Governor Spanberger issues vetoes, including marijuana marketplace and prescription drug affordability board

RICHMOND, Va. (WDBJ) - Governor Spanberger issued several vetoes Tuesday, May 19, including a marijuana marketplace and prescription drug affordability board, according to the Office of Governor Abigail Spanberger.

House Bill 642 and Senate Bill 542, establishing a framework for the creation of a marijuana marketplace were vetoed.

“I share the General Assembly’s goal of establishing a safe, legal, and well-regulated cannabis retail marketplace in the Commonwealth. Virginians deserve a system that replaces the illicit cannabis market with one that prioritizes our children’s health and safety, public safety, product integrity, and accountability.”  

“As Virginia pursues a legal retail market, it is critical that we incorporate lessons learned by other states and ensure that our regulatory framework is fully prepared to provide strong oversight from day one. That includes clear enforcement authority and sufficient resources for compliance, testing, and inspections, and robust tools to crack down on bad actors who continue to profit from the illicit market.”  

“I greatly appreciate the patrons’ time crafting this important piece of legislation as well as our continued dialogue and collaboration to strengthen this framework ahead of the next legislative session. I remain committed to working with members of the General Assembly, stakeholders, and law enforcement to get this right.” Governor Spanberger said.

The governor also vetoed prescription drug affordability board legislation: House Bill 483 and Senate Bill 271.

“I share and appreciate the General Assembly’s commitment to lowering prescription drug costs for Virginians. During this past General Assembly session, the legislature took important steps toward lowering healthcare costs by passing bills to hold pharmacy benefit managers accountable and to require health insurance carriers to offer plans that cap monthly out-of-pocket costs for drugs. I was proud to sign these critical bills into law. However, I am vetoing HB483 and SB271 because evidence from other states clearly show that Prescription Drug Affordability Boards (“PDABs”) do not achieve this goal. They are expensive undertakings that other states have either repealed or are considering repealing due to costs and ineffectiveness."

“As such, I offered amendments to the General Assembly that would have directed the Prescription Drug Affordability Advisory Panel to study a reference-based pricing system before the state spends millions of dollars on implementation. My amendments also would have required greater drug pricing transparency for consumers and policymakers, providing new data to give insight into drivers of out-of-pocket costs in Virginia. Lastly, my amendments would have expanded the Attorney General’s investigatory and enforcement authority to crack down on anticompetitive behavior between pharmaceutical manufacturers and insurance carriers.”  

“Unfortunately, the General Assembly rejected these amendments. I look forward to partnering with the General Assembly on proposals that will reduce the cost of prescription drugs for Virginians across the Commonwealth.” Governor Spanberger said.

“I am grateful to every member of the General Assembly for their efforts during this legislative session. Together, we’ve taken historic action to expand paid family and medical leave to more than three million hardworking Virginians, cap the out-of-pocket cost of insulin, and enact bipartisan legislation to address the rising cost of healthcare, housing, and energy,” said Governor Abigail Spanberger. “With the chaos out of Washington continuing to raise prices and create uncertainty for families and businesses alike, we have shown Virginians that we can deliver to make our communities safer, stronger, and more affordable for all.”

Governor Spanberger continued, “I support the intent of many of the bills I am vetoing, however, it is my responsibility as Governor to make sure all new laws can be successfully implemented and protect against unintended consequences that harm Virginians. I look forward to continuing to work with bill patrons, state and local leaders, and advocates on legislation addressing these issues in the future.”

Click here for the full list of vetoed bills.