[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6386005,"mediaKeyId","2118685-a874613edf199ba16e275205f6b6f827","parentId",2118685,"title","Subcommittee pauses statewide felony animal‑cruelty registry bill; supporters say shelters need tool to screen adopters","audioSeconds",409,"startMs",1326000,"endMs",1735000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118685-a874613edf199ba16e275205f6b6f827&start=1326&end=1735","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118685-a874613edf199ba16e275205f6b6f827/thumbnail_1326000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6386005/Virginia/Subcommittee-pauses-statewide-felony-animalcruelty-registry-bill-supporters-say-shelters-need-tool-to-screen-adopters","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386005-b89c7681e39a8349c9a1fc7182ee2367/orig.mp4?Expires=1771211507&Signature=bcwKk5TyCEjyGjfustlvwvNtYt6fYx96NtOX1kEyqDqFWDXMNcj~1T4w5VwAfEmaFCzyLqmq~jkcEZKT2H2qCSGSYO~x0XOlWxl3BX8iKxHuhwYpG59A26dseGMWPsaMzKFmYa67j5z1xDuiTNsZ-IBzBMT5v6iJAJPb3q8Ko~3JAGlgZOralf7BmAMkPkUS9UUq5ruR7ZxPsPp0nwe9XR39x5nqb-VlzMVZD3xBGBeqIOCRa4cv25KhRVzk53D977JTRMDnpfIEo5g0FdtRV-TkJGeQma9XarHR6ZVIfXjtzojQKYhs6FhApsdRyeW~n3vZuukorGVV1BeICepvdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Virginia Legislature","date","2025-01-15T00:00:00Z","article","House Bill 1814, a measure to create a registry of people convicted of felony animal cruelty, drew unanimous supportive testimony from animal‑welfare groups on its intent but stalled in the Agriculture Subcommittee on a motion to lay the bill on the table for further work.

Delegate Campbell, the bill’s patron, told the subcommittee HB 1814 “establishes a felony animal cruelty registry for people who have been convicted of felony animal cruelty.” He said the registry would include a person’s name, the time of conviction, the offense and the jurisdiction, and that “this list would be available on the state police website.”

The bill was described as a pared‑down version of legislation from the prior year; Delegate Campbell said the Senate had allowed only local registries and not a statewide list, so the new draft attempts to restore the statewide tool. He told lawmakers the registry is intended to “protect our animals and our shelters” and “help them to identify the people that do have a history of abusing animals.”

Representatives of animal‑welfare organizations testified in favor. Heidi Schlicher Cook, representing People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), said, “We supported it last year and hope it makes its way through the committee again.” Heidi Meinser, legislative liaison for the Virginia Federation of Humane Societies, told the subcommittee the registry would “help the rescues and shelters with their obligations to ensure that their officers, directors, and animal caretakers are not, have not been convicted of cruelty.”

During questioning, Delegate Phil Hernandez asked whether the bill contains a process for removal from the registry if a conviction is overturned or set aside. Delegate Campbell responded, “that would be something that we would certainly be friendly to adding, but at this time there is not a mechanism for that.”

After testimony, a member moved to “gently lay this on the table,” and the motion was seconded. The clerk opened and closed the roll; the transcript records that the subcommittee accepted the motion to lay HB 1814 on the table to allow additional work and stakeholder engagement. The committee chair noted lawmakers were “very supportive of the intent of the bill” and suggested giving the recently enacted local registry time to operate before advancing a statewide requirement.

No final vote on the underlying bill was taken; the motion recorded in the transcript was to table the bill for further consideration. Written testimony and additional edits were invited by the patron.

