PRINTER'S NO. 710
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No.
527
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY BREWSTER, STREET, FONTANA, TARTAGLIONE AND COSTA,
MAY 3, 2019
REFERRED TO STATE GOVERNMENT, MAY 3, 2019
AN ACT
Providing for a nonbinding Statewide referendum on the
legalization of marijuana for personal use by adults in this
Commonwealth.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Legalization
of Marijuana for Personal Use by Adults Referendum Act.
Section 2. Legislative findings.
The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
(1) The General Assembly enacted the act of April 17,
2016 (P.L.84, No.16), known as the Medical Marijuana Act, in
2016, the implementation of which is well underway and has
been successfully providing access to medical marijuana for
two years.
(2) It is time that the electors of this Commonwealth be
given the opportunity to express their views on the
legalization of marijuana for personal use by adults in this
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Commonwealth.
(3) The power of government lies with the people of this
Commonwealth, as provided in section 2 of Article I of the
Constitution of Pennsylvania:
All power is inherent in the people, and all free
governments are founded on their authority and
instituted for their peace, safety and happiness. For
the advancement of these ends they have at all times
an inalienable and indefeasible right to alter,
reform or abolish their government in such manner as
they may think proper.
(4) Consistent with the inherent power in the
Constitution of Pennsylvania, the electorate has the
authority to express its opinion for informational purposes
on the question of whether the General Assembly should
consider legislation to legalize marijuana for personal use
by adults in this Commonwealth.
Section 3. Duties of the Secretary of the Commonwealth.
The Secretary of the Commonwealth shall cause to be placed on
the ballot, at the general election in 2020, a nonbinding
referendum to determine the will of the electorate of this
Commonwealth with respect to the legalization of marijuana for
personal use by adults.
Section 4. Referendum question.
The referendum question shall be in substantially the
following form:
Shall the Pennsylvania General Assembly legalize
marijuana for personal use by adults?
Section 5. Conduct of referendum.
The referendum shall be advertised and conducted in
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accordance with the provisions of the act of June 3, 1937
(P.L.1333, No.320), known as the Pennsylvania Election Code.
Section 6. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.
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