SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2024 SESSION

  • print version
Senate Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

Chair: David W. Marsden

Clerk: Michael Jackson,Ashleigh Hynst
Staff: Nathan Smith
Date of Meeting: January 16, 2024
Time and Place: 30 mins. after adj. / Senate Room A (305) - GAB
Update: SB269 added to the docket

S.B. 3

Patron: Stuart

State Air Pollution Control Board; regulations; low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle standards. Repeals the State Air Pollution Control Board's authority to implement low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle standards that apply for vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 10.1-1307 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal § 10.1-1307.05 of the Code of Virginia, relating to State Air Pollution Control Board; regulations; low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle standards.

24100257D

S.B. 11

Patron: Favola

Cruelty to animals; possession and ownership of animals. Provides that any person convicted of felony cruelty to animals may be prohibited by the court from possession or ownership of animals for life and any person convicted of misdemeanor cruelty to animals may be prohibited by the court from possession or ownership of animals for a period of up to five years. Under current law, such prohibition is limited to companion animals and a period equal to the statutory maximum period of incarceration.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 3.2-6570 of the Code of Virginia, relating to cruelty to animals; possession and ownership of animals.

24100480D

S.B. 17

Patron: Stanley

Motor sports facilities; historic landmark designation; enterprise zone. Designates all motor sports facilities, as defined in relevant law, in the Commonwealth as Virginia Historic Landmarks and as enterprise zones.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 10.1-2206.3 and 59.1-542.1, relating to motor sports facilities; historic landmark designation; enterprise zone.

24100495D

S.B. 25

Patron: Hackworth

Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program; allocation of funds. Removes the prohibition on the allocation of funds to the Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program unless federal funds are available in an amount that would cover the entire cost of such an allocation.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 45.2-1725 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Virginia Brownfield and Coal Mine Renewable Energy Grant Fund and Program; allocation of funds.

24103761D

S.B. 31

Patron: Stanley

Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Program and Fund established. Establishes the Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Program and Fund to reimburse participating veterinarians for the surgical sterilizations they perform on eligible cats or dogs. The bill provides that a surcharge of $50 per ton of pet food distributed in the Commonwealth be deposited in the Fund and such pet food be exempted from the existing litter tax. An animal will be eligible for sterilization under the Program if it is a feral or free-roaming cat or is owned by a low-income individual or a releasing agency such as an animal shelter.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 3.2-6500 and 58.1-1708 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 3.2-6504.2, 3.2-6504.3, 3.2-6504.4, and 58.1-1707.1, relating to Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Program and Fund established.

24102050D

S.B. 53

Patron: McDougle

State Air Pollution Control Board; motor vehicle emissions standards. Repeals the requirement that the State Air Pollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later. The bill prohibits the Board from adopting or enforcing any model year standards related to control of emissions from new motor vehicles or new motor vehicle engines, including low-emission vehicle and zero-emission vehicle standards pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act and prohibits the Commonwealth from requiring any new motor vehicle or new motor vehicle engine to be certified as compliant with model year standards related to the control of emissions adopted by California for which a waiver has been granted pursuant to the federal Clean Air Act.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 10.1-1307 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal § 10.1-1307.05 of the Code of Virginia and the second, third, fourth, and fifth enactments of Chapter 263 of the Acts of Assembly of 2021, Special Session I, relating to the State Air Pollution Control Board; motor vehicle emissions standards.

24101343D

S.B. 93

Patron: Stanley

Local animal cruelty registries. Allows any locality to establish an animal cruelty registry for public access on the website of such locality or its local police department. The bill provides that such registry may include the names and relevant information of persons convicted of certain felony offenses for animal cruelty and that a person on such registry may request removal of his name after 15 years, provided that he has no additional felony convictions of an animal cruelty offense. The bill directs that all costs relating to a locality's animal cruelty registry shall be borne by such locality.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 9 of Chapter 65 of Title 3.2 a section numbered 3.2-6573.1, relating to local animal cruelty registries.

