VirginiaHB14322026 Regular SessionHouse

Marijuana or marijuana products; underage possession, consequences, procedures.

Sponsored By: Leslie Chambers Mehta (Democratic)

In Committee

Summary

Underage consumption or possession of alcoholic beverage or marijuana or marijuana products; consequences; procedures. Reduces the penalties for underage consumption or possession of alcoholic beverages or marijuana or marijuana products to a written warning for a first violation, a written warning and the provision of informational materials about how to access community services for a second violation, and a write-up and an optional referral for accessing community services for a third or subsequent violation. Under current law, underage consumption, purchase, or possession of alcoholic beverages is punishable as a Class 1 misdemeanor with a period of license suspension and an option for a deferred dismissal in certain circumstances. The current penalties for underage consumption or possession of marijuana or marijuana products is a civil penalty of $25 and an order to enter a substance abuse treatment or education program. The bill also provides that such underage persons are not capable of giving lawful consent to a search and that the unconcealed possession of an alcoholic beverage or marijuana or marijuana products shall not constitute probable cause to initiate a search of a person or that person's personal property to determine any further violations of law. The bill specifies that such underage persons shall not be subject to arrest or otherwise detained or taken into custody by a law-enforcement officer and that a law-enforcement officer's body-worn camera system shall be activated during any encounter involving an underage person suspected to be in violation of such provisions. The bill also puts limits on the dissemination and retention of any law-enforcement records related to violations of such provisions.

Courts of Justice

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Bill Overview

No Economic Impacts Identified for this Bill

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Leslie Chambers Mehta

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 20 • No: 12

House vote 2/11/2026

Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute

Yes: 13 • No: 9

House vote 2/9/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations

Yes: 7 • No: 3 • Other: 1

House vote 2/3/2026

Referred from General Laws and referred to Courts of Justice (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Rereferred to Courts of Justice

    2/17/2026House
  2. Motion to rerefer to Courts of Justice agreed to

    2/17/2026House
  3. Continued pursuant to House Rule 22 to 2027 in Courts of Justice

    2/17/2026House
  4. Engrossed by House - floor substitute

    2/16/2026House
  5. Delegate Mehta Floor substitute agreed to

    2/16/2026House
  6. committee substitute rejected

    2/16/2026House
  7. Read second time

    2/16/2026House
  8. Floor Offered

    2/16/2026House
  9. Floor substitute printed 26108054D-H2 (Mehta)

    2/16/2026House
  10. Read first time

    2/13/2026House
  11. Committee substitute printed 26107614D-H1

    2/11/2026House
  12. Reported from Courts of Justice with substitute (13-Y 9-N)

    2/11/2026House
  13. House subcommittee offered

    2/9/2026House
  14. Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (7-Y 3-N)

    2/9/2026House
  15. Assigned HCJ sub: Criminal

    2/7/2026House
  16. Referred from General Laws and referred to Courts of Justice (Voice Vote)

    2/3/2026House
  17. Referred to Committee on General Laws

    1/22/2026House
  18. Presented and ordered printed 26103239D

    1/22/2026House

Bill Text

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