Virginia subcommittee reports or amends seven bills, including wetlands task force and VIMS study

A Virginia House subcommittee on agriculture and Chesapeake matters reported or amended seven bills during a short session, taking unanimous or near-unanimous procedural votes on each measure and sending one bill to the Appropriations Committee.

The actions begin with a unanimous vote to strike HB 2379 at the request of the bill’s patron and include committee votes to report House Bill 1941 with a substitute, House Bill 1697, House Bill 1810 with amendments, House Bill 1834, House Bill 1908 (reported and referred to Appropriations), and House Bill 2034 with amendments.

Why it matters: Several measures affect coastal and natural-resources policy in Virginia — directing studies of water-intake impacts, adjusting permit and grant administration, and creating a task force to develop strategies for wetlands protection and restoration.

House Bill 1941 (invasive-plant retail signage): The Agriculture subcommittee reported HB 1941 with a substitute by a vote of 15–1. The bill, presented by Delegate Siebel, would require retail establishments that sell certain invasive plant species for outdoor use to post conspicuous signage identifying those plants as invasive and educating customers about the designation. The committee recommended the substitute and advanced the bill for further consideration.

House Bill 1697 (trawl/drag-net licensing cleanup): The Chesapeake subcommittee reported HB 1697 unanimously. Sponsored by Delegate Askew, the measure removes outdated language and allows the Marine Resources Commission to issue licenses or permits to take or catch fish, shellfish, or marine organisms with trawl nets or similar devices within the three-mile limit for shrimp and horseshoe crab fisheries. The subcommittee recommended reporting 10–0 and the committee reported the bill by voice vote.

House Bill 1810 (subaqueous-bed project-value cap): House Bill 1810, sponsored by Delegate Bloxham, was reported with amendments by a unanimous vote. The bill raises the maximum total value of projects eligible for a permit to trespass on or encroach upon a Commonwealth subaqueous bed from $500,000 to $1,000,000 and requires the commissioner to update that threshold every five years using the Consumer Price Index and publish the adjustment on the Virginia Marine Resources Commission website.

House Bill 1834 (waterways maintenance grant administration): HB 1834 was reported unanimously. The bill transfers administration of the Virginia Waterways Maintenance Grant Program and Fund from the Virginia Port Authority to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission, and directs the commission to use the existing municipal dredging operation program and agreement adopted by the Port Authority for a municipal dredge pilot program administered by the Middle Peninsula Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority.

House Bill 1908 (VIMS study of surface-water intakes): The committee reported HB 1908 with amendments and referred it to Appropriations by an 18–0 vote. Sponsored by Delegate Kent, the bill directs the Virginia Institute of Marine Science to study cumulative impacts of surface-water intakes on aquatic fauna and water quality in the Chesapeake Bay and its major Virginia tributaries and to submit a report by Oct. 1, 2028.

House Bill 2034 (wetlands strategy task force): The subcommittee reported HB 2034 with amendments by an 18–0 vote. Sponsored by Delegate Simons, the bill directs the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources to establish a policy task force to develop strategies to protect existing tidal and nontidal wetlands, restore and create wetlands, plan for wetland persistence, and to integrate those strategies into other state plans such as the Virginia Flood Protection Master Plan and the Virginia Coastal Resilience Master Plan. Initial findings are to be reported by Dec. 1, 2025.

Procedure and next steps: Several bills were advanced with substitutes or amendments; HB 1908 was also referred to the Appropriations Committee. Committee chairs urged members to resolve remaining issues before statutory deadlines next week and then adjourned the session.

Votes at a glance: HB 2379 — struck (16–0); HB 1941 — reported with substitute (15–1); HB 1697 — reported (vote reported as unanimous/16–0 in committee record); HB 1810 — reported with amendments (16–0); HB 1834 — reported (17–0); HB 1908 — reported and referred to Appropriations (18–0); HB 2034 — reported with amendments (18–0).