Virginia lawmakers are gearing up for a push to include provisions to legalize recreational marijuana in budget legislation this month despite the governor\u2019s veto of a proposal to enact the reform just weeks ago.<\/p>\n
The effort was a topic of discussion at the first meeting of the legislature\u2019s Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a Cannabis Retail Market<\/a> since Gov. Abigail Spanberger\u2019s (D) move to kill the previous proposal to regulate adult-use marijuana sales.<\/p>\n Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D), who sponsored the Senate version of the legalization measure that Spanberger vetoed, noted that transitioning the state to a framework for legal cannabis commerce is the \u201cprimary goal\u201d of the body.<\/p>\n \u201cTo the millions of Virginians who support a safe, regulated cannabis market, to the small business owners who are prepared to participate in a legal industry, and to the adults who already use cannabis legally under Virginia law, we want you to know that that commitment remains our number one priority,\u201d she said. \u201cThe conversation is far from over to moving us into that legal marketplace.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe reality is that cannabis is already being bought and sold every day throughout the commonwealth,\u201d Aird, who was elected chair of the commission on Tuesday after previously serving as vice chair, said. \u201cWe had legislation that I continue to state in this moment would have stopped that activity.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt would have ensured that transactions occurred regulated, consistently\u2014that would allow for testing, age restrictions, meaningful enforcement, and allow consumers with protections that they deserve. As we move forward with the interim meetings of the commission, not only will we continue to have conversations that speak to those shared goals and those shared priorities, we will consider continuing to allow public comments to really make it clear that the commonwealth needs to quickly transition to an adult-use marketplace in all the ways that not having one continues to bring harm to many categories of individuals.\u201d<\/p>\n Following Spanberger\u2019s veto, top lawmakers have been openly discussing the possibility of including provisions to legalize adult-use cannabis sales in still-outstanding budget legislation<\/a> that they are due to pass by July 1.<\/p>\n Aird told<\/a> reporters after the commission meeting that \u201cit would be really irresponsible if we didn\u2019t take this one final opportunity to try and get the legislation moved forward, but\u2026we are not trying to ram anything through, we want it to be legislation that continues to address our shared concerns.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere is a pathway to adopt a form of compromise,\u201d she said<\/a>. \u201cThere is so much fear and hopelessness from the public and business owners that Virginia will continue to keep them in limbo. And we don\u2019t under any circumstance plan to stop fighting to move this forward.\u201d<\/p>\n Lawmakers passed the cannabis sales bills in March<\/a>, but the governor then suggested changes to the legalization proposal<\/a>\u2014including delaying the start date for sales by six months, increasing taxes and instituting new criminal penalties for cannabis consumers. The legislature in April declined to take up the amendments<\/a> during a one-day reconvened session, however, effectively rejecting them. Spanberger then issued a veto<\/a>.<\/p>\n Del. Paul Krizek (D), who sponsored the House version of the now-vetoed cannabis legislation, noted at the commission meeting that lawmakers have been working on the issue for \u201ca long time.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe passed legislation again to establish that retail market with licensing, product testing, enforcement, consumer protections and a timeline for legal sales,\u201d he said. \u201cThe bill was vetoed in May, once again delaying our transition into a full legal marketplace. So, here we are.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCannabis is legal to possess, legal to grow in limited amounts, and legal to use, but the retail market remains illegal,\u201d Krizek, who was elected vice chair of the commission at the meeting after having been its inaugural chair. \u2018So that contradiction is kind of the central issue this commission will continue to confront, and our task is to keep doing the serious work of preparing Virginia for a regulated market\u2014even while the politics remain difficult.\u201d<\/p>\n The delegate told reporters after the commission meeting that there\u2019s room for compromise with the governor on the issue to find \u201ca middle ground we think we can do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis bill, as opposed to any of the other vetoed bills, is really one that\u2019s more urgent,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s about public safety.\u201d<\/p>\n A reporter for WRIC-TV asked the governor\u2019s office about the idea of putting cannabis language in the budget.<\/p>\n \u201cGovernor Spanberger has made clear that she supports setting up a legal retail marketplace for cannabis that prioritizes the health and safety of Virginians, protects communities and consumers, and operates with clear enforcement and regulatory authority,\u201d a spokesperson said, without directly addressing the question of using the budget as a vehicle to enact the reform.<\/p>\n