Waiting on Virginia, here’s what to do
May 4, 2026
There’s just a few weeks away before the critical date of May 23. What makes this day so important? This is the final day any action related to Governor Abigail Spanberger can take place. And seeing how Virginia has played out so far, we’re anticipating we’ll have to wait until the eleventh-hour to get the updates we want.
What happens on or before May 23
There are three options that Spanberger has before here that will ultimately be determined on (most likely) or before May 23. She right now has SB542 on her desk which establishes the adult-use cannabis framework in the Commonwealth. Critically, the legislature rejected all of Spanberger’s proposed revisions and sent back the bill to her desk without changes, after Spanberger had requested updated to the legislative language.
Now Spanberger can:
Sign the bill into law
Allow the bill to become law without her signature
Veto the bill
We are feeling optimistic Spanberger will either sign or allow the bill to become law, even with this legislative rebuff.
What to do in the meantime
But what can you be doing now? It may seem that all you can do is sit and wait. You can, but that’s not advisable.
With a bit of breathing room in what is otherwise going to shape up to be a very aggressive timeline for applications and licensure (sales will begin on January 1, 2027 and final regulations are due September 1, 2026) now is the perfect time to assess your own feasibility for operations, establish a strategy for pursuing a license, and plan accordingly for your business.
This is the critical time to begin getting your ducks in a row and not feel like you’re having to play catchup when this bill becomes law.
Reach out to Square Deal today to get started and ensure you’re on the best possible path for successful securing a coveted Virginia cannabis license.