Virginia Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) reached a compromise with state lawmakers to add provisions legalizing the commercial cultivation and sale of adult-use cannabis to the state budget. WTOP reports.

Under the agreement, adult-use sales will begin on July 1, 2027. The industry will initially be taxed at 6%, rising to 8% in 2029, and local governments will be able to levy an additional tax on cannabis of between 1% and 3.5%.

Governor last month vetoed a cannabis sales proposal sent to her desk by lawmakers, despite a campaign promise to support the establishment of legal sales. Spanberger had initially requested changes to the proposal, but lawmakers instead sent their original proposal back for reconsideration, which she rejected.

“In the end, we all wanted to provide a market that the Commonwealth could effectively implement over the long term. We’ve always had the same end goal, an end goal that’s been years in the making.” – Spanberger, at a press conference

The vetoed legislation would have launched the adult-use market on Jan. 1, 2027, but lawmakers settled on the governor’s delayed start date. The agreement includes a total of 350 cannabis business licenses, although the governor’s proposal had reduced the number of licenses to 200.

The sales agreement also creates a new $250 fine for public consumption of cannabis, although the governor had proposed making the offense a Class 4 misdemeanor, the report said.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled last week that the ballot question seeking to overturn the Commonwealth’s 2016 adult cannabis law will be sent to voters. NBC Boston reports. The proposal was opposed by some participants in the state’s social equity program, who argued that Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell’s summary of the initiative left out key details and that she should not have certified the measure because it contains unrelated policy sections.

Justice Bessie Dewar, writing for the court, rejected the plaintiff’s arguments and ruled that Campbell “did not err in certifying the petition on any of the grounds asserted and that her summary of the petition is fair.”

“The Attorney General argues that the various parts of the petition all relate to the common goal of restricting the use of recreational marijuana through a new, integrated scheme to regulate marijuana. We agree and are not persuaded by plaintiffs’ arguments to the contrary.” – Dewar, on the decision, via NBC Boston

of final summary endorsed by Campbell says:

“The proposed law would change the type and amount of marijuana that can be legally possessed in Massachusetts by repealing laws that legalize, regulate, and tax the retail sale of marijuana for adult recreational use in Massachusetts. The proposed law would also allow persons 21 and older to possess 1 ounce or less of marijuana and no more than 5 grams of marijuana to transfer another gift Person 21 or older 1 ounce or less marijuana, including no more than 5 grams in concentrate form. The proposed law would also impose a $100 civil fine and forfeiture of marijuana for possession of between 1 and 2 grams of marijuana for youths who are 21. less marijuana a civil offense subject to a $100 fine, forfeiture of the marijuana, completion of a drug awareness program, and community service to their parents or legal guardian for the offense and fines The proposed law would allow adult recreational marijuana businesses to currently apply on an expedited medical basis to become their own expedited license The proposed law would retain the Cannabis Control Commission to regulate only the medical marijuana market.

According to a Bay State poll from the University of New Hampshire released in February, a majority – 63% – of Massachusetts residents oppose efforts to end adult sales in the state. The poll found that 20% supported the measure.