Virginia Governor Vetoes Marijuana Sales Bill After Lawmakers Reject Her Rewrite
- Virginia Governor Spanberger vetoed legislation that would have established a regulated recreational marijuana sales system after lawmakers rejected her proposed rewrite of the measure.
- Her substitute bill sought to delay retail sales launch to July 2027, reduce purchase limits, and increase the state excise tax, but lawmakers rejected it entirely, sending the original bill back for her decision.
- The veto blocks the bill from becoming law unless lawmakers override her decision, marking another setback in establishing a licensed retail marijuana market in Virginia, which legalized possession in 2021 but lacks a regulatory sales system.
- With the veto, the development of licensed adult-use cannabis sales in Virginia is postponed until at least the 2027 legislative session.
Virginia Governor Spanberger has vetoed legislation that would have established a regulated recreational marijuana sales system, doing so after lawmakers rejected her proposed rewrite of the measure.
The veto comes after the General Assembly declined to accept Spanberger’s full substitute for House Bill 642 and Senate Bill 542, which would have made several significant changes to the proposal. Her version would have delayed the launch of retail marijuana sales from January 1, 2027, to July 1, 2027, reduced purchase limits from 2.5 ounces to 2 ounces, and increased the state excise tax from 6% to 8%.
Because Spanberger submitted a substitute rather than targeted amendments, lawmakers were required to either approve or reject the proposal in its entirety. By rejecting it, the legislature sent the original bill back to her desk, giving her 30 days to either veto it or allow it to become law without her signature.
Spanberger has now chosen to veto the measure, blocking the bill from becoming law unless lawmakers return and successfully override her decision.
The veto marks another setback for efforts to launch recreational marijuana sales in Virginia. The state legalized adult-use marijuana possession in 2021, allowing adults 21 and older to possess up to one ounce, but lawmakers have repeatedly failed to establish a licensed retail system.
Under the legislation approved by lawmakers, Virginia would have created a framework for regulated sales, allowing licensed businesses to serve adults 21 and older. Supporters argued the bill was needed to replace the state’s unregulated market with a licensed system that includes oversight, testing and tax revenue.
Spanberger’s proposed rewrite signaled support for a more limited and slower rollout, but lawmakers rejected that approach, preserving the original version of the bill before sending it back to her.
With the veto, the issue of licensed adult-use cannabis says has been pushed back until at least the 2027 session.