Virginia lawmakers on Wednesday voted to reject the governor’s amendments to legislation to legalize recreational marijuana sales, risking a potential veto as the original proposal heads back to her desk for reconsideration.
In a voice vote, the House of Delegates declined to consider Gov. Abigail Spanberger’s (D) suggested changes to the cannabis measure as part of a block with other legislation that the governor also proposed amendments to, effectively rejecting the suggestions. The Senate took similar action in a 21-18 vote.
Lawmakers, meanwhile, also rejected Spanberger’s amendments to separate legislation to provide resentencing relief for people with past marijuana convictions while approving her changes to a bill clarifying cannabis delivery and labeling rules.
Spanberger’s suggested changes to the cannabis commerce legalization measure—including delaying the start date for sales by six months, increasing taxes and instituting new criminal penalties for cannabis consumers—drew strong pushback from reform supporters, including the lawmakers who sponsored the legislation.
Sen. Lashrecse Aird (D) and Del. Paul Krizek (D), who respectively sponsored the Senate and House versions of the cannabis sales legalization bills, both told Marijuana Moment ahead of Wednesday’s reconvened session that they wanted their colleagues to vote against the amendments—even if that meant risking a
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