Sponsors Of Virginia Marijuana Sales Legalization Bill Ask Colleagues To Reject Governor’s Amendments, Risking A Veto

The sponsors of Virginia bills to legalize recreational marijuana sales are recommending that fellow lawmakers vote to reject the governor’s proposed amendments to the legislation this week.

Last week, Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) suggested changes to the cannabis commerce legalization measure—including delaying the start date for sales by six months, increasing taxes and instituting new criminal penalties for cannabis consumers.

Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D) and Del. Paul Krizek (D), who respectively sponsored the Senate and House versions of the cannabis sales legalization bills, both told Marijuana Moment that they want their colleagues to vote against the amendments when the legislature reconvenes on Wednesday—even if that means risking a veto from Spanberger when the measure returns to her desk.

“While the governor and I share the goal of establishing a safe, regulated cannabis market, we differ on how best to achieve it,” Aird said “The substitute moves Virginia in the wrong direction and disregards years of data-driven, bipartisan work and established best practices. For that reason, I will be recommending its rejection.”

“As our conversations continue, I urge the governor to reconsider provisions that reintroduce punitive measures undermining the intent of legalization, shift critical elements of the framework into an uncertain regulatory process, and remove essential supports for impact licensees.”

Krizek noted that “a few years ago the legislature took bipartisan steps to end racially discriminatory marijuana policing here in Virginia.”

“But, unfortunately, and probably not intentionally as she has not been involved in this years-long process,” he said, “the governor’s proposed amendments would repeal a number of those decriminalization laws and undermine what has been a thorough, thoughtful, balanced process of drafting this legislation with community and stakeholder engagement that moved us toward this more fair and responsive cannabis regulatory framework.”

“When we legalized cannabis it was with a recognition of the disproportionate harm caused by the war on cannabis, particularly among Black families,” the House lawmaker said. “This bill was intentional in recognizing that, but much of that intentionality is lost with these many amendments.”

Krizek separately told WTOP radio that he was expecting some of the governor’s amendments after meeting with her earlier this month, but was “surprised” by others that never came up during the discussion.

The lawmaker said he is most concerned about “pretty draconian penalties” Spanberger suggested putting into the bill, adding that because she suggested a full substitute version of the legislation rather than severable amendments, the House and Senate can only take or leave the package as a whole rather than considering each change individually.

If the legislature does reject the proposal on Wednesday, and the governor then vetoes the original proposal, lawmakers would have to start with new bills in the 2027 session.

Krizek said in the radio interview that he thinks the governor is “very open to dialogue and compromise”

“We can do that in next session. We can pass the bill that we know she’s going to sign, and let her administration know that I’m willing to work with her and make it happen,” he said. “We’ll keep meeting, and we will take up a lot of these suggestions that she has in her version of it, and see what we can agree to.”

When it comes to Spanberger’s proposed criminal penalties, however, Krizek said “I’m not too sanguine about going backwards in that respect, but I do think that it’s just a matter of negotiating with her and explaining where we’re at and why.”

He similarly told Marijuana Moment on Tuesday that he is “hopeful that with more discussion and negotiation we can find a compromise that will maintain” a balance between justice and public safety.

A spokesperson for the governor told The Richmond Times-Dispatch that she is “committed to working with patrons to finish the work,” sidestepping the outlet’s question about whether she would veto the original bill if lawmakers sent it back to her this week.

Spanberger, for her part, responded to criticism of her cannabis amendments from the bill sponsors and advocates by saying the suggested changes came after she spoke to the leaders of other states that have already implemented adult-use marijuana markets.

Personal marijuana possession and home cultivation of marijuana has been legal in Virginia since 2021, but former Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) twice vetoed bills to provide consumers with a way to legally purchase regulated adult-use cannabis.

Here are the other key details of the cannabis bills—SB 542 and HB 642—as approved by lawmakers and with the governor’s suggested amendments:

Meanwhile, Spanberger also suggested significant amendments to separate legislation that would provide resentencing relief to people with prior marijuana convictions.

Separately, the governor signed several other reform bills this week—including measures to protect the parental rights of marijuana consumers and allow patients to access medical cannabis in hospitals.