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Legislative News

I-81 Toll Bills HB 1516 & SB 754

Action Request

Please contact Governor Kaine and urge him to sign I-81 toll bills (HB 1516 & SB 754). These bills passed both Chambers and received bipartisan support.

The bills gives the General Assembly oversight for the planning effort underway to resolve safety and transportation concerns while respecting the local land use plans.

Through an open planning process reasonable solutions for I-81 can be explored that would have far less impact on the significant resources of the Shenandoah Valley including its communities, economy, and wealth of historic resources.

Sample letter --
The Honorable Timothy M. Kaine
Office of the Governor
Patrick Henry Building, 3rd Floor
1111 East Broad Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
By Fax: (804) 371-6351
Or email: http://www.governor.virginia.gov/AboutTheGovernor/contactGovernor.cfm

Dear Governor Kaine:

The Senate and the House of Delegates passed SB 754 and HB1516. The bills now await your signature. I respectfully ask you to sign these bills to ensure that preservation of one of Virginia's most treasured assets -- the Shenandoah Valley.

The I-81 corridor contains significant historic and natural resources. Asphalt and not culture and history will be the first impression for visitors to the Valley's "Main Street" towns and their unique shops, fine restaurants and theaters, quaint bed and breakfast inns, educational museums, and productive farmers markets if adequate and appropriate alternatives are not explored to resolve transportation and safety issues.

Please sign bills SB754 and HB1516. Thank you for your attention to this matter and for your continued support of policy that ensures the preservation of Virginia's historic and natural resources.

Sincerely,

BACKGROUND
VDOT's plan to widen parts of the I-81 Corridor sent a shockwave into the Valley. This action would change this corridor forever.

In 2006 APVA Preservation Virginia named the entire 325 miles of I-81 to the 11 Most Endangered Sites List. Throughout much of its corridor, I-81 is a scenic four-lane highway, rich in history and famous for its pastoral views. The corridor passes through national historic landmark battlefields, wilderness rural areas, historic towns, and sprawling cities, as well as pastoral farmlands.

At the time more than fifty local governments and local groups including the National Trust for Historic Preservation voiced concern over the plan that would irreparably harm and change the character of this scenic highway. Additionally, historic sites would be impacted negatively include the Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, the Shenandoah National Park, and New Market Battlefield Historical Park.

In December 2006, the Federal Highways Administration announced its plan for a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement process. This tiered approach to examining alternatives would not consider the corridor as a whole. Instead sections of I-81 would be considered individually. The potential threat here is that there would be no holistic solutions that would respect local land use plans, the rural and historic character of the landscape in a context with the transportation and safety needs.

In February 2008, APVA Preservation Virginia joined as a co-plaintiff to a suit filed by the Shenandoah Valley Network and the Coalition for Smarter Growth. Also joining the suit at that time was the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Scenic Virginia, Virginia Organizing Project, Valley Conservation Council, Rockbridge Area Conservation Council and Sierra Club. The litigation asks the court to prevent the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) from allowing the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) to move forward with the I-81 expansion project until the agencies have corrected the plan's fundamental flaws.

You can find a copy of the complaint at http://www.shenandoahvalleynetwork.org/
You can read the 2006 Virginia Most Endangered Property Listing at http://www.apva.org/pressroom/press_release.php?pr_id=30

The following is a list of bills that we are currently monitoring:

Bill Key

• ! Priority Bill
• X Stricken, Failed, PBI'd, Tabled, Rolled into another bill.
• 09 Carried over/Continued to 2009
• † Passed chamber where introduced
• ‡ Passed Both Chambers
• C In Conference Committee
• E Enrolled
• Gov Signed by Governor

