Bill > HB642

This bill establishes a framework for a retail marijuana market in Virginia, administered by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (Authority), with retail sales not permitted before November 1, 2026. It outlines various license types for marijuana businesses, including cultivation facilities, processing facilities, transporters, delivery operators, retail stores, and microbusinesses, with specific regulations for each, including canopy limits for cultivation and distance requirements for retail locations. The bill also creates the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Fund to support communities disproportionately affected by drug enforcement and establishes a Cannabis Impact Business Loan Program to provide financial assistance and technical support to impact licensees, defined as businesses owned by individuals meeting specific criteria related to past marijuana convictions, residency in disproportionately policed areas, or other disadvantaged backgrounds. Furthermore, it addresses the taxation of marijuana sales, with a state tax and an additional local tax, and details requirements for product testing, labeling, and packaging, including child-resistant packaging and health warnings. The bill also includes provisions for home cultivation of marijuana for personal use, sets penalties for various violations, and allows for state and tribal government compacts regarding marijuana regulation. It also makes changes to existing laws concerning controlled substances, driving under the influence, and school policies related to drug offenses, while also clarifying that financial institutions can provide services to licensed marijuana establishments.

Budget and Finance, Justice

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB642