[{"_1":2,"_100":-5,"_101":-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",[32,76,88],{"_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",6336814,"mediaKeyId","2279560-30c36959241f62b7955bb153addb9990","parentId",2279560,"title","Votes at a glance: Senate ACNR committee reports multiple agriculture and natural-resources bills","audioSeconds",2832,"startMs",2437000,"endMs",5269000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2279560-30c36959241f62b7955bb153addb9990&start=2437&end=5269","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2279560-30c36959241f62b7955bb153addb9990/thumbnail_2437000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6336814/Virginia/Votes-at-a-glance-Senate-ACNR-committee-reports-multiple-agriculture-and-natural-resources-bills","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6336814-a80decc6e79026eef1c26026de03f5d7/orig.mp4?Expires=1770794114&Signature=HldOHOcI3bqTixV5RqOMztd53~coHJ8-lCxAlnMCRpimCASONwwZsCfiYxWVJ5eTZs2JBRPA6PktSci6RR4pmixekMwESPmkD1JgkOmU-djaE1ysEFUbg0z2poeFFLnBIispNrCo9yLByYNVr0a7l4XVilFmwvMRs6eTfgOMyHot8duNVTC~Y3CXPwfgmBzmZ08uG82AhUy~Jy7UubpmEdtKH47aMVRCa2ow~LYWIb8PlHDKcY9MCyPrxvTDAIwuWwgn4J8l38QrhGgCCDNgZXyjogffHFSUX~Jvcbbj19nwp0ZkboN8SbidnnO4Swo43GntTNdSOvHyYyC4EtZXdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Virginia Legislature","date","2025-02-12T00:00:00Z","article","The Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee moved a slate of bills to the Senate floor during its session, using the electronic voting board for formal outcomes. Most measures were reported without debate; below are the bills the committee recorded action on during the meeting.

Votes at a glance

- SB 857 (clarifies department authority in emergencies): reported with amendments, 21-0.
- SB 890 (agriculture commodity boards: appointments and membership terms): reported, 21-0.
- SB 933 (fishing with trawling and drag nets): reported, 21-0 (transcript contains a brief numeric discrepancy during announcement; final recorded outcome reported as unanimous).
- SB 969 (Mineral and Mine Safety Act changes): reported, 21-0.
- SB (grooming and boarding inspections): reported, 14-7.
- SB 1093 (Virginia erosion and stormwater management: right of entry changes): reported, 21-0.
- SB 1166 (invasive plants timing amendment): reported with amendments, 16-4.
- SB 1169 (Marine Resources Commission permit changes): reported, 21-0.
- SB 903 (pet shop sale and procurement regulations): reported with amendments, 21-0.
- SB 907 (state-run testing facilities and primates): reported, 15-5.
- SB 1000 (increase in livestock/poultry compensation): reported, 21-0.
- SB 1125 (propagation of mammalian wildlife in captivity; substitute): reported with substitute, 15-6.
- SB 1127 (animal testing facilities; public notification): reported with amendments, 21-0.
- SB 1495 (adds cattle to incinerator exemptions): reported, 21-0.
- SB 1204 (hunter education coordinator staffing — reported separately above): reported, 13-8.
- SB 1319 (PFAS wastewater reporting — reported separately above): reported with amendments, 14-6.
- SB 851 (local ordinances and tier 4 rainwater harvesting systems): reported, 21-0.

Most motions were moved and seconded on the floor; some measures included line or technical amendments adopted by voice vote before the electronic tally. Several bills had previously cleared House committees or the full House in identical or similar form; the committee frequently noted that alignment to avoid conference committees was a factor.

The committee paused for an agriculture subcommittee report and heard testimony on several agency bills. Measures with narrower margins or contested language were accompanied by stakeholder testimony and staff clarifications; bills with unanimous tallies generally drew little or no public opposition in the hearing record.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Agriculture, Chesapeake And Natural Resources Wednesday, Feb 12, 2025 9:24 AM - 10:53 AM","oneSentenceSummary","The Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee took electronic votes on a series of bills, reporting most to the floor or with amendments. Several bills passed unanimously; a handful were reported by narrower margins.","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},6336819,"Committee eases statutory staffing requirement for hunter education coordinators",537,3557000,4094000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2279560-30c36959241f62b7955bb153addb9990&start=3557&end=4094","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2279560-30c36959241f62b7955bb153addb9990/thumbnail_3557000.jpg","/articles/6336819/Virginia/Committee-eases-statutory-staffing-requirement-for-hunter-education-coordinators","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6336819-986b2075c8a7035a5a533390aafae2b0/orig.mp4?Expires=1770794114&Signature=JhceYHTm4Wxlt2nPcRKJIT9YBsxtPekNtXgpggcfq1PE-RleIWB6hGh4ctqRBJA-hXbzpe4B0Xvx4vhXeq49dH0aJQjVZl1-IYziX83DcX4TNsOp91rLx42djJjMzZvlDRHHNz1VKzBkHx0sd1snrEiNtpTVDw1A6XvDjJPZItpbn0OC0zpFhcTSbcNI3bb~bwHA7KQVhJe5ahkltZFha8TjKDbceUvQQJSpJGosbZ6-aRxuqC1cKT7abjtkkx6DFA4oegtI3omWcLMj5KQk30bqzMFcDExWLamQ9T7OyoiZ0-YPvarLuPMdgjlMACIXr1YdSYjD3UPCeGcD8~LXsQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 1204, an agency-sponsored change to the Code of Virginia, was reported out of the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee on a 13-8 vote after members debated whether the change could interact with hunter-education qualification paths used for concealed-carry permits.