Gov HB 262 Housing loans and grants.
Summary as Introduced:
Housing loans and grants; localities to authorize in conservation or rehabilitation districts. Housing loans and grants in designated conservation or rehabilitation districts. Grants authority to localities to make loans or grants of local funds to individuals for the purpose of rehabilitating owner-occupied residences or assisting in the purchase of an owner-occupied residence in designated conservation or rehabilitation districts.
Patron(s): Ware, O.
--01/02/08 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08.
--01/02/08 House: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities, and Towns.
--02/08/08 House: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (22-Y 0-N).
--02/11/08 House: Committee substitute agreed to 082066776-H1.
--02/11/08 House: Amendment by Delegate Ware, O. agreed to.
--02/12/08 House: Read third time and passed House (99-Y 0-N).
--02/12/08 House: Communicated to Senate.
--02/13/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Local Government.
--02/26/08 Senate: Reported from Local Government (11-Y 4-N).
--03/03/08 Senate: Passed Senate (34-Y 6-N)
--03/05/08 House: Enrolled
--03/05/08 House: Signed by Speaker
--03/06/08 Senate: Signed by President
--03/12/08 Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 580 (effective 7/1/08)

X HB 332 Spot blight abatement.
Summary as Introduced:
Spot blight abatement; alternative procedure when owner of record fails to respond. Provides for an alternative procedure for abating a blighted property when the owner of record fails to respond within the 30-day period with a written spot blight abatement plan that is acceptable to the chief executive.
Patron(s): McClellan
--01/04/08 House: Referred to Committee on General Laws.
--01/17/08 House: Assigned GL sub: Housing.
--02/05/08 House: Passed by in General Laws with letter.

X HB 519 Eminent domain.
Summary as Introduced:
Eminent domain; right of reversion. Clarifies that the right of reversion applies to the acquisition of an interest in the real property and is not limited to a fee simple interest in the property.
Patron(s): Suit
--01/07/08 House: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice.
--02/12/08 House: Left in Courts of Justice.

E HB 662 Land preservation tax credit program.
Summary as Introduced:
Land preservation tax credit program; confidentiality of taxpayer information. Includes as a confidential tax document any document that is required to be filed with the Department of Conservation and Recreation under the land preservation tax credit program.
Patron(s): Lewis
--01/08/08 House: Referred to Committee on Finance.
--01/15/08 House: Assigned Finance sub: 2.
--02/04/08 House: Reported from Finance with amendment (22-Y 0-N).
--02/06/08 House: Committee amendment agreed to.
--02/07/08 House: Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N).
--02/07/08 House: Communicated to Senate.
--02/08/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Finance.
--02/14/08 House: Impact statement from DPB (HB662E).
--02/20/08 Senate: Reported from Finance with amendment (16-Y 0-N).
--02/25/08 Senate: Committee amendment agreed to.
--02/25/08 Senate: Engrossed by Senate as amended.
--02/25/08 Senate: Passed Senate with amendment (39-Y 1-N).
--02/27/08 House: Senate amendment rejected by House (2-Y 94-N)
--03/03/08 Senate: Senate insisted on amendment (40-Y 0-N)
--03/03/08 Senate: Senate requested conference committee
--03/04/08 House: House acceded to request
--03/04/08 House: Conferees appointed by House
--03/04/08 House: Delegates: Lewis, Ware, R.L., Hugo
--03/05/08 Senate: Conferees appointed by Senate
--03/05/08 Senate: Senators: Quayle, Whipple, Reynolds
--03/07/08 Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N)
--03/07/08 House: Conference report agreed to by House (95-Y 0-N)

X HB 726 Conditional zoning.
Summary as Introduced:
Conditional zoning; purchase of development rights. Provides that localities with cash proffer authority may accept cash proffers for the purchase of development rights to preserve open space.
Patron(s): Scott, E.T.
--01/08/08 House: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns.
--01/25/08 House: Stricken from docket by Counties, Cities and Towns

