# Virginia SB620: Va. ABC Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers, etc. Virginia SB620, Va. ABC Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers, etc., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Adam P. Ebbin (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-22 (House concurred in Governor's recommendation (94-Y 4-N 0-A)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB620-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB620 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Va. ABC Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers, etc. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-14 - Last action: 2026-04-22, House concurred in Governor's recommendation (94-Y 4-N 0-A) - Sponsor: Adam P. Ebbin (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 17 (585 yes, 56 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 30 ## Summary Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers; purchase, possession, and sale of retail tobacco products; penalties; report. Transitions and provides a more comprehensive structure for the current licensing and enforcement responsibilities related to liquid nicotine and retail tobacco products from the Department of Taxation to a permitting system administered by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. The bill requires the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage and Control Authority to conduct an unannounced buyer operation at least once every 24 months to verify that a permittee, defined in the bill, is not selling retail tobacco products to persons under 21 years of age. Portions of the bill have a delayed effective date of October 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 308. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Buyers see total costs before agreeing: benefit, low. Before a consumer agrees to buy a covered good or continuous service, the seller must disclose the total cost. The total must include all mandatory fees and charges. This applies to goods and continuous services defined in § 59.1-207.45. - Consent required for sensitive health data: benefit, low. Obtaining, sharing, selling, or spreading personally identifying reproductive or sexual health information without the consumer’s consent is a prohibited practice. - Drivers get ignition interlock advertising safeguards: benefit, low. Vendors need Virginia Alcohol Safety Action Program Commission approval to advertise ignition interlock systems. Ads cannot target someone before a finding of guilt. Other advertising must clearly state that it is not affiliated with a government agency. Commission-approved vendor ads, pamphlets, o… - Home mold removal requires certified providers: benefit, low. Providers cannot sell or offer professional mold removal for homes without nationally or internationally recognized mold-remediation certification. They must also follow one of the specified EPA or ANSI-accredited standards. - Medical debt protections gain added enforcement: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, violations of the Medical Debt Protection Act are prohibited consumer practices. This adds consumer-protection enforcement for conduct covered by that Act. - Shoppers get compliant food nutrition labels: benefit, low. Sellers cannot sell food with an FDA-required nutrition label that fails to meet federal labeling rules in 21 C.F.R. Part 101. The rule applies only to food required to carry a nutrition label. - Added enforcement against unfair real estate agreements: benefit, low. Violations of the Unfair Real Estate Service Agreement Act are prohibited consumer practices. This adds consumer-protection enforcement for conduct covered by that Act. - Some older tobacco enforcement rules end: benefit, low. The Department of Taxation’s separate power to suspend or revoke licenses for repeat tobacco and hemp age-rule violations is removed. The law also removes the retail tobacco cross-reference to the former consumer-law enforcement framework. For tax-licensed distributors, mandatory repeat-violation s… - More violations trigger consumer protection enforcement: benefit, low. Violations of the nicotine product chapter are prohibited practices under Virginia’s Consumer Protection Act. The law also covers violations of §§ 4.1-253, 4.1-356, 4.1-357, and 59.1-293.15 through 59.1-293.22. It covers violations of § 59.1-466.8, subsection F of § 36-96.3:1, and Chapter 58 (§ 59.… - Virginia funds recurring youth tobacco checks: benefit, low. Virginia’s tobacco regulator must conduct an unannounced underage-buyer check for every retail tobacco permit holder at least every 24 months. Beginning October 1, 2026, it must also check within six months after a Board order confirms a violation. Tax officials must share retailer-identifying info… - Tobacco retailers can lose their permits: cost, high. Retail tobacco permit holders can be held liable for employees’ or agents’ job-related violations. The Board can suspend or revoke permits for listed tobacco-law, criminal, drug, violence, military-discrimination, and tax violations. Certified local taxes must be at least 90 days overdue; tiny amou… - Tobacco sellers face stricter age checks: cost, high. Sellers cannot knowingly sell tobacco or smoking hemp to people under 21, use vending machines, or sell without required government photo ID. Stores must post under-21 warning signs; for covered retail sales other than cigars and pipe tobacco, buyers appearing under 30 need photo-ID or approved tec… - Unauthorized tobacco purchases and sales are crimes: cost, medium. Buying retail tobacco products from an unauthorized seller is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Selling without a retail tobacco permit is also a Class 1 misdemeanor unless the subtitle otherwise allows the sale. The law preserves the stated resale-purchase exception for manufacturers or distributors licensed… - Localities can limit tobacco shop locations: cost, medium. Local governments can regulate tobacco shops and locations selling tobacco or hemp products intended for smoking. They can ban covered locations within 1,000 linear feet of a child day center or school. These ordinances cannot affect holders of the specified valid alcohol license or covered locatio… - Permit loss triggers tobacco inventory deadlines: cost, medium. Retailers whose tobacco permits are suspended or revoked have 60 days to dispose of covered inventory through allowed sales. Resale transactions generally require Board permission, and sales to authorized resale buyers require payment of any excise tax due. For other permit endings, the Board must… - Tobacco retailers must keep inspection records: cost, medium. Retail tobacco permit holders must keep separate purchase records, preserve invoices as Board rules require, and record daily sales quantities and prices. Establishments and records are open to inspection during reasonable hours; records unavailable at another time must be supplied within 24 hours.