2024 Virginia General Assembly Legislative Priorities

2024 Virginia General Assembly Legislative Priorities

(Updated as of 4/26/24 @ 11:35am)

This year’s Virginia General Assembly, when legislators get together to make a new set of laws, takes place from January 10 through March 9 with the Governor taking action on bills in April. Nature Forward, with help from several partners (such as VCN’s bill tracker), is tracking several key environmental bills this session. We’ve listed our top bills below, and updated this page as we learned more about each bill throughout the session.

NATURAL RESOURCES / TREES

There are several House and Senate bills dealing with the tree canopy and natural resources. We are following the following these bills, amongst others:

• GOVERNOR SIGNED BILL INTO LAW! Additional flexibility for certain localities to use their tree fund and more  (HB459 / SB121)
  These companion bills expand authority of certain localities to use their tree fund for both planting and maintenance (new) of trees on public or private property (new). (View talking points

• PASSED HOUSE & SENATE; VETOED BY GOVERNOR: Strengthen local governments’ ability to conserve and replace tree canopy (HB529)
  This bill amends the Virginia code to expand existing local government authority to conserve or replace trees during the development process. (View talking points)
  

• PASSED HOUSE & SENATE; VETOED BY GOVERNOR: Labeling of invasive plant species as a requirement for retail sales (SB306)
  This bill would require that nurseries and other plant retailers label invasive plants or otherwise provide cautionary signage regarding their sale of invasive plants. (View talking points)
  Governor Youngkin declared through the veto of HB1167 (allow ban of the sale of English Ivy) that education was the better approach to invasive, and yet he then vetoed SB306 which would’ve educated customers. We are very disappointed in the Governor’s veto.

• CONTINUED TO 2025: SUPPORT: Allow conservation landscaping for HOA residents (HB528)
  Nature Forward carried this bill and we were optimistic about our progress. Unfortunately, just a day before it was to be heard, language in the bill was changed that undermined its intent and Delegate Krizek wisely pulled the bill with an ask for a workgroup to improve the bill language and a hope for continuing this work in 2025. (Watch the 6 minute hearing here)

SOLAR

• GOVERNOR SIGNED BILL INTO LAW! Expand Dominion’s shared-solar programs (HB106 / SB253)
  These companion bills would provide additional support for equitable shared solar, such as expanding Dominion’s shared solar program from 200 MW to 1.6 GW and setting aside 30% of the program’s capacity to low-income qualified customers. (View talking points)
  
  
• CONTINUED TO 2025: Parking Lot Solar Development Program and Fund (SB234)
  This pilot program would seek to reduce the cost of parking lot solar projects to encourage more such projects in the Commonwealth. (View talking points)
  STATUS as of 2/29/24: HB367 failed to report this year and SB234 has disappointingly been postponed until next year, being referred to Appropriations due to cost concerns.

DATA CENTERS

Data centers are a huge topic at the 2024 Virginia Legislative session but only one bill remains alive for consideration this year. Your legislators need to hear from you about concerns for massive energy & water usage, siting, and subsidies. Education is key: Read our recent blog post on data centers for talking points and info on this issue.

• CONTINUED TO 2025:  Siting of data centers; locality may perform site assessment before approval (HB338)
  This bill had been modified since it was first introduced, but it had bi-partisan support and would give local municipalities the authority to study the impact of proposed data center developments on water usage and carbon emissions. This bill faces a unified opposition by a coalition of nearly a dozen industry organizations.
  STATUS as of 2/29/24: Companion bill SB285 was continued to 2025, but HB338 had a roller coaster of a ride in the Senate General Laws and Technology Committee. It ultimately met the same fate to be sent to study, even though HB338 was fundamentally different in that it was simply enabling legislation. This is an incredible disappointment that lawmakers would initially support this bill and then walk back their decision and continue it to next year based on industry pressure. 
• MOST DATA CENTER BILLS going to a 2024 JLARC Data Center study
  The General Assembly has directed the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission (know as JLARC) to “review the overall impacts of the data center industry in Virginia and state and local policies regarding the industry”. This study will include impacts to natural and historical resources, a forecast of energy and infrastructure needs, a review of cost allocations and site considerations, impacts to local residents and ultimately whether existing tax incentives should be changed. Bills that we had been tracking which will now be studied include: (1) HB337 / SB284   (2) SB191 and  (3) HB116 / SB192
  According to a 2019 JLARC study of economic incentives designed to bring data center development to Virginia, the state passed the first tax exemption for data centers in 2008. The exemption has been broadened several times and is a primary factor contributing to the industry’s expansion in Virginia. Between 2010 and 2017, data centers avoided over $400 million in state taxes.

  A final report is expected by the end of 2024. Read our recent blog post on data centers to learn more about this important issue.