# Virginia SB970: Cannabis control; establishes framework for creating retail market, penalties. Virginia SB970, Cannabis control; establishes framework for creating retail market, penalties., is a 2025 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Aaron R. Rouse (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-04-02 (Senate sustained Governor's veto) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB970-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB970 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Cannabis control; establishes framework for creating retail market, penalties. - Status: to governor - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2025-01-06 - Last action: 2025-04-02, Senate sustained Governor's veto - Sponsor: Aaron R. Rouse (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (143 yes, 83 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Cannabis control; retail market; penalties. Establishes a framework for the creation of a retail marijuana market in the Commonwealth, to be administered by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. The bill allows the Authority to begin issuing all marijuana licenses on September 1, 2025, but provides that no retail sales may occur prior to May 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 2485. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Aaron R. Rouse (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-12 | House | Passed House | pass | 53 | 44 | | | 2025-02-06 | House | Reported from General Laws | pass | 13 | 8 | | | 2025-01-31 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 21 | 19 | | | 2025-01-29 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 38 | 0 | | | 2025-01-28 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 5 | | | 2025-01-17 | Senate | Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 8 | 7 | | ## Actions (34) - 2025-04-02: Senate sustained Governor's veto (Senate) - 2025-04-02: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-03-24: Vetoed by Governor (Governor) - 2025-03-14: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB970) (Senate) - 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (Senate) - 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB970ER) (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Enrolled (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-12: Passed House (53-Y 44-N) (House) - 2025-02-12: Read third time (House) - 2025-02-11: Passed by for the day (House) - 2025-02-10: Read second time (House) - 2025-02-06: Reported from General Laws (13-Y 8-N) (House) - 2025-02-06: Referred to Committee on General Laws (House) - 2025-02-06: Read first time (House) - 2025-02-06: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2025-01-31: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 19-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB970) (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Rehabilitation and Social Services Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Reading of substitute waived (Senate) - 2025-01-30: Read second time (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (38-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-01-29: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-01-28: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-17: Committee substitute printed 25105279D-S1 (Senate) - 2025-01-17: Impact statement from VCSC (SB970) (Senate) - 2025-01-17: Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 7-N) (Senate) - 2025-01-08: Impact statement from VCSC (SB970) (Senate) - 2025-01-06: Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services (Senate) - 2025-01-06: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-08-2025 25102567D (Senate) ## Bill text - Veto Explanation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073976.HTML) - Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1068753.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1068752.PDF) - Substitute, 2025-01-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1022757.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1022756.PDF) - Introduced, 2025-01-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014714.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014713.PDF) ## Related bills - HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted) - SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed) - HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed) - HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed) - SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed) - HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor) ## Sources - [Veto Explanation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073976.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1068753.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1068752.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1022757.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1022756.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014714.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1014713.PDF) ## Related - [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025) - [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025) - [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025) - [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025) - [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025) - [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025) - [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-SB970-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).