diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index ff846c2e3d..87925e7837 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -127,8 +127,6 @@ def run(self):
                         ### Tests fail without version pin (GHA run: https://github.com/udosson/indy-plenum/actions/runs/1078745445)
                         'rlp==0.6.0',
                         'semver==2.13.0',
-                        # 'sha3==0.2.1',
-                        'sha3',
                         # 'six==1.15.0',
                         'six',
                         ### Tests fail without version pin (GHA run: https://github.com/udosson/indy-plenum/actions/runs/1078741118)
diff --git a/state/util/utils.py b/state/util/utils.py
index 2f65622cd4..da2a4c50b0 100644
--- a/state/util/utils.py
+++ b/state/util/utils.py
@@ -3,14 +3,9 @@
 
 
 import hashlib
-if hasattr(hashlib, 'sha3_256'):
-    def sha3_256(x):
-        return hashlib.sha3_256(x).digest()
-else:
-    import sha3 as _sha3
-    def sha3_256(x):
-        return _sha3.sha3_256(x).digest()
 
+def sha3_256(x):
+    return hashlib.sha3_256(x).digest()
 
 import rlp
 from rlp.sedes import big_endian_int, BigEndianInt, Binary