May. 06, 2025
HARRISBURG — Rep. Kathy L. Rapp (R-Warren/Crawford/Forest), Republican chair of the House Health Committee, joined each Republican member of the committee in voting against
House Bill 1200, a measure to legalize recreational marijuana in Pennsylvania.
The 173-page bill was introduced Sunday, May 4, and voted on in the Health Committee roughly 24 hours later.
“To say I am disappointed by the procedural handling of this bill is an understatement,” Rapp said. “The language of the legislation before us was only made public Sunday evening, and no copy was provided prior to the posting on the House voting schedule. This condensed timeframe gives members and staff little to no time to read all 173 pages, let alone comprehend its contents before being considered in committee. Floor amendments were due at 1 p.m. Monday, and we hadn’t even passed the bill out of committee yet.”
The bill advanced out of the Health Committee on a 14-12 party-line vote. It now heads to the full House for consideration.
“I find the title of this bill oxymoronic,” Rapp said. “It’s apparently called the Cannabis Health and Safety Act. There is nothing healthy or safe about legalizing recreational use of marijuana. While I understand this bill contains provisions aimed at protecting our children from marijuana exposure, I firmly believe there is no way through legislation or regulation that we can ensure the safety of our children if the proposal involves legalizing marijuana for recreational use in any way. Once we open this door, there is no going back.”
Representative Kathy Rapp
65th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Jake Gillespie
717.772.9834
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