X HB 727 Natural resources funding.
Summary as Introduced:
Natural resources funding; allocates annually percentage of revenue generated by sales & use tax. Allocates annually to natural resources funding a percentage of the revenue generated by a one percent sales and use tax. The allocations would be as follows: (i) 5 percent of the revenue generated by a one percent sales and use tax for the 2008-2009 fiscal year; (ii) 7.5 percent for the 2009-2010 fiscal year; (iii) 10 percent for the 2010-2011 fiscal year; and (iv) 12.5 percent for the month of July 2011 and for each month thereafter but ending for the month of June 2018. The allocation for any fiscal year would not exceed $175 million. Of the sales tax allocation, one-third would be used to provide matching grants to the local purchase of development rights programs and two-thirds would be distributed to the Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program for agricultural best management practices. For the moneys allocated to agricultural best management practices, five percent would be distributed to soil and water conservation districts to provide technical assistance for the implementation of agricultural best management practices. The remaining moneys would be used for matching grants for agricultural best management practices with 60 percent of the moneys used for lands exclusively in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and 40 percent of the moneys used for all other lands in the Commonwealth. For the moneys allocated to provide matching grants to local purchase of development rights programs, 60 percent of the moneys would be used for grants for local purchase of the development rights programs of counties and cities wholly or partly within the Chesapeake Bay watershed and 40 percent of the moneys would be used for grants for local purchase of the development rights programs of all other counties and cities. In general, for each $1 received, the local purchase of development rights program would be required to provide a $1 match.
Patron(s): Scott, E.T.
--01/08/08 House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
--01/15/08 House: Assigned App. sub: Economic Development, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Cox).
--02/12/08 House: Left in Appropriations.

09 † HB 848 Development rights program.
Summary as Introduced:
Development rights program; Office of Farmland Preservation to create lease. Tasks the Office of Farmland Preservation to create a lease of development rights program. Under such program, properties of 20 acres and larger and that are enrolled in "land use" taxation programs, would be eligible to participate in a lease of development rights program whereby the property owner relinquishes "by right" development for seven years in exchange for a contractually agreed upon lease amount.
Patron(s): Ware, R.L. and Scott, E.T.
--01/08 House: Refiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 081003544.
--01/08/08 House: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources.
--01/23/08 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendments (22-Y 0-N).
--01/25/08 House: Committee amendments agreed to --01/28/08 House: Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N).
--01/28/08 House: Communicated to Senate.
--01/29/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.
--02/18/08 Senate: Continued to 2009 in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (15-Y 0-N)

! Gov HB 849 Land preservation tax credits.
Summary as Introduced:
Land preservation tax credits; taxpayer to give consent when tax credit, etc., has been transferred. Income tax; land preservation tax credits. Specifies when a taxpayer is deemed to give consent regarding certain tax information when a tax credit or other tax attribute has been transferred. The legislation also addresses the statute of limitations, waiver of same, notice requirements, and participation in administrative and judicial remedies regarding any tax attributable to pass-through entity items.
Patron(s): Ware, R.L.
--01/08/08 House: Referred to Committee on Finance.
--01/15/08 House: Assigned Finance sub: 2.
--02/04/08 House: Reported from Finance with substitute (21-Y 0-N).
--02/06/08 House: Committee substitute agreed to 081919818-H1.
--02/07/08 House: Read third time and passed House (99-Y 0-N).
--02/07/08 House: Communicated to Senate.
--02/08/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Finance.
--02/27/08 Senate: Reported from Finance (16-Y 0-N)
--03/03/08 Senate: Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
--03/05/08 House: Enrolled
--03/05/08 House: Signed by Speaker
--03/06/08 Senate: Signed by President
--03/02/08 Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 104 (effective 7/1/08)

X HB 1008 Derelict structures.
Summary as Introduced:
Derelict structures; locality authorized to impose fee on record owner. Housing; spot blight abatement; derelict structures. Authorizes a localiaty, by ordinance, to impose on the record owner of a derelict structure, an annual fee not to exceed three percent of the most recently assessed value of the derelict structure and the land upon which the structure is situated, provided (i) the locality has established a housing fund in accordance with subdivision B 6 of 15.2-2305 and (ii) the annual fee is deposited in the housing fund. The bill provides for notice to the owner of such property and an opportunity to abate or remove the derelict structure within a certain time frame. The bill also allows a locality to abate or remove the derelict structure should the owner fail to act; the cost of which shall be a lien on the property. The bill defines derelict structure.
Patron(s): McClellan
--01/08/08 House: Referred to Committee on General Laws.
--01/17/08 House: Assigned GL sub: Housing.
--02/05/08 House: Passed by in General Laws with letter.