… - Tobacco retailers need separate store permits: cost, medium. Covered retailers must apply before selling, keep application details current, and display a separate, nontransferable permit at each location. Coverage includes nicotine products, electronic smoking devices, accessories, blunt or hemp wraps, glass pipes, and cigarette delivery sellers. Stores sell… - Tobacco retailers pay application and renewal fees: cost, medium. A tobacco permit application costs a nonrefundable $400, or $300 for holders of the specified Virginia alcohol license. The fee is due with the application; fingerprint costs and the separate state permit fee are additional. Retail permit holders also pay an annual renewal fee set by the Board, whi… - Tobacco sellers face licensing and taxes: cost, medium. Sellers inside or outside Virginia need a remote retail seller license before remotely selling cigars or pipe tobacco to Virginia consumers. Sellers must check whether they meet Virginia’s economic nexus thresholds, which determine their tax connection to the state. Sellers meeting those thresholds… - Higher certification fees for nicotine manufacturers: cost, medium. Manufacturers must certify each liquid nicotine or nicotine vapor product sold for retail sale in Virginia every year. They must provide FDA marketing approval or qualifying marketing or application records. Initial certification costs $5,000 per product, up from $2,000. Annual recertification cost… - Unlisted nicotine products face costly enforcement: cost, medium. Beginning December 31, 2025, liquid nicotine and nicotine vapor products offered for retail sale must appear in Virginia’s Attorney General directory. Minimum civil penalties per unlisted product are $5,000 for a first violation, $10,000 for a second, and $15,000 for a third. Unlisted products sold… - Underage tobacco and smoking hemp are restricted: cost, low. People under 21 cannot possess tobacco products or hemp products intended for smoking. Exceptions cover work deliveries, approved medical research, and possession needed for law-enforcement duties. For the retail tobacco possession rule, seizure and forfeiture of the products are the only penalty.… - Online nicotine deliveries face new limits: cost, low. Liquid nicotine and nicotine vapor products ordered online generally cannot be delivered directly to consumers. Delivery must be to a retail dealer, subject to the statutory exception in Virginia’s tobacco tax law. - Tobacco penalties include costs and waivers: mixed, high. When suspending a tobacco permit, the Board can impose civil penalties or require payment of investigation and proceeding costs. Penalty caps are $2,000 for a first violation and $5,000 for a second within five years. For sales to prohibited buyers, those caps rise to $3,000 and $6,000; investigati… - Temporary tobacco operators pay and assume liabilities: mixed, medium. The Board can issue temporary permits allowing qualified people to operate with privileges held by a prior tobacco permit holder. Qualifying auction buyers or people lawfully entitled to possession can receive up to 60 days, or longer as the Board determines. Agreement-based operators can receive 1… - Kratom buyers get age and label safeguards: mixed, low. Sellers cannot sell or offer kratom products to anyone younger than 21. Kratom labels must list all ingredients and include the required health and FDA disclaimer. - Earlier liquid nicotine packaging rule ended: mixed, low. The covered retail-sales rule applied only before July 1, 2024, and required child-resistant liquid nicotine containers. The packaging requirement also becomes void when federal legislation or final federal rules requiring this packaging take effect. A Class 4 misdemeanor required knowing, or havin… - Tobacco stores face packaging and sign rules: mixed, low. Cigarettes must be sold in sealed, manufacturer-provided packages bearing the required health warning. Every retail tobacco establishment must clearly post signs stating that sales to people under 21 are prohibited. The locality’s attorney can bring a civil action seeking up to $500 per violation. - Nicotine sellers get inventory transition windows: mixed, low. Retailers have 60 days after the directory’s first public release to sell existing unlisted stock or return it for disposal. Distributors and wholesalers have the same 60 days to remove and return unlisted products intended for Virginia sales. After a product leaves the directory, retailers, distri… - Separate nicotine licenses and safeguards repealed: mixed, low. The law repeals the separate per-location license for businesses selling or dealing liquid nicotine or nicotine vapor products. Associated application fees, background checks, and license penalties are also repealed. The repeal removes that licensing system’s age-check and distributor-retailer reco… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Adam P. Ebbin (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-22 | House | House concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 94 | 4 | | | 2026-04-22 | Senate | Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 37 | 2 | | | 2026-03-14 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 93 | 3 | | | 2026-03-13 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 37 | 2 | | | 2026-03-11 | Senate | Senate acceded to request Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-03-09 | Senate | House substitute rejected by Senate | fail | 0 | 40 | | | 2026-03-05 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 95 | 3 | | | 2026-03-02 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 21 | 1 | | | 2026-02-26 | House | Reported from General Laws with substitute and referred to Appropriations | pass | 20 | 1 | | | 2026-02-16 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-02-16 | Senate | Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-16 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-02-16 | Senate | Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute rejected | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-12 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-02-12 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-02-11 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute | pass | 15 | 0 | | | 2026-02-06 | Senate | Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 15 | 0 | | ## Actions (61) - 2026-04-22: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (94-Y 4-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-04-22: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (37-Y 