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2013 SESSION

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Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

Chairman: Emmett W. Hanger, Jr.

Date of Meeting: February 14, 2013
Time and Place: Thursday, 1/2 Hr. After Adjournment, Senate Room B

H.B. 1430

Patron: Lingamfelter

Right to Farm Act. Expands the definition of agricultural operations to include the commerce of farm-to-business and farm-to-consumer sales as well as commerce in other related items. The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that an agricultural operation is in compliance with local zoning ordinances when it operates on property that is zoned agricultural. The bill contains a clause providing that the provisions of the bill shall not become effective unless reenacted by the 2014 Session of the General Assembly.

H.B. 1825

Patron: Lingamfelter

Riparian stationary blinds. Establishes time periods for a person to obtain a stationary blind license. A riparian landowner or his lessee or permittee seeking to license a riparian stationary blind that was not licensed by him the previous year may obtain a license beginning February 1 through June 15. The license would require the licensee to erect a stake or blind, to which the seasonal license plate is affixed, at the blind site by June 30 and replace any such stake with a blind by November 1.

A riparian landowner or his lessee or permittee who licensed a riparian stationary blind the previous year may obtain a license for the blind beginning February 1 through August 15. The license would require the licensee to affix the seasonal license plate to a stake or blind at the blind site by August 31 and replace any such stake with a blind by November 1.

A person seeking a nonriparian license for a stationary blind that he licensed the previous year as a nonriparian stationary blind may purchase a license beginning July 1 through August 15. The license would require the licensee to erect a stake or blind, to which the seasonal license plate is affixed, at the blind site by August 31 and replace any such stake with a blind by November 1. A stationary blind or a site not licensed posted by August 31 can be licensed as a nonriparian stationary blind by another person from September 1 through October 15, with erection of the blind required by November 1.

The bill has an effective date of January 1, 2014.

H.B. 1852

Patron: Orrock

Inspection of food establishments and labeling of foods. Exempts private homes where the resident processes and prepares certain food products, including dried fruits, dry herbs, dry seasonings, nuts, vinegars, dried pasta, dry baking mixes, and cereals, from inspection by the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS), so long as the resident processing and preparing the product affixes a label to the product that indicates the name, address, and the telephone number of the person preparing the food product and that the residence has not been inspected by the VDACS. The bill also requires a food establishment, food manufacturing plant, food storage warehouse, or retail food store to include on its product labels a statement that the facility has been inspected by the VDACS. If a label does not contain this statement, the owner of the establishment may be subject to a Class 1 misdemeanor for the misbranding of a product.

H.B. 2184

Patron: Edmunds

Trip hunting and fishing licenses. Authorizes the Board of Game and Inland Fisheries to issue trip hunting licenses to nonresidents and trip fishing licenses to residents and nonresidents for time periods and at costs determined by the Board. Current law allows nonresidents to purchase a three-day trip hunting license at a cost of $40 and a five-day trip fishing license at a cost of $10 and allows residents to purchase a five-day trip fishing license at a cost of $5.

H.B. 2190

Patron: Cosgrove

Stringency of stormwater management ordinances. Requires localities to report to the Department of Conservation and Recreation when a more stringent stormwater management ordinance or stormwater requirements are developed by the localities. Before adoption of such an ordinance, the Department is required to review the ordinance or requirement and all supporting material and determine where the requirements will prevent the degradation of water resources and address TMDL requirements. Localities are prohibited from limiting the use of best management practices approved by the Director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation or the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation Board, except under limited conditions.