Pennsylvania Senator Plans Bill to Regulate Hemp THC Products

NORTHEAST, October 2, 2026: Pennsylvania state Sen. Dawn Keefer (R) announced Sept. 28 that she will introduce the Pennsylvania Hemp and Cannabinoid Act, a bill that would keep hemp-derived THC products legal in the state while placing them under new rules, according to Marijuana Moment.

The proposal would limit sales to buyers 21 and older with ID verification, require all operators to register with the Department of Agriculture, set independent testing standards for every product, and require truthful labeling. It would also ban candy-style packaging and youth-targeted marketing, and it would protect existing operators who can document lawful operations before the law took effect. The bill would not create a new regulatory body or change medical cannabis rules.

"The bill gives responsible hemp businesses a clear state framework and keeps intoxicating products out of the hands of children while federal hemp policy remains unsettled," Keefer said, according to Marijuana Moment. No cosponsors have been announced, and Keefer is seeking support through a cosponsorship memo, meaning the bill has not yet been filed.

The announcement follows the Pennsylvania Senate's June rejection of Senate Bill 49, a separate hemp regulation measure, and comes as Attorney General Dave Sunday, who backs the federal redefinition of hemp, pursues enforcement against high-potency THC sellers. Federal restrictions on intoxicating hemp products are now scheduled to take effect Dec. 11.

Elsewhere in the region, Connecticut's changes under HB 5350, including a higher per-container THC limit for hemp beverages sold at package stores and cannabis retailers, were scheduled to take effect Oct. 1, according to the statute's schedule. New Jersey's Nov. 13 move of higher-potency hemp beverage sales into licensed cannabis retail remains on track.