Vermont enacts cannabis, privacy, scalping laws for fiscal 2027

Cannabis Provisions Take Effect

Vermont's cannabis laws now include updated licensing timelines and local-control provisions that took effect at the start of the fiscal year. The changes let municipalities opt out of retail cannabis sales through town meeting votes. They also extend the application window for integrated licensees seeking to operate cultivation, processing, and retail facilities under a single permit.

The Vermont Cannabis Control Board confirmed the effective date in a July 1 notice to stakeholders. The licensing changes apply to applications submitted after July 1, 2026, according to the board.

Privacy Law Expands Consumer Data Rights

Vermont residents gained new rights to request deletion of personal data held by businesses under a consumer privacy statute modeled on California's framework. It applies to companies with annual revenues exceeding $25 million that process data on at least 25,000 Vermont consumers.

Covered entities must:

• Disclose data collection practices in plain language
• Honor deletion requests within 45 days
• Obtain opt-in consent for sale of sensitive personal information
• Maintain records of data-processing activities

The Vermont Attorney General's Office will enforce the statute. Civil penalties run up to $10,000 per violation.

Ticket Resale Restrictions Implemented

A new anti-scalping measure caps ticket resale markups at 10 percent above face value for events at publicly funded venues. It targets automated bot purchases and requires resale platforms to display original ticket prices alongside resale listings.

Vermont Secretary of State Sarah Copeland Hanzas said the statute addresses consumer complaints about concert and sports ticket pricing. Violations? Fines of $500 per ticket sold above the cap.

Legislative Session Wrap

The Vermont General Assembly adjourned its 2026 session in May after passing 112 bills, of which Governor Scott signed 97 and vetoed 4. Both the cannabis and privacy measures passed with veto-proof majorities in both chambers. On April 18, the House approved the cannabis licensing changes 103-42, and the Senate voted 24-6 on May 2.

Eleven bills remain under gubernatorial review with action expected by mid-July.

Implementation Timeline

State agencies have 90 days from July 1 to publish final rules implementing the new statutes. The Cannabis Control Board is scheduled to release updated licensing guidance by September 30. The Attorney General's Office will issue privacy-law compliance templates by the same date.

For full background on Vermont's evolving regulatory framework, see the CannIntel topic hub on Vermont Cannabis Laws.

The next legislative session convenes January 6, 2027. Pre-filed bills for that session are due December 15, 2026.