Agriculture Animal Care And Food
Virginia 2021 Special I
Dangerous dogs; restructures procedure for adjudication, penalty. [SB-1135]
Dangerous dogs; procedure for adjudication; penalty. Restructures the procedure for adjudication of a dog as a dangerous dog to provide for (i) written notice by an animal control officer to the owner of the dog that he has applied for a summons, and a prohibition on disposal of the dog by the owner for 30 days; (ii) the issuance of a summons with an option rather than a requirement that the officer confine the dog, a prohibition on the disposal of the dog other than by euthanasia, and an authorization for the court to compel the implanting of electronic
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Sponsored by: Sen. Dave Marsden
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0464) on 03/31/2021
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Gettr Virginia 2021 Special I
Local Food and Farming Infrastructure Grant Program; established. [HB-2068]
Local Food and Farming Infrastructure Grant Program. Establishes the Local Food and Farming Infrastructure Grant Program and authorizes the Governor to award grants to political subdivisions from the Governor's Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund as part of the Program. Such grants, in amounts up to $25,000, shall be awarded on a competitive basis to support infrastructure development projects that support local food production and sustainable farming. The bill directs the Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry to develop guidelines
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Sponsored by: Rep. Betsy Carr
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0185) on 03/18/2021
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Virginia 2021 Special I
Virginia Agriculture Food Assistance Program and Fund; established and created. [HB-2203]
Virginia Agriculture Food Assistance Program and Fund; established. Requires the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services (the Commissioner) to establish the Virginia Agriculture Food Assistance Program (VAFA Program) for Virginia farmers and food producers to donate, sell, or otherwise provide agriculture products to charitable food assistance organizations. The bill also creates the Virginia Agriculture Food Assistance Fund to disburse moneys to such charitable food assistance organizations to reimburse farmers or food producers for any
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Sponsored by: Rep. Kathleen Murphy
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0332) on 03/24/2021
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Virginia 2021 Special I
Pet shops, dealers, and dog breeders; employees convicted of animal abuse, penalty. [SB-1412]
Pet shops, dealers, and dog breeders; employees convicted of animal cruelty; penalty. Prohibits any person from serving as an owner, director, officer, manager, operator, member of staff, or animal caregiver for a pet shop, dealer, or commercial dog breeder if such person has been convicted of animal cruelty. The bill prohibits pet shops from selling or giving for adoption a dog without first obtaining a signed statement from the purchaser or adopter that such person has never been convicted of animal cruelty. A violation of any such requirement
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Sponsored by: Sen. William Stanley
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0339) on 03/24/2021
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Virginia 2021 Special I
Marijuana; legalization of simple possession, etc. [SB-1406]
Marijuana; legalization; retail sales; penalties. Eliminates criminal penalties for simple possession of up to one ounce of marijuana by persons 21 years of age or older, modifies several other criminal penalties related to marijuana, and imposes limits on dissemination of criminal history record information related to certain marijuana offenses. The bill creates the Virginia Cannabis Control Authority (the Authority), the Cannabis Oversight Commission, the Cannabis Public Health Advisory Council, the Cannabis Equity Reinvestment Board and Fund,
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Sponsored by: Sen. Adam Ebbin
Enacted, Chapter 550 (effective - See Bill) on 04/07/2021
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Virginia 2021 Special I
Produce safety; removes the sunset date. [SB-1194]
Produce safety; sunset. Removes the sunset date for Chapter 51.1 (§ 3.2-5146 et seq.) of Title 3.2 on produce safety, which was enacted in 2017 and set to expire upon the effective date of the repeal of certain federal regulations or on July 1, 2022, whichever occurs sooner. The chapter will still expire upon the effective date of the repeal of such federal regulations that require the provisions of Chapter 51.1 to exist.
