Amidst the general chaos in Richmond, the General Assembly is quietly winding down with Sine Die (last day of session) just around the corner on February 23. While the headlines are focused on other news coming out of Richmond, I would like to turn your attention toward something you can do for conservation in these last days of the 2019 legislative session.
General Assembly
Find out more about what we are tracking during Virginia’s annual legislative session.
HB 2364: A Bumper Crop… of Brides and Grooms?
On Wednesday, members of the Virginia House Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources voted to make wedding events a protected activity under the definition of “agritourism.”…The net result? The bill would essentially make wedding events a by-right activity on any farm or winery. It would allow for weddings of any size on farms to become a 365-day a year activity. This would prevent reasonable regulation and protection from impacts (traffic, noise, lighting, runoff, etc.) to neighbors and the broader community.
Help Strengthen Farms, Conserve Land & Protect Water Quality
We are now 16 days into the 45 day (short) session of the 2019 Virginia General Assembly. Bills are currently being debated and amended in committee until we hit ‘crossover’ on February 6 – the deadline for the House to finish working on its own bills before considering legislation passed by the Senate (and vice versa).
An Eye on Richmond
It’s that time of year. While most are consumed with thoughts about gifts for that impossible relative or honing survival skills for holiday parties, I find my mind preoccupied with Richmond and a new General Assembly session.
Petition: Don’t Remove Disclosure Requirements For Fracking Chemicals
I wanted to share a petition with you that is picking up steam across the state. It calls on the state’s Freedom of Information Advisory Council – a state agency responsible for resolving disputes related to the Freedom of Information Act – to keep disclosure requirements for fracking chemicals in place in Virginia. A subcommittee of the Advisory Council meets later this month to discuss the issue.
Your General Assembly Update
The beginning of spring marks the end of the 2018 Virginia General Assembly session. Well, sort of. In the case of the budget, there was no resolution, which means the fate of conservation funding and the general path forward is still up in the air. To address this, the Governor has announced that a special session will convene on April 11.
One of the bigger issues taking up bandwidth this year was Medicaid expansion. The House’s budget bill included the expansion, while the Senate’s bill did not — this set up a showdown in the budget conference committee. Due to this and other differences, the conferees were unable to come to an agreement, meaning it will be some time before we know what programs will be affected.
Pipeline deals threaten conservation funding
Legislators are pointing to money that state and private entities will receive as mitigation for two gas pipeline projects, and the transmission line near Jamestown, as a justification for reducing overall state funding for conservation. Contact your legislators today and tell them to reject efforts to cut important conservation programs! This text was taken from an email alert sent out on February 21, 2018.
Act Now: Strengthen Farms, Conserve Land & Protect Water Quality
Preserving farmland and protecting the water we drink is critical to quality of life. To that end, we want to alert you to some important budget amendments being considered right now by the Virginia General Assembly. These amendments address insufficient funding for natural resource protection.
New Legislators, New Building & New Conservation Opportunities
With the elections behind us and the holidays consuming our thoughts, the 2018 Virginia General Assembly may not be at the forefront of everyone’s mind. However, the New Year is going to bring many changes, including a new administration, new delegates and a new venue. We also have a new opportunity — reaching out to the incoming administration and many new members with information and a message of support for conservation. As we have for the past 20 years, PEC is partnering with the Virginia Conservation Network to do just that.