Virginia House and Senate lawmakers have reached a deal on a final bill to legalize recreational marijuana sales in the commonwealth.
While both chambers approved companion versions of the cannabis legislation this session, with amendments adopted along the way that more closely aligned them, there were still key outstanding differences to resolve after the latest votes earlier this month.
Among the key areas of dispute were the start date for adult-use sales, the proposed tax rate on marijuana and what agency would be responsible for regulating the market.
Now, following bicameral negotiations in a conference committee, lawmakers arrived at a consensus and released the final bill on Friday with an expectation that the House of Delegates and Senate will vote to send it to Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) by the scheduled end of the session on Saturday.
Under the new agreement, members landed on January 1, 2027 for the launch date of adult-use marijuana sales, as included in the Senate bill. The House had previously proposed starting sales on November 1, 2026.
Cannabis would be subject to an excise tax of 6 percent as well as a 5.3 percent retail sales and use tax, while allowing municipalities to set a
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