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Virginia · 2025 Regular Session · Bill

SB 970: Cannabis control; establishes framework for creating retail market, penalties.

Vetoed Official data

  1. Introduced
  2. In committee
  3. Passed one chamber
  4. Passed both chambers
  5. Enacted
  6. Vetoed

Last official action: ·Record last updated:

Plain-language summary

SB 970 is a bill introduced in the Virginia Senate on January 6, 2025. According to its official title, it concerns: Cannabis control; establishes framework for creating retail market, penalties. Primary sponsor: Aaron Rouse (Democratic). It lists 2 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (April 2, 2025): Senate sustained Governor's veto.

Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

Cannabis control; retail market; penalties. Establishes a framework for the creation of a retail marijuana market in the Commonwealth, to be administered by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. The bill allows the Authority to begin issuing all marijuana licenses on September 1, 2025, but provides that no retail sales may occur prior to May 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 2485.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 3

NameRolePartyChamberDistrict
Aaron RousePrimary sponsorDemocraticSenate22
Lashrecse AirdCo-sponsorDemocraticSenate13
Jennifer Carroll FoyCo-sponsorDemocraticSenate33

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

  1. Senate sustained Governor's veto
  2. Passed by for the day
  3. Vetoed by Governor
  4. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB970)
  5. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025
  6. Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025
  7. Signed by President
  8. Signed by Speaker
  9. Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB970ER)
  10. Enrolled
  11. Passed House (53-Y 44-N)
  12. Read third time

Showing 12 most recent of 34 actions. Full history

Sources

  1. Open States / Plural (data from the official legislature website)
  2. Official legislature source