Sponsored by: Sen. Mark Obenshain
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0032) on 02/25/2021
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Virginia 2021 Special I
Virginia Agriculture Food Assistance Program and Fund; established and created. [SB-1188]
Virginia Agriculture Food Assistance Program and Fund; established. Requires the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services (the Commissioner) to establish the Virginia Agriculture Food Assistance Program (VAFA Program) for Virginia farmers and food producers to donate, sell, or otherwise provide agriculture products to charitable food assistance organizations. The bill also creates the Virginia Agriculture Food Assistance Fund to disburse moneys to such charitable food assistance organizations to reimburse farmers or food producers for any
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Sponsored by: Sen. Jennifer McClellan
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0333) on 03/24/2021
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Virginia 2021 Special I
Cats; trap, neuter, and return programs, civil penalty. [SB-1390]
Cats; trap, neuter, and return programs; civil penalty. Authorizes any public or private animal shelter, releasing agency, or hospital or clinic that is operated under the immediate supervision of a duly licensed veterinarian to operate a trap, neuter, and return program, as defined in the bill. The bill exempts volunteers of such program from provisions related to abandonment and licensing of animals and exempts the operator from general requirements of shelters related to holding periods, release of animals, and recordkeeping. A person who violates
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Sponsored by: Sen. Lynwood Lewis
Left In Agriculture, Chesapeake And Natural Resources on 03/01/2021
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Virginia 2021 Special I
Tax credit; agricultural best management practices. [SB-1162]
Tax credit; agricultural best management practices. Creates an enhanced individual and corporate income tax credit for taxable years 2021 through 2024 for the implementation of certain agricultural best management practices by the taxpayer that are required as part of a certified resource management plan. The enhanced tax credit is equal to 50 percent of the first $100,000 expended in implementing certain agricultural best management practices, and each amount shall be consistent with the rate offered for each eligible practice under the Virginia
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Sponsored by: Sen. Lynwood Lewis
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0040) on 03/11/2021
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Virginia 2017 Regular Session
Virginia Farm Pride Beef label; VDACS authorized to use on certified beef products. [SB-1582]
Virginia Farm Pride Beef label. Authorizes the Director of the Division of Marketing of the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (VDACS) to use a Virginia Farm Pride Beef label to indicate that a beef product has been certified as Virginia Farm Pride Beef by an accredited certifying agent. The bill requires a producer of such beef to meet all of the applicable federal standards for organic livestock except the livestock health care practice standard related to antibiotics. The bill also directs VDACS to adopt regulations for the administration
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Sponsored by: Sen. Jill Vogel
Stricken At Request Of Patron In Agriculture, Conservation And Natural Resources (15-y 0-n) on 01/26/2017
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Virginia 2017 Regular Session
Aquaculture; protection of use in an agricultural zone. [SB-1529]
Zoning; aquaculture in agricultural zone; preexisting use. Provides that any aquaculture use that was established on property that was zoned as an agricultural district at the time, but later was rezoned to disallow agriculture, is a valid nonconforming use of the property. The bill also amends a 2014 Act of Assembly that expanded the definition of agricultural products to provide that the act was declaratory of existing law.
Sponsored by: Sen. Lynwood Lewis
Passed By Indefinitely In Agriculture, Conservation And Natural Resources (15-y 0-n) on 02/02/2017
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Virginia 2017 Regular Session
Hunting dogs; civil action for trespass by hunters using dogs. [SB-1525]
Trespass by persons using hunting dogs; penalty. Trespass by persons using hunting dogs; penalty. Provides that a person who intentionally releases hunting dogs on the land of another or releases hunting dogs and fails to exercise due care to prevent such dogs from entering onto the land of another is liable for damages incurred as a result of such conduct or $500, whichever is greater, in addition to reasonable attorney fees and costs. The bill further provides that any person who releases hunting dogs adjacent to lands subject to the trespass
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Sponsored by: Sen. Dave Marsden
Passed By Indefinitely In Courts Of Justice (15-y 0-n) on 01/25/2017
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Virginia 2017 Regular Session
Agritourism activity; definition to include rental of a single-family residence. [SB-1491]
Agritourism activity; residence rental. Defines "agritourism activity" to include the rental of a single-family residence for a period of at least one week.
