Marijuana; legalization of cultivation, manufacture, sale, possession, and testing, penalties. (HB1815)

Introduced By

Del. Steve Heretick (D-Portsmouth) with support from co-patrons Del. Nancy Guy (D-Virginia Beach), Del. Chris Hurst (D-Blacksburg), Del. Kaye Kory (D-Falls Church), and Del. Ken Plum (D-Reston)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Marijuana; legalization of cultivation, manufacture, sale, possession, and testing; penalties. Establishes a regulatory scheme for the regulation of marijuana cultivation facilities, marijuana manufacturing facilities, marijuana testing facilities, and retail marijuana stores by the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services. The bill also grants localities the authority to enact ordinances establishing additional licensing requirements for marijuana establishments located within such locality and allows the home cultivation of marijuana for personal use under certain circumstances. The bill imposes a tax on retail marijuana and retail marijuana products sold by a retail marijuana store at a rate of 9.7 percent (for a total sales tax of 15 percent) and provides that 67 percent of the revenues collected from the tax be deposited into the general fund and 33 percent of the revenues be deposited into a "Retail Marijuana Education Support Fund" to be used solely for purposes of public education. Finally, the bill establishes several new criminal penalties related to marijuana, as well as modifies some existing criminal penalties. This bill was incorporated into HB 2312. Read the Bill »

Status

01/30/2021: Incorporated into Another Bill

History

DateAction
01/06/2021Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/13/21 21100114D
01/06/2021Committee
01/06/2021Impact statement from VCSC (HB1815)
01/06/2021Referred to Committee on General Laws
01/25/2021Assigned GL sub: ABC/Gaming
01/26/2021Subcommittee recommends incorporating (HB2312-Herring)
01/30/2021Incorporated by General Laws (HB2312-Herring)

Comments

Bill the Thrill writes:

Try drinking to a 8 then taking 5 hits of the new grass. Its equal to the hash oil of the 1970s.
Then try driving.
I'm thinking I'll trade my sedan for a serious truck.

Ron Quasebarth writes:

I know this sounds appealing but look what has happened to Colorado with marijuana that has 25x the THC content as a few years ago. It's a disaster for creating a very stoned unemployable youth.

L. Walsh writes:

This bill helps our commonwealth make progress toward less incarcerations and potential jobs and revenue for the state. If you want to cite unemployment claims, include data. For November 2020 the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics shows Virginia at an unemployment rate of 4.9% and Colorado at an unemployment rate of 6.4%. Meanwhile, marijuana regulations and taxes generated approximately $1.55 billion in tax revenue for 2018, up 3% from 2017 in Colorado.

Repeal writes:

Please support all life and its natural right to exist free from prohibition/restriction/commercialization.