While headlines announced Virginia would legalize marijuana, it turns out that’s not a done deal. Bills approved by the state House and Senate were not identical, and a committee is now trying to agree on how to proceed.
While the House of Delegates and the Senate agreed to legalize recreational marijuana for adults over 21, they disagreed about penalties for use by younger people. At the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, Jenn Michelle Pedini said that question would be left to a conference committee that will craft final legal language.
"Right now, possession of up to one ounce of marijuana is subject to no more than a $25 civil penalty, so there is definitely concern about rolling that back and increasing penalties for those under 21 once legalization takes effect."
There was also talk of having a non-binding public referendum on recreational marijuana or requiring the legislature to vote again in 2022 before pot could become legal. Once the conference committee agrees on penalties for under-aged possession and decides whether any further steps are needed before legalization, a single bill will go back to the House and Senate for a vote.
Members of the conference committee are Senators Ebbin, Lucas, McPike, Surovell and Dunnavant, and Delegates Herring, Mullin, Torian, Bagby and Knight.