2-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1021) (Governor) - 2026-04-22: Reenrolled bill text (SB620ER2) (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Approved by Governor-Chapter 1021 (Effective - see bill) (Governor) - 2026-04-22: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-04-22: Governor's recommendation adopted (Governor) - 2026-04-12: Governor's recommendation received by Senate (Governor) - 2026-04-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB620) (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB620ER) (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by House (93-Y 3-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-13: Conference report agreed to by Senate (37-Y 2-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Conference Report released - 2026-03-12: House Conferees: Hope, Carroll, Fowler (House) - 2026-03-12: Conferees appointed by House (House) - 2026-03-11: Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Senate Conferees: VanValkenburg, Salim, Reeves (Senate) - 2026-03-10: House requested conference committee (House) - 2026-03-10: House insisted on substitute (House) - 2026-03-09: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-05: Passed House with substitute (95-Y 3-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-05: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2026-03-05: committee substitute agreed to (House) - 2026-03-05: Read third time (House) - 2026-03-04: Read second time (House) - 2026-03-02: Reported from Appropriations (21-Y 1-N) (House) - 2026-02-27: Committee substitute printed 26108777D-H1 (House) - 2026-02-27: Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety (House) - 2026-02-26: House committee offered (House) - 2026-02-26: Reported from General Laws with substitute and referred to Appropriations (20-Y 1-N) (House) - 2026-02-20: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-20: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House) - 2026-02-20: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2026-02-17: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB620) (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute rejected (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-02-13: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-02-11: Committee substitute printed 26107711D-S2 (Senate) - 2026-02-11: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Committee substitute printed 26107367D-S1 (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Senate committee offered (Senate) - 2026-02-06: Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB620) (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Senate committee offered (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103534D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224987.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224986.PDF) - Reenrolled, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220694.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220693.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-04-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219614.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219613.PDF) - Gov Recommendation, 2026-04-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219610.HTML) - Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214542.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214541.PDF) - Conference Report, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210643.HTML) - Substitute, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210640.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210639.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186939.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186938.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1184698.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1184697.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141721.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141720.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133084.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132030.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133083.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132029.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115263.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115262.PDF) - Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091566.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091565.PDF) ## Related bills - HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed) - HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed) - HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed) - HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224987.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224986.PDF) - [Reenrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220694.HTML) - [Reenrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220693.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219614.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219613.PDF) - [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219610.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214542.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214541.PDF) - [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210643.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210640.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210639.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186939.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186938.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1184698.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1184697.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141721.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1141720.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133084.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132030.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133083.PDF) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132029.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115263.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115262.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091566.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091565.PDF) ## Related - [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026) - [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026) - [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026) - [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026) - [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026) - [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB620-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).