X HB 1083 Environmental impact reports.
Summary as Introduced:
Environmental impact reports; exempts state/local authority from submission on major state projects. Submission of environmental impact report on major state projects. Exempts counties, cities, and towns from submission of environmental impact reports on highway construction, reconstruction, and improvement projects estimated to cost more than $1 million.
Patron(s): Suit
--01/09/08 House: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources.
--01/23/08 House: Incorporated by Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (HB1259-O'Bannon).

09 HB 1105 Outdoor advertising.
Summary as Introduced:
Outdoor advertising; local governments inceased ability to limit or remove signs. Gives local governments increased ability to limit or remove nonconforming billboard signs.
Patron(s): Bouchard
--01/09/08 House: Referred to Committee on Transportation.
--01/18/08 House: Assigned Transportation sub: 1.
--02/05/08 House: Continued to 2009 in Transportation.

! X HB 1111 Income tax, state.
Summary as Introduced:
Income tax, state; historic rehabilitation tax credit. Changes the definition of "material rehabilitation" for the cost of rehabilitation expenses for owner-occupied buildings from 25 percent of the assessed value of the building for local real estate tax purposes to a flat $10,000 for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2008.
Patron(s): Cole
--01/09/08 House: Referred to Committee on Finance.
--02/12/08 House: Left in Finance.

Gov HB 1116 Environmental impact reports.
Summary as Introduced:
Environmental impact reports; required for any major state construction project over $1 million. Requires an environmental impact report be done for any major state construction project that will cost $500,000 or more. The current threshold amount requiring such a report is $100,000.
Patron(s): Abbitt
--01/09/08 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 083941400.
--01/09/08 House: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources.
--01/23/08 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment (22-Y 0-N.)
--01/25/08 House: Committee amendment agreed to.
--01/28/08 House: Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N).
--01/28/08 House: Communicated to Senate.
--01/29/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.
--02/18/08 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (15-Y 0-N)
--02/20/08 Senate: Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N)
--02/25/08 House: Enrolled
--02/25/08 House: Signed by Speaker
--02/26/08 Senate: Signed by President
--03/06/08 Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 225 (effective 7/1/08)

X HB 1119 Derelict structures.
Summary as Introduced:
Derelict structures; locality authorized to impose fee on record owner. Authorizes a locality, by ordinance, to impose on the record owner of a derelict structure, a fee not to exceed the lesser of $2,500 or 15 percent of the most recently assessed value of the derelict structure and the land upon which the structure is situated if such owner or owners fail to (i) respond in writing within 30 days from the date notice declaring such structure derelict is sent with an abatement or removal plan to be completed within a reasonable time or (ii) abate or remove the derelict structure within the time prescribed in a plan for abatement or removal which has been approved by the locality. Also, a locality may provide that any owner or owners of such derelict structure who fail to (i) respond to a notice in writing with an abatement or removal plan or (ii) abate or remove the derelict structure as prescribed in an approved plan, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not more than $2,500. The bill also allows a locality to abate or remove the derelict structure should the owner fail to act; the cost of which shall be a lien on the property. The bill defines derelict structure.
Patron(s): Miller, P.J.
--01/09/08 House: Referred to Committee on General Laws.
--01/17/08 House: Assigned GL sub: Housing.
--02/05/08 House: Passed by in General Laws with letter.

X HB 1210 Vacant building registration.
Summary as Introduced:
Vacant building registration; enhances penalties for failure to register. Provides for enhanced penalties for failure to register vacant buildings.
Patron(s): Melvin
--01/09/08 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 086930636.
--01/09/08 House: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns.
--02/08/08 House: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with amendments (16-Y 6-N.)
--02/11/08 House: Committee amendments agreed to.
--02/12/08 House: Read third time and defeated by House (62-Y 36-N) Requires 2/3 votes for passage.

