Lawmakers on a Virginia Senate committee have greenlit a proposal to legalize and regulate adult-use marijuana sales in the state, advancing a bill from Sen. Aaron Rouse (D) on a 8–7 vote.
Friday's OK from the Senate Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services clears the first hurdle on the measure's journey during Virginia's short, 30-day legislative session this year. Even if the legal sales legislation is passed by lawmakers, however, Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) has signaled he'll again veto the reform as his did with a similar proposal last year.
The measure, SB 970, is one of a pair of bills introduced earlier this month by Rouse and Del. Paul Krizek (D). Last year the two lawmakers presented competing versions of a legal sales framework, ultimately arriving at a compromise that passed the legislature but was vetoed by Youngkin.
"I'm proud to have brought forth a framework for adult-use cannabis through a structured license application process," Rouse said before Friday's committee vote. "This bill prioritizes public safety in creating a well-regulated marketplace that keeps adult products out of the hands of kids. In recent years we have seen an unchecked proliferation of illegal and unregulated marijuana stores. This has put Virginians at risk as unlicensed drug dealers sell billions of dollars of untested and untaxed products, frequently to children."
Read more at Marijuana Moment