Photo: Virginia State Capitol Building, Wikimedia user Skip Plitt via CC BY-SA 3.0
The Virginia General Assembly adjourned sine die on February 22. It is scheduled to reconvene April 2 to address actions the governor may take on legislation sent to him. The governor can sign the bill if he approves it, and the bill becomes law; he can veto it by returning the bill with his objections to the house in which the bill originated; or he can return it to the house in which the bill originated with specific recommended amendments. The legislators can override the governor’s veto and object to or adopt recommended amendments. The available options are outlined in Virginia Constitution.
There are several bills that we hope will become law:
Budget Bill Item 367, Nesting area for seabirds: The governor included $4.4 million to create a permanent nesting area for 25,000 seabirds that had moved to a temporary location due to construction on the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Project. None of the House or Senate budget amendments modified this provision, so it appears likely to be included in the final budget.
HB 1941 and SB 1166, Invasive plant signage for retail sales: Both the House and Senate bills require retail establishments selling certain invasive plants to post conspicuous signs identifying the plants as invasive, educating consumers regarding invasive plant species, and encouraging consumers to ask about alternatives. The bills would require that the signs be posted as of January 1, 2027. It remains to be seen whether the Governor will veto the bills as he did last year.
HB 2630 and SB 2638, Tree canopy fund: Both bills passed without amendment in both houses. They allow local governments to set requirements for the replacement of trees that are cut down during development. They also allow local governments to establish a tree canopy fund to collect, maintain, and distribute fees collected from developers that cannot provide for full tree canopy requirements where the development project is situated. The governor may sign, amend, or veto the bills.
There are several bills we had hopes for that failed, including HB 2059, the Great American Outdoors Act, which would have funneled money to parks.
To learn more, visit the Virginia Conservation Network, and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation.
Stay tuned!