Gov HB 1259 Environmental impact reports.
Summary as Introduced:
Environmental impact reports; requires county, city, or town to submit report on highway projects. Requires any county, city, or town to submit an environmental impact report in connection with a highway construction, reconstruction, or improvement project only when such project is estimated to cost more than $1 million. The current threshold amount requiring such a report is $100,000. This bill incorporates HB 1083 (Delegate Suit). This bill is identical to SB 43 (Senator Miller, Y.B.).
Patron(s): O'Bannon, Ingram, Janis, Massie, McClellan, Morrissey and Peace; Senators: Stosch and Watkins
--01/09/08 House: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources.
--01/14/08 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (12-Y 0-N).
--01/29/08 House: Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (99-Y 0-N).
--01/29/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.
--02/11/08 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (14-Y 0-N).
--02/13/08 Senate: Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N).
--02/15/08 House: Signed by Speaker.
--02/15/08 Senate: Signed by President.
--02/25/08 House: Governor's recommendation received by House.
--02/26/08 House: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (78-Y 18-N). --02/28/08 Senate: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (33-Y 7-N)
--02/28/08 House: Signed by Speaker as reenrolled
--02/28/08 Senate: Signed by President as reenrolled
--02/28/08 Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 45 (effective 7/1/08)

X HB 1283 Land preservation tax credit.
Summary as Introduced:
Land preservation tax credit; elimination of verification of conservation value. Eliminates Department of Conservation and Recreation verification of conservation value of land donations that will result in $1 million or more in land preservation tax credits. Currently, as a condition of the issuance of a land preservation tax credit, the Department must verify the conservation value of donations that will result in $1 million or more in tax credits. The bill also would establish a review and administrative appeal process in which proposed conveyances of donations would be reviewed by the Department of Taxation for purposes of determining whether the proposed donation would qualify for a land preservation tax credit. The review process would eliminate the current requirement that the taxpayer execute or record the land donation prior to applying for a land preservation tax credit.
Patron(s): Athey
--01/09/08 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 081074420.
--01/09/08 House: Referred to Committee on Finance.
--02/12/08 House: Left in Finance.

X HB 1303 Residential Property Disclosure Act.
Summary as Introduced:
Residential Property Disclosure Act; property located within historic district. Authorizes a locality to, by ordinance, provide that an owner of residential real property located within such locality shall disclose, in writing, to the purchaser of such property whether (i) such property is located in a historic district designated by the locality pursuant to 15.2-2306 and (ii) the provisions of any historic district ordinance affect the property. Such written disclosure shall state the specific historic district in which the property is located according to the official zoning map.
Patron(s): Oder
--01/09/08 House: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 086540284.
--01/09/08 House: Referred to Committee on General Laws.
--02/12/08 House: Left in General Laws

E HB 1335 Natural resources funding.
Summary as Introduced:
Natural resources funding; allocates revenue generated by sales and use tax. Allocates annually 10 percent of the revenue generated by a one percent sales and use tax, not to exceed $100 million, to fund agricultural best management practices. The sales tax allocation would be deposited into the newly established Virginia Natural Resources Commitment Fund and distributed to the Department of Conservation and Recreation's Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program for the implementation of agricultural best management practices (BMP). Fifty-seven percent of the moneys are to used for matching grants to implement BMPs on agricultural lands exclusively in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and 38 percent of the moneys would be used for all other lands in the Commonwealth. Five percent of the moneys would be allocated to soil and water conservation districts.
Patron(s): Landes, Armstrong, Barlow, Bouchard, Brink, Carrico, Dance, Gilbert, Ingram, Lewis, Lingamfelter, Lohr, Marshall, D.W., May, Moran, Morgan, Nutter, Peace, Plum, Pogge, Poindexter, Saxman, Scott, E.T., Shannon, Sherwood, Sickles, Valentine Ware, O., Ware, R.L., and Wright; Senators: Blevins, Deeds, Edwards, Hurt, Lucas, Puckett, Quayle, Reynolds, Ticer and Vogel
--01/09/08 House Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 087750792.
--01/09/08 House: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources.
--01/22/08 House: Impact statement from DPB (HB1335).
--01/23/08 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment (22-Y 0-N).
--01/23/08 House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations.
--02/08/08 House: Reported from Appropriations with substitute (24-Y 0-N).
--02/11/08 House: Committee substitute from Appropriations agreed to 082578792-H1.
--02/12/08 House: Read third time and passed House BLOCK VOTE (98-Y 0-N).
--02/12/08 House: Communicated to Senate.
--02/13/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.
--02/25/08 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with amendment (15-Y 0-N).
--02/27/08 Senate: Passed Senate with amendment (40-Y 0-N).
--02/29/08 House: Senate amendment agreed to by House (97-Y 0-N).
--03/04/08 House: Enrolled.
--03/05/08 House: Signed by Speaker.
--03/06/08 Senate: Signed by President.

