← Virginia

SB543 — SB543 — Marijuana and hemp products; enforcement.

State: Virginia Session: 2026 Regular Regular Session

📃 Read bill text (Chaptered) 📄 State legislature page

Sponsors: D Lashrecse Aird

From LegiScan.

Title: Marijuana and hemp products; enforcement.
Bill: SB543
Status:
Last action: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1016) (2026-04-22)

Description:
Marijuana and hemp products; enforcement. Amends various provisions of law to increase enforcement and penalties related to the illegal sale of marijuana or marijuana products by persons licensed or permitted by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority, and the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (CCA). The bill requires the Board of Directors of the CCA (the Board) to create and require a decal for retail marijuana stores, microbusinesses, pharmaceutical processors, and cannabis dispensing facilities to prominently display on the premises of such establishments where marijuana, marijuana products, marijuana paraphernalia, immature marijuana plants, or marijuana seeds are sold to consumers that allows consumers to electronically verify the validity of such establishment’s license or permit from the Board. The bill requires such decal to be displayed with a civil penalty of $10,000 for each day that such decal is not displayed in the establishment. The bill also creates a $10,000 civil penalty for creating or falsifying such decal. The bill allows the Board to issue a notice of violation and order to cease unlicensed activity to any person who is engaged in the cultivation, processing, distribution, or selling of marijuana or marijuana products in violation of current law, and if the Board issues such notice and order, it may also order the seizure of such marijuana or marijuana products. Any person who intentionally removes such notice and order or sticker without authorization of the Board is subject to a civil penalty prescribed by the Board, not to exceed $5,000. The bill specifies that the Chief Executive Officer of the Board or investigators appointed by him shall be sworn to enforce the provisions of the Cannabis Control Act and Board regulations and have the authority to investigate violations of the statutes and regulations the CCA is required to enforce. The bill also requires the Board to establish, advertise, and administer a tip line, which may be accessed by phone and by internet, for members of the public to anonymously report concerns about, or suspected instances of, illicit retail marijuana practices. The bill revises certain provisions related the assessment of civil penalties against manufacturers and sellers of certain industrial hemp extracts and foods containing industrial hemp extracts. Effective November 1, 2026, the bill also creates a civil action pursuant to the Virginia Fraud Against Taxpayers Act and makes it a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act to sell or offer for sale a substance intended for human consumption, orally or by inhalation, that (i) contains more than 0.3 percent total tetrahydrocannabinol or (ii) contains more than two milligrams of total tetrahydrocannabinol per package. The bill requires the Department of Criminal Justice Services to establish compulsory minimum and in-service training standards for law-enforcement officers on the enforcement of the Cannabis Control Act and certain provisions of law related to hemp by January 1, 2027. Additionally, the bill requires the Secretary of Public Safety and Homeland Security and the Secretary of Health and Human Resources to convene a work group to analyze the current efforts in the Commonwealth to combat the sale of illicit cannabis products and submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committees on Appropriations, on General Laws, and for Courts of Justice and the Senate Committees on Finance and Appropriations, on General Laws and Technology, on Rehabilitation and Social Services, and for Courts of Justice by October 1, 2026.

Discover more from Cannabis.Wine

Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.

Timeline

2026-04-22 Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1016)
2026-04-22 Approved by Governor-Chapter 1016 (Effective - see bill)
2026-04-22 [S] Signed by President
2026-04-22 [H] Signed by Speaker
2026-04-22 [S] Reenrolled bill text (SB543ER2)
2026-04-22 [S] Reenrolled
2026-04-22 Governor's recommendation adopted
2026-04-22 [H] House concurred in Governor's recommendation (65-Y 33-N 0-A)
2026-04-22 [S] Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)
2026-04-13 Governor's recommendation received by Senate
2026-04-03 [S] Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB543)
2026-03-31 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-31 [S] Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
2026-03-31 [H] Signed by Speaker
2026-03-30 [S] Signed by President
2026-03-30 [S] Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB543ER)
2026-03-30 [S] Enrolled
2026-03-24 [S] Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB543)
2026-03-14 [S] Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A)
2026-03-14 [H] Conference report agreed to by House (65-Y 30-N 0-A)
2026-03-14 Conference Report released
2026-03-12 [H] House Conferees: Krizek, Torian, Wiley
2026-03-12 [H] Conferees appointed by House
2026-03-12 [S] Senate Conferees: Aird, VanValkenburg, Stanley
2026-03-12 [S] Conferees appointed by Senate
2026-03-12 [S] Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-11 [H] House requested conference committee
2026-03-11 [H] House insisted on amendments
2026-03-10 [S] General Laws Amendment rejected by Senate
2026-03-06 [H] Passed House with amendment (66-Y 32-N 0-A)
2026-03-06 [H] Engrossed by House as amended
2026-03-06 [H] committee amendment agreed to
2026-03-06 [H] Read third time
2026-03-05 [H] Read second time
2026-03-03 [H] Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) (17-Y 4-N)
2026-03-03 [H] Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 1-N)
2026-03-03 [H] House subcommittee offered
2026-02-25 [H] Assigned HGL sub: ABC/Gaming
2026-02-24 [H] Referred to Committee on General Laws
2026-02-24 [H] Read first time
2026-02-24 [H] Placed on Calendar
2026-02-19 [S] Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB543)
2026-02-17 [S] Read third time and passed Senate (26-Y 14-N 0-A)
2026-02-16 [S] Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)
2026-02-16 [S] Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to
2026-02-16 [S] Read second time
2026-02-16 [S] Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB543)
2026-02-13 [S] Passed by for the day
2026-02-13 [S] Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-13 [S] Rules suspended
2026-02-13 [S] Committee substitute printed 26107980D-S1
2026-02-12 [S] Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (13-Y 1-N 1-A)
2026-01-30 [S] Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB543)
2026-01-23 [S] Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
2026-01-13 [S] Referred to Committee on Rehabilitation and Social Services
2026-01-13 [S] Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105066D

Roll call votes

Date	Chamber	Description	Yea	Nay	Result
2026-01-23	S	Reported from Rehabilitation and Social Services and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)	15	0	Passed
2026-02-12	S	Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (13-Y 1-N 1-A)	13	1	Passed
2026-02-13	S	Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (35-Y 0-N 0-A)	35	0	Passed
2026-02-17	S	Read third time and passed Senate (26-Y 14-N 0-A)	26	14	Passed
2026-03-03	H	Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 1-N)	8	1	Passed
2026-03-03	H	Reported from General Laws with amendment(s) (17-Y 4-N)	17	4	Passed
2026-03-06	H	Passed House with amendment (66-Y 32-N 0-A)	66	32	Passed
2026-03-10	S	General Laws Amendment rejected by Senate	1	39	Failed
2026-03-12	S	Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)	40	0	Passed
2026-03-14	H	Conference report agreed to by House (65-Y 30-N 0-A)	65	30	Passed
2026-03-14	S	Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A)	22	17	Passed
2026-04-22	H	House concurred in Governor's recommendation (65-Y 33-N 0-A)	65	33	Passed
2026-04-22	S	Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (21-Y 18-N 0-A)	21	18	Passed

Amendments

0000-00-00 · H · Pending
General Laws Amendment General Laws Amendment · View
0000-00-00 · H · Pending
ABC/Gaming Subcommittee Amendment ABC/Gaming Subcommittee Amendment · View
0000-00-00 · H · Pending
General Laws Amendment General Laws Amendment · View
0000-00-00 · H · Pending
House Amendment House Amendment · View