Sponsored by: Sen. Richard Stuart
Left In Agriculture, Chesapeake And Natural Resources on 02/21/2017
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Virginia 2017 Regular Session
Industrial hemp; pilot program to study growth, etc. [HB-2398]
Industrial hemp; pilot program; license. Directs the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to establish a pilot program to study and grow industrial hemp and to create a license for such program. The license is valid for three years and the application fee for such license shall not exceed $75. The bill removes the authority of the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services to adopt regulations to license persons to grow industrial hemp.
Sponsored by: Rep. Brenda Pogge
Left In Appropriations on 02/08/2017
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Virginia 2017 Regular Session
Dangerous dogs; clarifies definition, etc. [HB-2381]
Dangerous dogs. Removes the requirement that a law-enforcement officer or animal control officer apply for a summons requiring a dog owner to appear before a general district court when the officer has reason to believe that the dog is dangerous. In the case of a dog that has bitten a cat or dog, the bill requires investigation by an officer for certain exemptions from the definition of "dangerous dog" to apply and removes an exemption for good cause as determined by a court. In the case of a dog that has bitten a person, the bill creates an exemption
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Sponsored by: Rep. C. Matthew Fariss
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0396) on 03/13/2017
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Virginia 2017 Regular Session
Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord to inspect vacated dwelling unit. [HB-2382]
Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord to inspect vacated dwelling unit for abandoned animals; penalty. Requires a landlord who knows or should have known that a dwelling unit has been vacated to inspect such dwelling unit within two days of its being vacated for the presence of any abandoned animals. If an abandoned animal is discovered, the landlord is required to notify an animal control officer or law enforcement of the presence and condition of the animal but shall not be considered the owner or custodian of the animal. The
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Sponsored by: Rep. Joesph Lindsey
Left In Courts Of Justice on 02/07/2017
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Virginia 2017 Regular Session
Virginia Tobacco Region Revolving Fund; revises definition of project. [SB-1463]
Virginia Tobacco Region Revolving Fund; definition of project. Defines "equity" under the Virginia Tobacco Region Revolving Fund to mean any contribution to a project other than debt financing, including a federal, state, or local grant, except that the grant shall not be a Virginia Tobacco Region Revitalization Commission grant. The bill includes in the definition of "project" any other proposal recommended for evaluation and disbursement by the Commission and credit approved by the Virginia Resources Authority, subject to such conditions and policies
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Sponsored by: Sen. Frank Ruff
Governor: Acts Of Assembly Chapter Text (chap0254) on 02/24/2017
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Virginia 2017 Regular Session
Milk production; exemption from oversight of Milk Commission, etc. [HB-2368]
Milk production requirements; exemption. Exempts any person owning no more than three cows or three goats from the oversight of the Milk Commission and the requirements of the Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services governing the quality, grading, and sanitary standards for milk, as long as the milk is sold directly to consumers and bears a label stating that the product has not been inspected by the state and that the consumer is purchasing the product at his own risk.
Sponsored by: Rep. Rick Morris
Left In Agriculture, Chesapeake And Natural Resources on 02/07/2017
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Virginia 2017 Regular Session
Bioengineered foods; labeling certain products containing GMO, etc. [HB-2349]
Bioengineered foods; GMO content; genetically modified fish; labeling. Requires certain products containing a genetically modified organism (GMO) to bear a label stating, "Congress prohibits states from requiring the on-package labeling of the GMO content of this product." The bill requires retail food stores to post notices and information sheets regarding bioengineered foods and to install digital scanners to read the matrix barcodes that certain packaged foods may use to provide information on GMO content. The bill also requires that any genetically
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Sponsored by: Rep. Robert Marshall
Left In Agriculture, Chesapeake And Natural Resources on 02/07/2017
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Virginia 2017 Regular Session
Industrial hemp; license to grow outside of research program. [SB-1306]
Industrial hemp; license. Requires the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services to create a pilot program for the growing of industrial hemp with certain application, review, and operation requirements. The bill provides that hemp produced by the research program may be sold as part of marketing research.
Sponsored by: Sen. Jill Vogel
Left In Appropriations on 02/21/2017