E SB 43 Environmental impact reports.
Summary as Introduced:
Envionmental impact reports; requires state or local authority to submit for major state projects. Environmental impact reports for major state projects. Requires state authority to submit an environmental impact report for projects where the land acquisition or construction costs are greater than $1,000,000. Currently environmental impact reports must be submitted for projects where the land acquisition or construction costs are greater than $100,000.
Patron(s): Miller, Y.B.
--12/20/07 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 080560276.
--12/20/07 Senate: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.
--01/14/08 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with amendments (12-Y 0-N).
--01/16/08 Senate: Committee amendments agreed to.
--01/17/08 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (37-Y 0-N).
--01/17/08 Senate: Communicated to House.
--02/11/08 House: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources.
--02/20/08 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (21-Y 0-N).
--03/06/08 Senate: Governor's recommendation received by Senate 03/07/08 Senate: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (37-Y 2-N) --03/08/08 House: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (92-Y 8-N)
--03/08/08 Senate: Reenrolled
--03/08/08 Senate: Signed by President as reenrolled
--03/08/08 House: Signed by Speaker as reenrolled
--03/08/08 House: Enacted, Chapter (effective 7/1/08)

X † SB 49 Zoning ordinances and districts.
Summary as Introduced:
Zoning ordinances and districts; matters to be considered in drawing and applying. Matters to be considered in drawing and applying zoning ordinances and districts. Provides that zoning ordinances and districts shall be drawn and applied with reasonable consideration for the conservation of environmental resources.
Patron(s): Whipple and Lucas; Delegate: Eisenberg
--12/20/07 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 084670352.
--12/20/07 Senate: Referred to Committee on Local Government.
--01/29/08 Senate: Reported from Local Government with amendments (10-Y 2-N 1-A).
--02/01/08 Senate: Committee amendments agreed to.
--02/04/08 Senate: Passed Senate (31-Y 8-N).
--02/04/08 Senate: Communicated to House.
--03/08/08 House: Left in Counties, Cities and Towns.

X † SB 50 Zoning ordinances.
Summary as Introduced:
Zoning ordinances; purpose thereof. Provides that zoning ordinances shall be designed to give reasonable consideration to conserving natural and environmental resources.
Patron(s): Whipple and Lucas; Delegate: Eisenberg
--12/20/07 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 084671352.
--12/20/07 Senate: Referred to Committee on Local Government.
--01/29/08 Senate: Reported from Local Government with amendment (12-Y 1-N).
--02/01/08 Senate: Committee amendment agreed to.
--02/04/08 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (32-Y 7-N).
--02/04/08 Senate: Communicated to House.
--03/08/08 House: Left in Counties, Cities and Towns.

09 SB 259 Land preservation tax credit.
Summary as Introduced:
Land preservation tax credit; elimination of verification of conservation value. Eliminates Department of Conservation and Recreation verification of conservation value of land donations resulting in $1 million or more in tax credits if the grantee for the donation is the Virginia Outdoors Foundation. Currently, as a condition of the issuance of a land preservation tax credit, the Department must verify the conservation value of donations that will result in $1 million or more in tax credits.
Patron(s): Deeds and Houck; Delegate: Scott, E.T.
--01/08/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Finance.
--01/30/08 Senate: Continued to 2009 in Finance (16Y 0-N).