Looking ahead, supporters asked the subcommittee to consider adding a due‑process mechanism to remove names if convictions are overturned and to clarify how the registry would interact with expungement or set‑aside processes already authorized by law.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Agriculture Subcommittee Wednesday, Jan 15, 2025 3:47 PM - 4:35 PM","oneSentenceSummary","House Bill 1814, a measure to create a registry of people convicted of felony animal cruelty, drew unanimous supportive testimony from animal‑welfare groups on its intent but stalled in the Agriculture Subcommittee on a motion to lay the bill on the table for further work.","taxTitle","2025 Legislature VA, Virginia","taxId",77687,"location","Virginia","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6386001,"Subcommittee approves substitute for bill requiring retailers to label certain invasive plants; stakeholders say negotiated changes resolve prior concerns",1116,1743000,2859000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2118685-a874613edf199ba16e275205f6b6f827&start=1743&end=2859","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2118685-a874613edf199ba16e275205f6b6f827/thumbnail_1743000.jpg","/articles/6386001/Virginia/Subcommittee-approves-substitute-for-bill-requiring-retailers-to-label-certain-invasive-plants-stakeholders-say-negotiated-changes-resolve-prior-concerns","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6386001-0d5e3c7fd3f37d71ebfa58eba1a13a8a/orig.mp4?Expires=1771211507&Signature=ZXldInkH7xsOm7VDXUSKiRI5FyEoXkew4NtyITNGIVKzH6M7HYdt-VTsrATtuQfkHcXfkPMW0K9d69S4xRVvcd18ZXlvwBJpABUheow-vmDk53kzwWpmppoVnGMWbAF08ufl1WSXYyKpK7IFyjyZD03TRjjDIhbi8X51RBqdTD-oKYf-Xpdfjb5FXQ03I2m19PWpeWztyknlba5LlHTPm33Y59VQDs~mUl9noXxwkthn3-mfMnB5xTaaUw1rN3flhopQiV1nw2WRODdtDeynt7jAol9a5eyur8MuSK6CAGLNWPTvxCr4hHyppInNe70AifxddIxVxKhzKXw10nZCFw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Agriculture Subcommittee approved a substituted version of House Bill 1941 requiring retailers who sell certain invasive plant species to display clear signage identifying those plants as invasive. The subcommittee voted to report the bill to the full committee with the substitute.

Delegate Seibold, the bill’s patron, told the subcommittee HB 1941 “amends the code of Virginia as it relates to invasive plant species and retail sales.” The substitute shifts statutory language (the patron described it as moving “the language from 10.1 over to 3.2”) and sets a delayed effective date of Jan. 1, 2026.

To address concerns raised last year, the substituted bill lists the affected species explicitly in the legislation instead of delegating the list to the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) educational list. Seibold said there are currently “39 species of invasive plants that pose a significant risk to Virginia's ecosystems” and that the Department of Conservation and Recreation estimates invasive species cause losses “as high as $1,000,000,000 annually in Virginia alone.” He told the committee the signage requirement is intended to be educational rather than a ban: “Requiring retailers that sell invasive plant species to post clear and informative signage is a fair way to mitigate this problem without imposing an outright ban.”

The substitute also includes drafting changes agreed with stakeholders: the signage will display plant scientific (Latin) names and common names when displayed in nurseries; a previously proposed $500 civil penalty was removed; the bill creates a work group to advise the commissioner on signage details; and the measure applies to plants intended for outdoor use.

Multiple environmental and industry organizations testified in support of the negotiated bill. Susan McLaughlin (online), a Virginia Master Naturalist, urged lawmakers to support the measure as an educational tool but cautioned that evidence of signage effectiveness is mixed and offered to submit written comments. Chris Layne of Blue Ridge PRISM described local eradication costs and projects; Jay Ford of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Kyle Hart of the National Parks Conservation Association voiced support, citing staff and volunteer burdens in public lands. Katie Hellabush of the Virginia Nursery and Landscape Association said the industry withdrew earlier opposition after stakeholders removed the civil penalty and created a work group; she clarified the bill applies to outdoor‑use invasives and that plants for indoor use (as raised by Delegate Webber) would not be affected.

During discussion Delegate Runyon said some nursery stakeholders in his region believe the list is “way too expansive” and warned that signage could depress retail sales and create downstream issues for wholesale growers. Delegate Seibold and supporters said the effective date and work group were negotiated at industry request to allow the trade time to adapt.

A motion to adopt the substitute was made, seconded and adopted. The clerk announced at the close of the roll that “House Bill 1941 reports with substitute 9‑2‑1.” The transcript does not provide an itemized roll‑call listing of each member’s vote in the room; the final clerk announcement is the recorded tally in the transcript.","House Bill 1941, as substituted, requires retailers selling a specified list of invasive plant species to post clear signage (Latin and common names) notifying customers the plants are invasive. The Agriculture Subcommittee adopted a substitute and reported the bill to the full committee after broad stakeholder support and negotiated changes.","actionData","errors"]

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Subcommittee pauses statewide felony animal‑cruelty registry bill; supporters say shelters need tool to screen adopters

Subcommittee approves substitute for bill requiring retailers to label certain invasive plants; stakeholders say negotiated changes resolve prior concerns