Retail Cannabis, Rebate Checks, and Genetic Data
Cheers RVA!
Today will be mostly sunny with a breeze in the morning and a high of 61, with a low of 31 in the evening.
the juice:
Several thousand tax rebates were sent out by the city of Richmond with incorrect name information.
All affected checks will be cancelled and reissued and no information was compromised, according to a press release.
The payments were part of a one-time four-cent tax rebate program passed last year by city council.
The tax rate for property owners remains at $1.20 per $100 of assessed value.
the pulp:
A man was shot in killed in Whitcomb Court Tuesday night, via WTVR. There have been 12 homicides in the city so far this year, similar to the number during the same period last year.
The Attorney General of Virginia Jason Miyares is urging Virginians who have sent their genetic data to 23andMe to know their rights regarding data deletion after the company recently filed for bankruptcy and is preparing to sell its assets, via WRIC.
the dive:
While Yesterday’s newsletter highlighted some of the bills vetoed by Governor Youngkin, a total of 157 bills were ultimately vetoed just before midnight Monday night.
For the second year in a row the Governor vetoed a bill that would allow the framework for a retail cannabis market. House Bill 2485, which was identical to another bill in the senate, stated:
Establishes a framework for the creation of a retail marijuana market in the Commonwealth, to be administered by the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority. The bill allows the Authority to begin issuing all marijuana licenses on September 1, 2025, but provides that no retail sales may occur prior to May 1, 2026.
Youngkin offered an extensive explanation for the veto, saying the market would endanger Virginia’s health and safety.
States following this path have seen adverse effects on children’s and adolescent’s health and safety, increased gang activity and violent crime, significant deterioration in mental health, decreased road safety, and significant costs associated with retail marijuana that far exceed tax revenue. It also does not eliminate the illegal black-market sale of cannabis, nor guarantee product safety. Addressing the inconsistencies in enforcement and regulation in Virginia’s current laws does not justify expanding access to cannabis, following the failed paths of other states and endangering Virginians’ health and safety. Law enforcement officials from across the Commonwealth have warned that this proposal poses a serious threat to public safety, attesting to increases in crime, arrests, and DUI incidents. Our local and state law enforcement agencies lack the necessary funding and staffing to effectively manage the emergence of a cannabis industry, fueling an international drug trade dominated by organized crime.
Read the full explanation here.
the vibe:
Have a roaming day RVA!
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