09 SB 470 Natural resources.
Summary as Introduced:
Natural resources; provides annual funding therefor. Natural resources funding. Provides annual funding for natural resources from (i) 20 percent of the remaining revenues of state recordation taxes that are not currently allocated and (ii) unallocated land preservation tax credits in each calendar year. Of the revenues allocated to natural resources, 17 percent would be used to provide matching grants to local purchase of development rights programs, 16 percent would be distributed to the Virginia Land Conservation Fund, and 67 percent would be distributed to the Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program for agricultural best management practices. For the moneys allocated to agricultural best management practices, five percent would be distributed to soil and water conservation districts to provide technical assistance for the implementation of agricultural best management practices. The remaining moneys would be used for matching grants for agricultural best management practices, with 60 percent of the moneys used for lands exclusively in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and 40 percent of the moneys used for all other lands in the Commonwealth. For the moneys allocated to provide matching grants to local purchase of development rights programs, 60 percent of the moneys would be used for grants for local purchase of the development rights programs of counties and cities wholly or partly within the Chesapeake Bay watershed and 40 percent of the moneys would be used for grants for local purchase of the development rights programs of all other counties and cities. In general, for each $1 received, the local purchase of development rights program would be required to provide a $1 match.
Patron(s): Hanger
--01/09/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.
--02/11/08 Senate: Referred to Finance.
--02/12/08 Senate: Continued to 2009 in Finance (16-Y 0-N).

E SB 511 Natural resources funding.
Summary as Introduced:
Natural resources funding; allocates annually percentage of revenue generated by sales & use tax. Establishes the Virginia Natural Resources Commitment Fund. The Fund would be capitalized with appropriated funds and moneys from public and private sources. Beginning July 1, 2008, and for the next 10 years moneys in the Fund would be distributed to the Department of Conservation and Recreation's Agricultural Best Management Practices Cost-Share Program for the implementation of agricultural best management practices (BMP). Fifty-seven percent of the moneys are to used for matching grants to implement BMPs on agricultural lands exclusively in the Chesapeake Bay watershed and 38 percent of the moneys would be used for all other lands in the Commonwealth. Five percent of the moneys would be allocated to soil and water conservation districts. This bill is identical to HB 1335.
Patron(s): Whipple, Blevins, Deeds, Edwards, Hurt, Lucas, Northam, Obenshain, Puckett, Quayle, Reynolds, Ticer and Vogel; Delegates: Armstrong, Barlow, Bouchard, Brink, Dance, Ingram, Lewis, Lingamfelter, Moran, Morgan, Plum, Scott, E.T., Shannon, Sherwood, Sickles, Valentine and Wright
--01/09/08 Senate: Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/09/08 084336352.
--01/09/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources.
--01/21/08 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with amendment (15-Y 0-N).
--01/21/08 Senate: Rereferred to Finance.
--02/07/08 Senate: Reported from Finance with substitute (15-Y 1-N).
--02/12/08 Senate: Committee substitute agreed to 082947352-S1.
--02/12/08 Senate: Passed Senate (38-Y 2-N).
--02/12/08 Senate: Communicated to House.
--02/14/08 House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations
--02/19/08 House: Assigned App. sub: Economic Development, Agriculture and Natural Resources (Cox). --02/27/08 House: Reported from Appropriations with substitute (23-Y 0-N).
--03/03/08 House: Committee substitute agreed to 082596696-H1.
--03/03/08 House: Passed House with substitute BLOCK VOTE (100-Y 0-N).
--03/05/08 Senate: House substitute agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N).
--03/08/08 Senate: Enrolled.

