2014 SESSION

Convened January 8, 2014
Adjourned sine die March 8, 2014
Reconvened April 23, 2014
Adjourned sine die April 23, 2014

AGRICULTURE, ANIMAL CARE AND FOOD

(P) Passed (F) Failed (V) Vetoed (I) Incoporated into other legislation

(C) Carried over to 2015 Session

Agricultural operations; local regulation of certain activities, provisions shall not affect certain licensed entities, etc., or alter certain provisions, On-Farm Activities Working Group continued. Adding § 15.2-2288.6. (Patron-Orrock, HB 268 (Chapter 494); Stuart, SB 51 (Chapter 153))

Agricultural operations; protects customary agritourism activities from local bans in absence of substantial impacts on public welfare and requires localities to take certain factors into account when regulating. Adding § 15.2-2288.5. (Patron-Pogge, HB 71 (F))

Animal Cruelty Registry; requires Superintendent of State Police to establish and maintain for public access on website of Department of State Police. Adding § 3.2-6573.1. (Patron-Stanley, SB 32 (C))

Animal fighting; Class 6 felony when money is wagered or paid for admission to certain premises, dog, coyote, or fox placed into an enclosed or fenced area. Amending § 3.2-6571. (Patron-Albo, HB 1188 (F))

Animal shelters; definitions. Amending §§ 3.2-6500, 3.2-6502, 3.2-6503, 3.2-6504, 3.2-6510, 3.2-6522, 3.2-6523, 3.2-6534, 3.2-6535, 3.2-6545, 3.2-6546, 3.2-6548 through 3.2-6551, 3.2-6557, 18.2-144.2, 54.1-3423, and 54.1-3801. (Patron-Orrock, HB 1067 (Chapter 148))

Companion animals; establishes fund to reimburse participating veterinarians for surgical sterilizations they perform on eligible cats or dogs. Amending §§ 3.2-6500 and 58.1-1708; adding §§ 3.2-6504.1, 3.2-6504.2, 3.2-6504.3, and 58.1-1707.1. (Patron-Stanley, SB 622 (C))

Constitutional amendment; right to acquire farm-produced food (first reference). Adding Section 16-A in Article I. (Patron-Cline, HJR 170 (F))

Coyotes; Departments of Game and Inland Fisheries and of Agriculture and Consumer Services shall work cooperatively to provide information and promote programs in assisting with control concerns. (Patron-Cline, HB 988 (Chapter 429))

Dogs; killing or injuring livestock or poultry, duty of animal control officer or other officer to seize or kill dog committing whether bears a tag or not. Amending § 3.2-6552. (Patron-McClellan, HB 740 (Chapter 137))

Farm brewery licenses, limited; Board of Alcoholic Beverage Control may grant to breweries that manufacture no more than 15,000 barrels of beer per calendar year, provisions, locality may exempt any licensed brewery from certain local regulations. Amending § 4.1-208; adding § 15.2-2288.3:1. (Patron-Watkins, SB 430 (Chapter 365))

Forestry, Virginia Department of; commemorating 100 years of service. (Patron-Edmunds, HJR 14 (P))

Fox hunting; establishes special license for hunting on horseback with hounds but without firearms, special license shall not be required of any person holding required hunting license. Amending § 29.1-300.1; adding § 29.1-305.2. (Patron-Stuart, SB 145 (Chapter 798))

Fox or coyote; Class 1 misdemeanor for any person to erect, maintain, or operate an enclosure for purpose of pursuing, hunting, etc., with dogs, regulations governing foxhound training preserves. Adding § 29.1-525.2. (Patron-Marsden, SB 42 (Chapter 605))

Game and Inland Fisheries, Board of; changes criteria for appointments, members shall be knowledgeable about wildlife conservation, hunting, agriculture, forestry, etc., each Department region shall be represented. Amending § 29.1-102. (Patron-Scott, HB 1121 (Chapter 592))

Grass cutting; makes current provisions applicable statewide for all localities, no such ordinance shall be applicable to land zoned for or in active farming operation. Amending §§ 15.2-901 and 15.2-1215. (Patron-Farrell, HB 177 (Chapter 385))

Home-produced or farm-produced products; sale of products by farm operation employing 10 or fewer people or by private home. Amending §§ 3.2-5101, 3.2-5130, 3.2-5206, 28.2-803, and 32.1-12. (Patron-Bell, Robert B., HB 135 (F); Black, SB 176 (F))

Hunting dogs and other animals; no hunter shall retrieve animal from property without first making good faith effort to obtain permission from landowner. Amending § 18.2-136. (Patron-Garrett, SB 13 (F))

Hybrid canines; any locality, may by ordinance, prohibit keeping of such canines. Amending §§ 3.2-6581 and 3.2-6582. (Patron-Norment, SB 444 (Chapter 461))

Land use permits; permits issued by VDOT to person providing utility service solely for their own agricultural or residential use. Amending § 2.2-1151.1. (Patron-Fariss, HB 560 (Chapter 277))

Livestock or poultry; compensation owner is entitled to receive for those killed or injured by dogs and hybrid canines not to exceed $750. Amending §§ 3.2-6553 and 3.2-6584. (Patron-Hodges, HB 54 (Chapter 116); McDougle, SB 432 (Chapter 160))

Motor vehicle sales and use tax; exempts motor vehicles sold to certain nonprofits that use vehicle primarily for transporting produce purchased from local farmers to markets for sale. Amending § 58.1-2403. (Patron-Hester, HB 1108 (Chapter 243))

Pet dealers; pet shop operating in the Commonwealth shall post in a conspicuous place on or near cage of any dog or cat available for sale breeder’s name, USDA license member, etc., reimbursement of certain veterinary fees when consumer returns or retains a diseased dog or cat, etc., animals infected with parvovirus. Amending §§ 3.2-6512, 3.2-6514, and 3.2-6515. (Patron-Petersen, SB 228 (Chapter 448))

Protective orders; court may include provisions prohibiting harm to a companion animal. Amending §§ 16.1-253, 16.1-253.1, 16.1-253.4, 16.1-279.1, 19.2-152.8, 19.2-152.9, and 19.2-152.10. (Patron-Watts, HB 624 (I) See HB972)

Protective orders; person or petitioner issued possession of companion animal, if they meet definition of owner. Amending §§ 16.1-253, 16.1-253.1, 16.1-253.4, 16.1-279.1, 19.2-152.8, 19.2-152.9, and 19.2-152.10. (Patron-Cline, HB 972 (Chapter 346))

Right to Farm Act; restoration of certain provisions. Amending § 3.2-301. (Patron-Edwards, SB 5 (Chapter 246))

Service dog; expands definition to include dogs trained to assist persons suffering from physical, sensory, intellectual, developmental, or mental disability or mental illness. Amending §§ 3.2-6528, 51.5-40 through 51.5-42, 51.5-44, and 51.5-45. (Patron-Reeves, SB 177 (Chapter 616))

State forest activity fee; Department of Forestry to promulgate emergency regulations to establish. Amending § 10.1-1152. (Patron-Fariss, HB 858 (Chapter 141))

Waste kitchen grease; persons transporting to conspicuously display decal issued by Commissioner on exterior of any vehicle used for such purpose. Amending § 3.2-5512. (Patron-Wilt, HB 795 (Chapter 241); Vogel, SB 614 (Chapter 114))

Zoning; clarifies definition of agricultural products, provisions shall become effective on January 1, 2015. Amending § 15.2-2288. (Patron-Morris, HB 1089 (Chapter 435))