24104230D

S.B. 160

Patron: McGuire

State Air Pollution Control Board; regulations; low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle standards. Repeals the State Air Pollution Control Board's authority to implement low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle standards that apply for vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 10.1-1307 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal § 10.1-1307.05 of the Code of Virginia, relating to State Air Pollution Control Board; regulations; low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle standards.

24102940D

S.B. 266

Patron: DeSteph

Animal control officers; additional training. Increases the number of hours of required additional training in animal control and protection from 15 to 24 every three years for all animal control officers and deputy animal control officers employed by a locality.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 3.2-6556 of the Code of Virginia, relating to animal control officers; additional training.

24101302D

S.B. 267

Patron: DeSteph

Local wetlands boards; permit application approval. Changes the standard for approval of a wetlands permit application from three members of a five-member wetlands board or four members of a seven-member wetlands board to a simple majority of those board members present and voting. The bill also changes the standard for approval of a coastal primary sand dune permit application from three members of a five-member wetlands board or four members of a seven-member wetlands board to a simple majority of a quorum of such board. The bill requires certain localities to amend the related ordinances to conform to the provisions of the bill no later than January 1, 2025.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 28.2-1302 and 28.2-1403 of the Code of Virginia, relating to local wetlands boards; permit application approval.

24104507D

S.B. 268

Patron: DeSteph

Marine Resources Commission; permits; public notice. Requires the Commissioner of Marine Resources to ensure that for any project under consideration for a Commission issued permit the Commission sends public notice electronically to any business, residence, or civic organization that has requested to be added to the Commission's public notice email list.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 28.2-104 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Marine Resources Commission; permits; public notice.

24102054D

S.B. 269

Patron: DeSteph

General oyster-planting ground leases; riparian assignments; Marine Resources Commission. Directs the Marine Resources Commission to not issue or renew any private leases for general oyster-planting grounds in the Commonwealth on or after July 1, 2024, and to promulgate regulations to conform to the provisions of the bill. The bill returns any general oyster-planting grounds that are unassigned or currently leased by the Commission to public oyster rocks, beds, and shoals that are unassignable to any person for private use but does not curtail the length of time remaining on existing leases.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 28.2-528, 28.2-541, 28.2-600, 28.2-601, 28.2-602, 28.2-627.1, 28.2-628, 28.2-630, 28.2-631, 28.2-634, 28.2-640, 28.2-641, and 28.2-826 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal § 28.2-517, Article 2 (§§ 28.2-603 through 28.2-622) of Chapter 6 of Title 28.2, and §§ 28.2-623, 28.2-625, and 28.2-627 of the Code of Virginia, relating to general oyster-planting ground leases; riparian assignments; Marine Resources Commission.

24100687D

S.B. 289

Patron: Roem

Stormwater management regulations; enterprise data center operations. Directs the State Water Control Board to adopt regulations that require certain stormwater management techniques for land disturbances related to the construction, expansion, or operation of an enterprise data center operation, as defined in the bill, that is located within one mile of any land owned or operated as a unit of the National Park Service or designated as a Virginia State Park or state forest.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 62.1-44.15:28, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, of the Code of Virginia, relating to stormwater management regulations; enterprise data center operations.

24101542D

S.B. 298

Patron: French

Tax credit for purchase of conservation tillage and precision agricultural application equipment; sunset date. Extends the sunset date of the individual and corporate tax credit for purchase of conservation tillage and precision agricultural application equipment from January 1, 2026, to January 1, 2030.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 58.1-337 and 58.1-436 of the Code of Virginia, relating to tax credit for purchase of conservation tillage and precision agricultural application equipment; sunset date.

24102322D

S.B. 299

Patron: French

Board of Conservation and Recreation; Cave Board; repeal. Repeals provisions relating to the establishment of the Cave Board and transfers the duties of the Cave Board to the Board of Conservation and Recreation. The bill also changes from 12 members to 13 members the membership of the Board of Conservation and Recreation and requires at least one appointment made by the Governor to the Board of Conservation and Recreation to be based on a person's knowledge of and activity in the conservation, exploration, study, and management of caves.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 10.1-105, 10.1-107, and 10.1-1000 of the Code of Virginia and to repeal §§ 10.1-1001 and 10.1-1002 of the Code of Virginia, relating to Board of Conservation and Recreation; Cave Board; repeal.