The bill removes language requiring the board to \"establish at least one full-time Hunter Education Coordinator position for each of the department's administrative regions\" and instead allows the Department of Wildlife Resources to assign hunter-education coordinators more flexibly across programs, including boating safety and outdoor-enthusiast outreach. \"It's not going to impact any individual human being today,\" Ryan Brown, director of the Department of Wildlife Resources, told the committee, saying the change simply aligns code with current agency practice of centralized management.

Supporters — including former hunter-safety instructors who testified — said online training and other program changes have reduced the need for a dedicated coordinator in each region while keeping in-person classes available. A former instructor said the change will let staff \"have greater latitude to perform other duties within the department. Nobody's going to be fired as a result of this.\"

Opponents or concerned members asked whether the change could affect the role of hunter-education courses as qualifying training for a concealed-carry permit. \"I'm going to vote no on this bill today because I am concerned about the interaction between what we're trying to do here ... and whether or not we're making it easier to do a non-online course an online course to obtain a CCP,\" Delegate Helmer said during debate.

Agency staff and the sponsor repeatedly told the committee that the bill does not change course content or delivery in the field and does not alter prerequisites for concealed-carry permits. After discussion, the committee voted to report the bill to the Senate floor by a vote of 13 to 8.

The Department of Wildlife Resources indicated the change is intended to \"catch the code up to agency practice\" and to allow staff who previously focused strictly on in-person hunter education to be reassigned to related programs as enrollment and delivery methods evolve.","SB 1204, an agency bill from the Department of Wildlife Resources, removes a Code requirement that the board establish one full-time hunter education coordinator for each administrative region and allows existing coordinator positions to serve broader duties; the committee reported the bill 13-8.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6336824,"Senate committee approves bill requiring PFAS reporting to wastewater utilities",737,4107000,4844000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2279560-30c36959241f62b7955bb153addb9990&start=4107&end=4844","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2279560-30c36959241f62b7955bb153addb9990/thumbnail_4107000.jpg","/articles/6336824/Virginia/Senate-committee-approves-bill-requiring-PFAS-reporting-to-wastewater-utilities","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6336824-1ce9fb41ce8f6af5becdad22470da774/orig.mp4?Expires=1770794114&Signature=L7HVWes4Ndy62OYmWqglx3Gf-9dxUV7eMmzAXjy~fCnwm2EEYH7zt6q419yPgfSFQtGYfdtfkdGZ4~jf3XXnAPzpjKJscQ3Fv3YSDk88fBZWkyy7rUJ2rPaIlIYcPrOfpS-doIhk2-yCQxPIULRhOeSeNVpbiXDPl7hLckxTMH57PHm24IbQ6wbhPNdDB5EyW7SBQgKixLi98MYJG14I0BT1oD-uxqSxugRrUDbenrc394AdT0HRUw9gbYpwyEk~Maknraae6ca6yVg2~tNURHWYgLykMqJpK5bXwF6yqmwKKGv6R-Tg5U8rsasE4WVroqPZo1hxGfeO6VuX3S-b4w__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Senate Bill 1319, a measure to collect data on PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) discharges to wastewater systems, was reported out of the Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Committee on a 14-6 vote.

The bill, carried in the Senate by Senator Scott S. McPike, directs publicly owned treatment works to require self-reporting from industrial users when PFAS discharges are detected and to provide those reports to the Department of Environmental Quality. \"This proposal will help our wastewater treatment plants address the same concerns without mandating a specific course of action,\" Senator McPike told the committee, describing the measure as a foundational data-collection step.

Why it matters: Committee members and witnesses said the measure is intended to map where PFAS enter wastewater systems so communities and utilities can plan capital investments and public-health responses. Jay Ford of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation said the bill helps protect public health and key Bay species, adding that recent studies show PFAS in fish and sensitive shellfish. \"If we cannot get our arms around the sources, we are going to have a really tough road to plow in the years ahead,\" Ford said.

The legislation includes a one-line amendment lengthening a reporting window from 30 to 90 days. Senator McPike said he accepted the change after stakeholder input. The Virginia Manufacturers Association raised concerns that the bill would broaden reporting to include more than the priority PFAS substances previously addressed in state drinking-water work and could create inconsistent effluent limits at individual treatment plants. Brett Vassy of the association said the measure expands reporting from a targeted set of priority PFAS to \"every PFAS chemical that exists,\" a point he said could produce litigation if plants attempted to set their own limits.

Committee attorneys and members discussed whether the bill imposes an independent penalty for failing to self-report. Staff told the panel that the reporting requirement would be implemented by publicly owned treatment works and that nonreporting could be addressed through violations of pretreatment agreements overseen by those utilities.

Supporters said the data will help utilities plan upgrades and investments that could address multiple contaminants simultaneously. \"It's much more prudent to have that data proactive in communities across the Commonwealth,\" Senator McPike said during debate.

The committee approved the bill as amended. The final motion reported the measure to the Senate floor with amendments by a 14-6 vote.

The committee record shows testimony from conservation groups and manufacturing interests; the bill will next be scheduled for Senate floor consideration where additional amendments or debate may occur.","The Senate Agriculture committee voted 14-6 to report SB 1319, a PFAS data-collection measure directing industrial dischargers to self-report certain PFAS discharges to publicly owned treatment works and to notify the Department of Environmental Quality.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Senate ACNR committee reports multiple agriculture and natural-resources bills

Committee eases statutory staffing requirement for hunter education coordinators

Senate committee approves bill requiring PFAS reporting to wastewater utilities