SB542
Cannabis control; establishes framework for creation of retail marijuana market, penalties, report.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
March 14, 2026
House: Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 32-N 0-A)
Chief Patron:
Lashrecse Aird (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Passed House of Origin. Cannabis control; retail market; penalties.
Establishes a framework for the creation of a retail marijuana market in the Commonwealth and provides that no retail sales may occur prior to January 1, 2028. The bill requires that no later than January 1, 2028, the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA) shall become a division of the Virginia ... (More) Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority (ABC) to form the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Cannabis Control Authority (ABCCA). No later than November 15, 2026, the bill requires ABC and CCA to submit a joint implementation plan to combine the two authorities to the Joint Commission to Oversee the Transition of the Commonwealth into a Cannabis Retail Market and the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations and the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations. The bill specifies that prior to the transition to the ABCCA, the CCA shall administer the licensing and regulation of the retail cannabis market and ABC shall be the primary authority responsible for enforcing laws related to the illegal sale and distribution of marijuana and marijuana products. This bill incorporates SB 671 and SB 826. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/13/2026 - Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104073D
- 01/13/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
- 01/20/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/20/2026 1:49 pm)
- 01/23/2026 - Senate: Incorporates SB671 (Rouse)
- 01/23/2026 - Senate: Senate committee offered
- 01/23/2026 - Senate: Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Courts of Justice (8-Y 7-N)
- 01/23/2026 - Senate: Rereferred to Courts of Justice
- 01/23/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (1/23/2026 4:45 pm)
- 02/04/2026 - Senate: Senate committee offered
- 02/04/2026 - Senate: Senate committee amendments offered
- 02/04/2026 - Senate: Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)
- 02/04/2026 - Senate: Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
- 02/05/2026 - Senate: Senate committee offered
- 02/06/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 26107341D-S2
- 02/06/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/6/2026 2:10 pm)
- 02/12/2026 - Senate: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (7-Y 5-N 3-A)
- 02/12/2026 - Senate: Incorporates SB826 (Lucas)
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 26107979D-S3
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Substitute bill reprinted 26107979D
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Read second time
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute rejected (Voice Vote)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote)
- 02/16/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/17/2026 8:52 am)
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB542)
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 19-N 1-A) Close Floor Vote
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Reconsideration of passage agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/17/2026 - Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 02/23/2026 - House: Placed on Calendar
- 02/23/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/23/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on General Laws
- 02/23/2026 - House: Placed on General Laws Agenda
- 02/24/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB542)
- 02/24/2026 - House: House committee offered
- 02/24/2026 - House: Reported from General Laws with substitute and referred to Appropriations (16-Y 4-N)
- 02/24/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations
- 02/25/2026 - House: Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety
- 02/25/2026 - House: Committee substitute printed 26108519D-H1
- 02/25/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/25/2026 1:08 pm)
- 02/27/2026 - House: Placed on Appropriations Agenda
- 02/27/2026 - House: Reported from Appropriations with substitute (16-Y 6-N)
- 02/27/2026 - House: Committee substitute printed 26108819D-H2
- 02/27/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (2/27/2026 3:37 pm)
- 03/03/2026 - House: Read second time
- 03/04/2026 - House: Read third time
- 03/04/2026 - House: committee substitute rejected
- 03/04/2026 - House: committee substitute agreed to
- 03/04/2026 - House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute
- 03/04/2026 - House: Passed House with substitute (66-Y 33-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A)
- 03/04/2026 - House: House insisted on substitute
- 03/04/2026 - House: House requested conference committee
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Senate acceded to request (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Conferees appointed by Senate
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Senate Conferees: Aird, VanValkenburg, Rouse, Head, Lucas
- 03/04/2026 - House: Conferees appointed by House
- 03/04/2026 - House: House Conferees: Krizek, Herring, Morefield
- 03/13/2026 - Conference Report released
- 03/13/2026 - Senate: Conference substitute printed 26109722D-S4
- 03/13/2026 - Senate: Fiscal Impact statement From VCSC (3/13/2026 7:32 pm)
- 03/13/2026 - Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
- 03/14/2026 - House: Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 32-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
