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One day after a Senate subcommittee approved legislation that would create an adult-use cannabis market in Virginia, the full Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services backed the proposal by a 10-5 vote on Friday.
Two Republicans — Sen. Christie Craig, R-Chesapeake, and Sen. Emily Jordan, R-Isle of Wight — voted with the panel’s Democratic majority. (Jordan previously used the name Brewer, but now prefers her married name.)
Sponsored by Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, Senate Bill 448 would legalize cannabis sales starting on Jan. 1, 2025, and allow all medical marijuana companies already operating in Virginia and new businesses to begin at the same time. “This bill is a culmination of all the work that many folks have done. This is the first step in a much longer process,” Rouse told the committee on Friday.