Water contaminant bills report out of subcommittee
Two bills seeking to study and address certain chemical contaminants in Virginia’s drinking water have survived their first subcommittee hearings and will now move forward to the full committee. Both bills attempt to focus on the growing concern over the threats of PFAS chemicals, which is the colloquial term for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. These […]
Drone bills generating a buzz in subcommittee
VACo supports a bill that reverses some of the restrictions placed on local governments regarding the use of unmanned aerial systems (UAS), which are also known as drones. The bill advanced out of a House subcommittee. HB 742 (Bulova) restores some authority to political subdivisions to regulate the use of UAS. Specifically, the bill allows […]
Bill mandating localities develop plans for transit-oriented development moves forward to next stop
HB 585 (Guzman), which requires transit-oriented development (TOD) in comprehensive plans, passed in House Counties, Cities and Towns Committee’s Land Use Subcommittee on a 4 to 3 vote. TOD is a type of urban development that maximizes the amount of residential, commercial and public space within walking distance of public transportation, typically in the form […]
Urban fertilizer program bill moves to full Senate
By unanimous votes, Senator Monty Mason’s SB 849 has passed both the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee and the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee and will now head to the full Senate for consideration. SB 849 (Mason) authorizes local governments to enter into agreements with the Commissioner of the Virginia Department of Agriculture […]
School employee mental health training bills modified to reduce burden on teachers and localities
On January 20, the Pre-K-12 Subcommittee of the House Education Committee met and considered several pieces of mental health training legislation, which as originally written, could have imposed onerous training requirements on public school staff and resulted in additional unfunded mandates. To varying degrees in their original forms, HB 74 (Kory), HB 716 (Reid), and […]
After years of failure, fracking ban finally advances out of committee
A bill seeking to ban hydraulic fracturing, better known as “fracking,” in certain parts of the Commonwealth has passed the Senate Agriculture, Conservation, and Natural Resources Committee and is slated to be heard by the full Senate. SB 106 (Surovell) seeks to prohibit fracking in the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area in an effort to […]
Tree preservation bill reports to the House
HB 520 (Bulova), which directs the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) to convene a stakeholder advisory group for the purpose of studying the planting or preservation of trees as a land cover type and as a stormwater best management practice (BMP), has passed out of the House Agriculture, Chesapeake, and Natural Resources Committee and will […]
Local lobbying registration bill fails
A bill seeking to create new disclosure requirements and a registration system for local government lobbying has failed for the year. SB 383 (McPike) sought to require any paid lobbyists who are working to influence or attempt to influence any local government officer or employee (defined as any person appointed or elected to any local […]
Goat grazing bill stricken for the year
Legislation seeking to authorize local governments to use goat herds for “flash grazing” to control overgrowth along stream banks has been stricken for the year at the request of the patron. SB 648 (Boysko) allowed a local government that procures and utilizes goats for the temporary grazing of stream buffers to remain in compliance with […]
Visit Roanoke County and the McAfee Knob
As one of the most photographed spots on the Appalachian Trail, McAfee Knob in the Roanoke Valley in Virginia’s Blue Ridge is on the bucket list for hikers from around the world. With its stunning, 270-degree panoramic views of the surrounding valley and mountains, along with its signature ledge that has become a popular place […]
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Budget amendments introduced at VACo’s request
VACo worked with legislators to introduce a package of budget amendments to address several priority items for local governments. The deadline for member amendments was Friday, January 10. Amendments were posted online on Thursday, January 16, and the Senate Finance and Appropriations Committee heard presentations from patrons that afternoon; the House Appropriations Committee is planning […]
Bill freezing BPOL rates fails in House Finance Subcommittee
Members of House Finance Committee’s Subcommittee #2 expressed sympathy with the intent of HB 948 (Webert), which would have prohibited localities imposing license taxes (BPOL) from increasing their rates beyond the rate imposed as of January 1, 2020, and barred any locality not currently imposing BPOL taxes from doing so in the future. However, subcommittee […]
Public employee collective bargaining legislation and other measures seek to transform employee/employer relations
As the deadline to file all bills and joint resolutions passed on Friday, January 17, several bills await discussion in committee with the potential to significantly change the nature of public employer/employee relationships across the Commonwealth. Some of the most impactful of these bills concern collective bargaining and public employees’ ability to strike. Collective bargaining […]
VACo opposes bill to cap liens for unpaid water and sewer bills
SB 826 (McDougle) proposes a dollar limit on the lien a locality may place on real estate for unpaid water and sewer bills of tenants or lessees. Under current law such lien may be “up to three months of delinquent water and sewer charges.” The bill as introduced proposes to cap that amount at $200. […]
Problematic stormwater fee waiver bill introduced
A troubling stormwater bill that has been defeated numerous times in previous years has been refiled for the 2020 session. SB 1067 (Kiggans) provides that localities shall provide for full waivers of certain stormwater charges for public use airport runways and taxiways. VACo has concerns with this legislation. Such an exemption will have a severe […]