24102578D

S.B. 306

Patron: Salim

Invasive plant species; retail sales; civil penalty. Requires, for the retail sale of any invasive plant species for outdoor use on a list established by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, such plant be accompanied by conspicuous signage that identifies the plant as invasive. The bill requires the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to designate the format, size, and content of such signage no later than October 1, 2024, and requires the Commissioner to issue a stop sale order and mark or tag a plant in a conspicuous manner when an invasive plant is for sale at a retail outlet without appropriate signage. In such case, the bill requires the Commissioner to give written notice of a finding made to the owner, tenant, or person in charge of such retail outlet and requires the stop sale order issued to remain in effect until the required signage is posted. Any person who violates the provisions of the bill is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $500.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 10.1-104.6:2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to invasive plant species; retail sales; civil penalty.

24102212D

S.B. 329

Patron: Surovell


Compost and other products containing organic soil amendments infrastructure; civil penalty. Requires the Department of General Services, whenever purchasing compost or other products containing organic soil amendments for use by state agencies, to use competitive sealed bidding and to award the contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder offering compost produced in Virginia unless the bid price is more than four percent greater than the bid price of the lowest responsive and responsible bidder offering such products produced elsewhere. The bill allows the governing body of a locality to give preference to compost or other products containing organic soil amendments produced within such locality in the case of a tie bid. The bill also provides that any locality may by ordinance require that certain generators, as defined in the bill, of large quantities of organic waste separate the organic waste from other solid waste and ensure that the organic waste is diverted from final disposal in a refuse disposal system. The ordinance may require that generators divert organic waste from final disposal in a refuse disposal system by any of a variety of specified waste diversion activities. The ordinance may also establish civil penalties for violations of the ordinance, but a locality shall first issue a warning to a generator that violates the ordinance. Finally, the bill expresses that it is the intent of the General Assembly that new public school buildings and facilities and improvements and renovations to existing public school buildings and facilities include waste disposal infrastructure, as defined in the bill.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding sections numbered 2.2-4328.3 and 15.2-937.1 and by adding in Article 3 of Chapter 9 of Title 22.1 a section numbered 22.1-141.3, relating to compost and other products containing organic soil amendments infrastructure; civil penalty.

24104350D

S.B. 342

Patron: Stuart

Virginia Waste Management Board; open burning of solid wastes; transportation of vegetative waste. Requires the Virginia Waste Management Board to amend regulations to allow for vegetative waste to be transported to another location for destruction if it is impractical or unsafe to destroy such waste on the premises of private property.

A BILL to require the Virginia Waste Management Board to amend regulations for open burning of solid wastes; transportation of vegetative waste.

24101948D

S.B. 365

Patron: DeSteph

Regulated land-disturbing activities; submission and approval of erosion and sediment control plan. Prohibits a person from engaging in any land-disturbing activity until, where Virginia Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (VPDES) permit coverage is required, the Virginia Erosion and Sediment Control Program (VESCP) authority has obtained evidence of such permit coverage from the Department of Environmental Quality's online reporting system prior to issuing its land-disturbance approval. Current law requires the VESCP authority to obtain such evidence of VPDES permit coverage prior to approving an erosion and sediment control plan.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 62.1-44.15:55, as it shall become effective, of the Code of Virginia, relating to regulated land-disturbing activities; submission and approval of erosion and sediment control plan.

24102266D

S.B. 372

Patrons: Ebbin, Stuart

Combined sewer overflow outfalls; compliance with regulations; Chesapeake Bay Watershed. Extends from July 1, 2025, to July 1, 2026, the date by which certain combined sewer overflow (CSO) outfalls that discharge into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed must be in compliance with Virginia law, the federal Clean Water Act, and the Presumption Approach described in the EPA CSO Control Policy, unless a higher level of control is necessary to comply with a total maximum daily load.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 3 and 4 of Chapter 826 and §§ 3 and 4 of Chapter 827 of the Acts of Assembly of 2017, relating to combined sewer overflow outfalls; compliance with regulations; Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

24101406D