another ingredient combined with cannabis to prepare topical or
oral administrations, food, drink or other product.
"Cannabis accessories." Equipment, products or materials
that are used, intended or designed for use in planting,
propagating, cultivating, growing, harvesting, composting,
manufacturing, compounding, converting, producing, processing,
preparing, testing, analyzing, packaging, repackaging, storing,
vaporizing or containing cannabis or for ingesting, inhaling or
otherwise introducing cannabis into the human body.
"Cannabis cultivation facility." An entity licensed to
cultivate, prepare and package cannabis and sell cannabis to a
retail cannabis store, cannabis product manufacturing facility
and other cannabis cul