Proposed Virginia Firearm Legislation SB542
Legislation Overview
Title: Cannabis control; establishes framework for creation of retail marijuana market, penalties, report.
Description: 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 provides that no retail sales may occur prior to January 1, 2027. Effective January 1, 2027, the bill also moves oversight of the retail sale of certain regulated hemp products from the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. This bill incorporates SB 671 and SB 826 and is identical to HB 642.
Session: 2026 Regular Regular Session
Last Action: Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 32-N 0-A)
Last Action Date: March 14, 2026
Sponsors
Note: the first sponsor listed is normally the primary sponsor. If a sponsor's name is a hyperlink you can click on it to 'follow the money'.
3 sponsors: Lashrecse Aird (D); Louise Lucas (D); Aaron Rouse (D);
Percentage of Senate sponsoring bill: 8% (3 of 40)
History
| Chamber | Date | Action |
| House | Mar 14, 2026 | Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 32-N 0-A) |
| Senate | Mar 13, 2026 | Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) |
| Senate | Mar 13, 2026 | Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/13/2026 7:32 pm) |
| Mar 13, 2026 | Conference Report released | |
| Senate | Mar 4, 2026 | Conferees appointed by Senate |
| Senate | Mar 4, 2026 | Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| House | Mar 4, 2026 | House requested conference committee |
| House | Mar 4, 2026 | House insisted on substitute |
| Senate | Mar 4, 2026 | House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) |
| House | Mar 4, 2026 | Passed House with substitute (66-Y 33-N 0-A) |
| House | Mar 4, 2026 | Engrossed by House - committee substitute |
| House | Mar 4, 2026 | committee substitute agreed to |
| House | Mar 4, 2026 | committee substitute rejected |
| House | Mar 4, 2026 | Read third time |
| House | Mar 4, 2026 | House Conferees: Krizek, Herring, Morefield |
| House | Mar 4, 2026 | Conferees appointed by House |
| Senate | Mar 4, 2026 | Senate Conferees: Aird, VanValkenburg, Rouse, Head, Lucas |
| House | Mar 3, 2026 | Read second time |
| House | Feb 27, 2026 | Committee substitute printed 26108819D-H2 |
| Senate | Feb 27, 2026 | Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/27/2026 3:37 pm) |
| House | Feb 27, 2026 | Reported from Appropriations with substitute (16-Y 6-N) |
| House | Feb 25, 2026 | Committee substitute printed 26108519D-H1 |
| Senate | Feb 25, 2026 | Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/25/2026 1:08 pm) |
| House | Feb 25, 2026 | Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety |
| House | Feb 24, 2026 | House committee offered |
| House | Feb 24, 2026 | Reported from General Laws with substitute and referred to Appropriations (16-Y 4-N) |
| Senate | Feb 24, 2026 | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB542) |
| House | Feb 23, 2026 | Placed on Calendar |
| House | Feb 23, 2026 | Read first time |
| House | Feb 23, 2026 | Referred to Committee on General Laws |
| Senate | Feb 17, 2026 | Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/17/2026 8:52 am) |
| Senate | Feb 17, 2026 | Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) |
| Senate | Feb 17, 2026 | Reconsideration of passage agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| Senate | Feb 17, 2026 | Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 19-N 1-A) |
| Senate | Feb 17, 2026 | Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB542) |
| Senate | Feb 16, 2026 | Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote) |
| Senate | Feb 16, 2026 | Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) |
| Senate | Feb 16, 2026 | Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) |
| Senate | Feb 16, 2026 | Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote) |
| Senate | Feb 16, 2026 | Read second time |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Rules suspended |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Substitute bill reprinted 26107979D |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Passed by for the day |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Committee substitute printed 26107979D-S3 |
| Senate | Feb 13, 2026 | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| Senate | Feb 12, 2026 | Incorporates SB826 (Lucas) |
| Senate | Feb 12, 2026 | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (7-Y 5-N 3-A) |
| Senate | Feb 6, 2026 | Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/6/2026 2:10 pm) |
| Senate | Feb 6, 2026 | Committee substitute printed 26107341D-S2 |
| Senate | Feb 5, 2026 | Senate committee offered |
| Senate | Feb 4, 2026 | Senate committee amendments offered |
| Senate | Feb 4, 2026 | Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) |
| Senate | Feb 4, 2026 | Senate committee offered |
| Senate | Jan 23, 2026 | Senate committee offered |
| Senate | Jan 23, 2026 | Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/23/2026 4:45 pm) |
| Senate | Jan 23, 2026 | Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Courts of Justice (8-Y 7-N) |
| Senate | Jan 23, 2026 | Incorporates SB671 (Rouse) |
| Senate | Jan 20, 2026 | Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/20/2026 1:49 pm) |
| Senate | Jan 13, 2026 | Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services |
| Senate | Jan 13, 2026 | Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104073D |
Texts
| Type | Date | State Link | Text |
| Comm Sub | Mar 13, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Feb 27, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Feb 25, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Feb 24, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Feb 13, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Feb 6, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Feb 5, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Feb 4, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 23, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Comm Sub | Jan 23, 2026 | state link | bill text |
| Introduced | Jan 13, 2026 | state link | bill text |
Amendments
| Title | Description | Date | State Link | Text | Adopted |
| Courts of Justice Amendment | Courts of Justice Amendment | Nov 30, -0001 | State Link | amendment text | No |
Votes - Click on description to view vote roll call
| Description | Vote Date | Yea Votes | Nay Votes | No Votes | Absent | Passed |
| Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Courts of Justice (8-Y 7-N) | 01/23/2026 | 8 | 7 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) | 02/4/2026 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (7-Y 5-N 3-A) | 02/12/2026 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A) | 02/13/2026 | 35 | 0 | 0 | 5 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 19-N 1-A) | 02/17/2026 | 20 | 19 | 1 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Reconsideration of passage agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) | 02/17/2026 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) | 02/17/2026 | 21 | 19 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Reported from General Laws with substitute and referred to Appropriations (16-Y 4-N) | 02/24/2026 | 16 | 4 | 0 | 1 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Reported from Appropriations with substitute (16-Y 6-N) | 02/27/2026 | 16 | 6 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Passed House with substitute (66-Y 33-N 0-A) | 03/4/2026 | 66 | 33 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) | 03/4/2026 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 0 | No |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N 0-A) | 03/4/2026 | 40 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
| Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 32-N 0-A) | 03/14/2026 | 64 | 32 | 0 | 3 | Yes |
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| resort votes by: party yeas nays name | ||||||
Link: link to state bill page
