Gov. Wolf Calls For Marijuana Legalization To Boost Economy

PENNSYLVANIA — Gov. Wolf announced numerous legislative proposals Tuesday to boost the economy in the wake of the coronavirus shutdown, including a call to legalize recreational marijuana.

Revenue generated by the move would go directly to funding grants for small businesses, with half of it earmarked specifically for historically disadvantaged businesses. Wolf also proposed that part of the revenue be used for restorative justice programs that aim to redress damages from criminalizing marijuana. It's an aspect that's formed a key part of multiple past proposals to legalize recreational weed in the state.

The pot problem was just one part of a broader announcement regarding legislative steps aimed at rebooting many sectors of the economy hurting from the closures mandated in the wake of the pandemic. Wolf also called for a $225 million boost in hazard pay for first responders, paid family leave, a cancellation of the alcohol tax to help the hospitality industry.

"The legislature must come back and take immediate steps to provide funding to frontline workers and businesses, put in place protections for families and our workforce, and make these commonsense reforms that can provide confidence in our government," Gov. Wolf said in a statement Tuesday. "Pennsylvanians need relief, they need reform, and they need it now.”

>>PA Patch Local Business Information Center: A Community Resource

At least two marijuana legalization bills very similar to Wolf's proposal have been introduced within the past two years alone. The most recent was House Bill 2050, sponsored by Democratic State Sens. Sharif Street (D-3) and Daylin Leach (D-17), which hit the floor in February, before the outbreak. That bill laid out a roadmap for taxing growers and redirecting funds to a variety of social programs. It also called for criminal justice through something called the Cannabis Clean Slate Initiative, which expunged all marijuana-related offenses from the records of non-violent drug offenders.

Wolf's proposal said basically that in different words, calling for "criminal justice reform policies that restore justice for individuals convicted of marijuana-related offenses."

House Bill 2050 was referred to the Health Committee on March 4, and has not been addressed since. It's not clear if the legislature will introduce an entirely new bill or work to amend an existing one.

The announcement drew immediate pushback from state Republican leaders, who criticized Wolf for not working more closely with the legislature.

"Gov Wolf has not been in the Capitol in months. He has not even held a call with legislative leaders since July. The Gov is clearly not interested in governing," PA State Sen. Majority Leader Jake Corman wrote on Twitter Tuesday. "If he were, he would have reached out to legislative leaders at some point during the summer to discuss a fall agenda. Instead, he sends out a political document and takes partisan shots at elected officials."

A renewed push to legalize recreational marijuana has long seemed to be on the near horizon for the Wolf administration. Lt. Gov. John Fetterman has long been an outspoken supporter of the measure, and hosted a series of "listening tours" around the state last year to discuss the issue and gather feedback from residents.

Beyond marijuana, Wolf's agenda presented Tuesday also included $225 million for hazard pay for frontline workers. This would amount to a $3 per hour wage increase for 208,000 frontline workers statewide, according to officials.

There's another $250 million Wolf says should go to expanding child care for parents of school-aged children impacted by hybrid or virtual instruction models this far.

Additionally, there's a $10 million proposal for more protective gear for frontline workers.

The state has $1 billion in federal CARES Act funding to help institute these programs, according to officials.