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A bill to establish a framework for the retail sale and adult use of cannabis in Virginia cleared its first hurdle on Friday morning.
The bill, SB 970, would allow Virginia’s Cannabis Control Authority to begin issuing all marijuana licenses on Sept. 1 but provides that no retail sales may occur prior to May 1, 2026. Members of the Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services voted on party lines in an 8-7 vote to report the bill from committee and to rerefer it to the House Finance and Appropriations Committee. The only legislators on the panel from Southwest and Southside voted against the bill: Senators Chris Head, R-Botetourt County, and Emily Jordan, R-Isle of Wight County.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin vetoed a similar bill during the 2024 session and has indicated that he has not had a change of heart this session.
“This bill prioritizes public safety in creating a well-regulated marketplace that keeps adult products out of the hands of kids,” Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, told the Senate panel during his presentation of the bill. “The safety and security of all Virginians is a top priority of this legislative body and in recent years we have seen an unchecked proliferation of illegal and unregulated marijuana stores. This has put Virginians at risk.”
Rouse noted that a well-regulated retail market would ensure cannabis products are tested for safety and kept out of the hands of minors. He noted that the state government is potentially leaving billions of dollars on the table in tax revenue each year by failing to enact this legislation. Virginia is the only state where personal possession of small amounts of cannabis is legal but retail sales are not.
General Assembly honors Wilder
Former Gov. Douglas Wilder, the first Black governor elected in the United States, turned 94 on Friday. The General Assembly honored him with speeches and a birthday cake.
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