2024 Legislative Action Alert

Virginia state capitol in Richmond, VA.

Several invasive plant related bills are making their way through the Virginia Legislature. These bills are designed to curb invasive plants by supporting informed consumer choices, promoting healthy landscaping, and funding state agencies to better address invasive species across the Commonwealth. Blue Ridge PRISM supports these bills.

HB 47 and SB 306 – Act Now!

Invasive Plant Species; requirements for retail sales – Requires, for the retail sale of any invasive plant species on a list established by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, that retailers post a sign next to any invasive plants they offer for sale that identifies them as invasive plants that may cause environmental harm.

HB 528

Property Owners’ Association Act; managed conservation landscaping, unreasonable restricted prohibited – Provides that no association shall prohibit an owner from installing managed conservation landscaping, defined in the bill, upon such owner’s property unless such prohibition was recorded in the declaration for the association. The bill allows associations to establish reasonable restrictions concerning the management, design, and aesthetic guidelines for managed conservation landscaping features.

HB 1167

Local prohibition on the sale of English ivy; civil penalty – Authorizes any locality to adopt an ordinance prohibiting the sale of English ivy, with violations punishable by a civil penalty not to exceed $50 for a first violation and not to exceed $200 for a subsequent violation within 12 months.

Budget Amendments to Support

Invasive plant species; Virginia Department of Transportation demonstration project – Requesting $500,000 for the Virginia Department of Transportation to conduct a pilot project to control invasive vines in their rights of way (Northern Virginia).

Funding the Virginia Invasive Species Management Plan – Recommendation from the Virginia Invasive Species Working Group that $2.45 million be budgeted to fund the Virginia Invasive Species Management Plan, which was adopted in 2018 but not funded. The money would pay for seven additional state positions in four different agencies to help eradicate and slow the spread of invasive plant and animal species. The recommendation also includes annual money ($365,000) for rapid response, land owner assistance, and start-up assistance for new Partnerships for Regional Invasive Species Management (PRISMs).

These are budget amendments and not bills. They are anticipated to go to the House Appropriations Committee and Senate Finance and Appropriations. We will share more information as it becomes available.