Senate panel chafes at proposed Virginia ABC oversight of legal marijuana market

By MEL LEONOR Richmond Times-Dispatch 29 min ago

Virginia lawmakers face a heavy lift when it comes to the creation of a legal marijuana market, the cornerstone of a proposal by Gov. Ralph Northam’s administration to legalize the drug in the state.

Who should oversee that market and the regulations that would rule it became an early source of debate between the administration and senators, some of whom argued Tuesday that a new agency should be responsible for the industry and that the legislature should decide who sits on the boards that would guide the process.

The Northam administration is proposing that the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority handle oversight over the new market. ABC regulates and enforces the state’s alcohol laws “with an emphasis on public safety,” according to its website. ... The Senate Rehabilitation and Social Services Subcommittee on Marijuana heard virtual testimony Tuesday from nearly 100 people, some of whom questioned the proposed role for ABC. The panel has not yet voted on the legislation.

The ACLU of Virginia has opposed Virginia ABC’s proposed oversight of the new industry, arguing that the secretary of public safety who oversees the agency also oversees the state’s criminal justice system.

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