Virginia Lawmakers Reject Spanberger’s Marijuana Retail Amendments

Overview

• The General Assembly, meeting in a reconvened session Wednesday, rejected Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s marijuana amendments and sent the original bill back to her desk.
• Her plan sought to move retail sales from January 1, 2027 to July 1, reduce the cap on licensed stores from 350 to 200, and raise the state’s tax share from 6% to 8%.
• One proposal would make smoking marijuana in public a criminal misdemeanor instead of a $25 civil fine, a change reform advocates warned would hit Black, brown, and young Virginians hardest.
• With the amendments rejected, the governor now has 30 days to sign the original bill, veto it, or allow it to become law without her signature.
• Virginia legalized adult possession in 2021 but has not opened retail sales, and lawmakers’ original plan targets a 2027 start for a regulated market.