Aird’s marijuana and hemp enforcement bill passes Virginia General Assembly, expands regulatory powers

A new bill sponsored by State Sen. Lashrecse D. Aird seeks to enhance regulation of marijuana and hemp sales by increasing penalties, introducing mandatory verification decals, and expanding law enforcement training, the Virginia State Senate reports.

The measure cleared both legislative chambers and was officially entered as of March 30, 2026, passing the House with a 66-32 vote and the Senate by 26-14.

Designated SB543 and introduced Jan. 14, 2026 during the 2026 regular session, the bill was summarized by the legislature as: “Marijuana and hemp products; enforcement.”

Below, see our analysis based on the bill text, which includes clarifications to explain its features.

Essentially, the legislation boosts enforcement for marijuana and hemp businesses by requiring a state-issued verification decal for those selling or marketing marijuana products, establishing civil fines up to $10,000 per day for those without proper decals or using fraudulent ones, permitting confiscation of unlawful cannabis items, mandating visible stop orders for unlicensed venues, and applying license loss penalties for repeated noncompliance. It introduces a QR-code-enabled verification decal, expands liability for false claims to cover certain illegal THC sales, and sets requirements for new statewide police training on cannabis and hemp to be developed by July 1, 2028.

In the House, 63 Democrats and three Republicans voted affirmatively, while 32 Republicans cast dissenting votes.

In the Senate, the bill was supported by 21 Democrats and five Republicans, with 14 Republicans opposed.

Sen. Lashrecse D. Aird (Democrat-13th District) was the sole sponsor of the legislation.

Aird earned a BA from Virginia State University in 2008.

Aird, a Democrat chosen to represent the 13th Senate district, was elected to the Virginia State Senate in 2024, succeeding former senator John Bell.

In Virginia, the legislative process starts with a bill introduced in either the House of Delegates or Senate, assigned to committee for potential revision, and if endorsed by committee, moving on to debate and vote in both chambers. A bill passed by both chambers is sent to the governor, who can sign it, veto it, or allow it to become law without signing. The General Assembly meets annually in regular session beginning the second Monday in January, with lawmakers bringing forward hundreds of bills; only a segment of these ultimately become law.

This article uses information obtained from the Virginia State Senate. The referenced source material can be found here.