VermontVermont law allows larger cannabis sales and limited public events
Vermont’s cannabis law permits larger single retail sales and allows limited public sales events, while setting rules for licensed growers and renters.
What it does
Retailers may provide up to two ounces of cannabis, or the equivalent in products, in one transaction. The law also adjusts certain possession and cultivation penalties.
For a two-year pilot, the Cannabis Control Board may allow licensed retailers to sell at public events, with no more than 10 permits each year. The Board must set application rules and report whether the program should continue.
The law lowers annual fees for outdoor cultivators and makes employee licenses last two years starting July 1, 2027. The Board pays collected local license fees to municipalities yearly and may take a final administrative penalty to court for collection.
For property tax credit claims, the law counts certain federal cannabis-related deductions or credits in adjusted gross income. The tax commissioner may share records with the Cannabis Control Board to administer the cannabis excise tax.
Licensed cultivators may form cooperatives, and the Governor may make agreements with other states that have commercial cannabis markets if listed conditions are met. Rental agreements may not bar cannabis possession or use in a home, but may bar burning it on the rental premises.
Argument forLower outdoor-grower fees and cooperatives could help smaller cannabis businesses manage costs and work together.
Argument againstLarger single purchases and public sales events could make it harder to limit how much cannabis people can buy at once.
More detail
Cannabis retailers may provide up to two ounces, or the equivalent in products, in one transaction. The limit applies to a single transaction at a cannabis retailer. The summary does not give a separate effective date for these provisions.
The Cannabis Control Board may issue permits for public events where licensed retailers sell cannabis. The permits are for licensed cannabis retail establishments and sales-only public events. The Board may issue no more than 10 permits each year. The Board must set eligibility rules and adopt procedures through rulemaking. The pilot lasts two years; the summary does not state when that period starts.
The law sets licensing, fee-payment, and penalty-collection rules for cannabis businesses and municipalities. Outdoor cultivator fees are annual; employee licenses last two years. The Board pays municipalities the local license fees it collected once each year. The Board may collect a final administrative penalty by filing a civil case in Superior Court. The two-year employee-license term begins July 1, 2027.
The law changes how cannabis-related tax deductions count toward a property tax credit and allows tax records to be shared with the Cannabis Control Board. The property tax credit rule concerns federal deductions or credits a claimant would have been allowed for cannabis cultivation, testing, processing, or sales under federal law. The Commissioner of Taxes may provide records to the Board to administer the cannabis excise tax. The credit rule applies retroactively to January 1, 2025, and covers claims filed after January 1, 2026.
The law allows licensed cultivators to form cooperatives, permits certain agreements with other states, and sets rules for cannabis in rental homes. Interstate agreements concern states with commercial cannabis markets; the cooperative provision applies to licensed cannabis cultivators. The Governor may make an agreement only if a listed contingency occurs and the other state meets the law’s requirements. A rental agreement may bar burning cannabis intended for inhalation on the rental premises, but may not bar possession or use within a dwelling unit. The summary does not give separate effective dates for these provisions.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- May 29Senate Message: Signed by Governor Phil Scott June 18, 2026Latest
- May 29Signed by Governor Phil Scott on June 18, 2026Became Law
- May 29Delivered to Governor on June 12, 2026To Governor
- May 28Senate Message: House proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- May 28Rules suspended & messaged to House forthwith, on motion of Senator Baruth
- May 28As passed by Senate and HouseMajor
- May 28House proposal of amendment concurred inMinor
- May 28House proposal of amendment; textMinor
- May 28Rules suspended & taken up for immediate consideration, on motion of Senator Baruth
- May 28House proposal of amendmentMinor
- May 28Entered on Notice Calendar
- May 27House message: House passed bill in concurrence with proposal(s) of amendment
- May 27Rules suspended and bill messaged forthwith to the Senate as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
- May 27Read third time and passed in concurrence with proposal of amendmentPassed 2nd Chamber
- May 27Rules suspended and bill placed in all remaining stages of passage as moved by Rep. McCoy of Poultney
- May 27Third Reading orderedMinor
- May 27Report of Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, as amended, agreed to
- May 27Rep. Tagliavia of Corinth and Boyden of Cambridge moved to amend the report of the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, as amended, which was agreed to
- May 27Rep. Nugent of South Burlington moved to amend the report of the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, as amended, which was agreed to
- May 27Rep. Birong of Vergennes moved to amend the report of the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs, which was agreed to
- May 27Rep. Nigro of Bennington recommended for the Committee on Appropriations
- May 27Rep. Waszazak of Barre City recommended for the Committee on Ways and Means
- May 27Rep. Boyden of Cambridge reported for the Committee on Government Operations and Military Affairs
- May 27Read second timeMinor
- May 27Action Calendar: Unfinished Business
- May 26Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- May 22Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- May 19Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Rule 35(a)
- May 19Action Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- May 18Notice Calendar: Favorable with Amendment
- May 13Pending entry on Notice Calendar, referred to Committee on Ways and Means per Rule 35(a)
- Apr 1Read first time and referred to the Committee on Government Operations and Military AffairsMinor
- Mar 27Read 3rd time & passedPassed 1st Chamber
- Mar 27Pending third reading, bill amended as moved by Senator(s) VyhovskyMinor
- Mar 27Senator Vyhovsky requested & granted leave to withdraw amendment
- Mar 27Consideration resumed
- Mar 27Consideration postponed to later in the legislative day
- Mar 27Pending third reading, motion to amend bill offered by Senator(s) VyhovskyMinor
- Mar 27Pending third reading, bill amended as moved by Senator(s) ChittendenMinor
- Mar 27Recommendation of amendment to be offered by Senator(s) Chittenden
- Mar 27New Business/Third ReadingMinor
- Mar 263rd reading ordered
- Mar 26Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs, as amended, agreed to
- Mar 26Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs amended as moved by Senator Clarkson, Brock, Chittenden, Ram Hinsdale, and Weeks
- Mar 26Recommendation of amendment by Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General Affairs amended as recommended by Committee on Appropriations
- Mar 26Reported favorably by Senator Perchlik for Committee on Appropriations with recommendation of amendmentMinor
- Mar 26Reported favorably by Senator Chittenden for Committee on FinanceMinor
- Mar 26Read 2nd time, reported favorably with recommendation of amendment by Senator Ram Hinsdale for Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General AffairsMinor
- Mar 26Recommendation of amendment to be offered by Senator(s) Clarkson
- Mar 26Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Mar 26Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Mar 26Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General AffairsMinor
- Mar 26Unfinished Business/Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 25Recommendation of amendment to be offered by Senator(s) Clarkson
- Mar 25Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Mar 25Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Mar 25Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General AffairsMinor
- Mar 25Unfinished Business/Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 24Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Mar 24Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Mar 24Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General AffairsMinor
- Mar 24Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 20Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on AppropriationsMinor
- Mar 20Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Mar 20Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General AffairsMinor
- Mar 20Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 20Entered on Notice Calendar
- Mar 19Referred to Committee on Appropriations per Senate Rule 31
- Mar 19Favorable report by Committee on FinanceMinor
- Mar 19Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General AffairsMinor
- Mar 19Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 19Entered on Notice Calendar
- Mar 17Referred to Committee on Finance per Senate Rule 31
- Mar 17Favorable report with recommendation of amendment by Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General AffairsMinor
- Mar 17Second ReadingMinor
- Mar 17Entered on Notice Calendar
- Jan 21Read 1st time & referred to Committee on Economic Development, Housing and General AffairsIntroduced
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