Another Virginia Democrat suggested Governor Glenn Youngkin will need to approve a partisan bill that would allow the commercial sale of marijuana in order to secure key support for a bill to fund the construction of an arena for the Washington Wizards and Washington Commanders in Potomac Yards.
Virginia Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell (D-Mount Vernon) told Axios on Tuesday that he has “been very clear” with Youngkin, and explained, “if the governor would like the arena, that cannabis has to be part of the discussion.”
Surovell (pictured above, right) made the remarks in reference to SB 448 by State Senator Aaron Rouse (D-Virginia Beach), which would establish procedures for the sale of marijuana and cannabis products in retail environments. The plant was legalized in 2021, but lawmakers have yet to craft legislation governing how it can be sold to consumers.
SB 448 would create a framework for marijuana sales that is fashioned after the state’s existing regulations for alcohol.
The governor’s office referred Axios to Youngkin’s statement about marijuana in January, when the governor told reporters, “This is an area that I really don’t have any interest in.”
Surovell’s requirement for Youngkin to allow SB 448 to pass comes after State Senator L. Louise Lucas (D-Portsmouth) made two key demands for Youngkin to successfully bring the professional sports teams to Virginia.
Lucas, who has derisively referred to the arena project as the “Glenn Dome” and vocally opposes it, first said she would not consider the arena until the General Assembly or Youngkin administration delivers toll relief to residents in Hampton Roads.
Youngkin reportedly offered Lucas about three times more funding for toll relief than she previously requested, with the governor agreeing to the funding in exchange for Lucas’ support for the arena project, but the current status of the offer is unknown.
Lucas has additionally demanded Youngkin allow her bill to create a $15 per hour minimum wage by 2026 to become law. In a post to X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, the senator predicted that Democrats would end all cooperation with Youngkin unless the minimum wage bill passed.
The governor’s office previously referred The Virginia Star to Youngkin’s comments dismissing the need for a minimum wage increase as unnecessary due to market forces naturally raising wages.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and The Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Scott A. Surovell” by Scott A. Surovell. Background Photo “Virginia Capitol’ by Ron Cogswell. CC BY 2.0.