Gov SB 591 Tourism zones, local.
Summary as Introduced:
Tourism zones, local; increases number of years which tax incentives may be provided therein. Increases from 10 to 20 the number of years in which tax incentives may be provided in a local tourism zone. Under current law, the tax incentives may include the reduction of (i) permit fees, (ii) user fees, and (iii) any type of gross receipts tax. The bill would not change the number of years for which any regulatory flexibility that is provided is binding upon the locality, which is currently fixed at 10 years.
Patron(s): Norment
--01/09/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Finance.
--01/22/08 Senate: Reported from Finance (16-Y 0-N).
--01/25/08 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N).
--01/25/08 Senate: Communicated to House.
--02/12/08 House: Referred to Committee on Finance.
--02/13/08 House: Assigned Finance sub: 1.
--02/25/08 House: Reported from Finance (20-Y 0-N).
--02/27/08 House: Passed House BLOCK VOTE (97-Y 0-N).
--02/28/08 Senate: Enrolled.
--02/28/08 House: Signed by Speaker.
--03/02/08 Senate: Signed by President.
--03/07/08 Governor: Approved by Governor-Chapter 462 (effective 7/1/08).

09 SB 641 Land preservation tax credit.
Summary as Introduced:
Land preservation tax credit; conveyance for public parks, recreational areas, or trails. Provides that the land preservation tax credit would equal 60 percent of the fair market value of any land that is conveyed for the purpose of a public park, public recreational facility, or public trail access easement. The board of supervisors of the county or the council of the city in which such land is located would be required to pass a duly adopted resolution that states (i) its approval of the conveyance, and (ii) that the conveyance is in accordance with the comprehensive plan in effect for the county or city.
Patron(s): Ticer
--01/09/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Finance.
--01/23/08 Senate: Continued to 2009 in Finance (16-Y 0-N).

09 SB 744 Land preservation tax credit.
Summary as Introduced:
Land preservation tax credit. Establishes a process by which properties are to be registered with the Department of Taxation prior to any tax credit being allowed for a donation. The registration process requires a written certification by a licensed reviewer certifying that the property, or interest therein, is in compliance with pre-registration standards established by the Department. The pre-registration standards would include standards for the public benefit derived from the donation and standards for the use of the property by the donee. The Department would be authorized to license qualified applicants to perform the review for certification. The Department would be allowed to levy and collect fees for licensure to cover the direct expenses for the administration of the registration program. The Department would be required to implement a limited appeals process by which prospective credit claimants could seek to register with the Department notwithstanding the lack of a written certification from a licensed reviewer.
Patron(s): Hanger
--01/09/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Finance.
--01/23/08 Senate: Continued to 2009 in Finance (16-Y 0-N).

09 † SB 766 Demolition of historic structures and areas.
Summary as Introduced:
Demolition of historic structures and areas; civil penalty. Demolition of historic structures and areas; civil penalty. Authorizes a civil penalty for the demolition of a building or structure designated as an historic area, cemetery or grave without the approval of the architectural review board or the governing body of the county. The bill also includes in the amount of the civil penalty the value of a plan for data recovery that has been approved by the Department of Historic Resources. The bill defines plan for data recovery as a strategy for retrieving and documenting historical information from an archaeological or architectural resource or resources, a landscape, or a cemetery.
Patron(s): Colgan
--01/18/08 Senate: Presented and ordered printed 088692212.
--01/18/08 Senate: Referred to Committee on Local Government.
--02/05/08 Senate: Reported from Local Government with amendments (14-Y 0-N).
--02/08/08 Senate: Substitute by Senator Colgan agreed to 083043212-S1.
--02/08/08 Senate: Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N).
--02/08/08 Senate: Communicated to House.
--02/13/08 House: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns.
--02/29/08 House: Continued to 2009 in Counties, Cities and Towns.

What Can You Do To Help?

First, please respond to APVA Preservation Virginia's Legislative Alerts as you receive them during the course of the 2008 General Assembly. Alerts will be issued each Wednesday during the session and as needed for critical calls to action.

Second, please plan to attend the Virginia's Preservation Day on Tuesday, January 22. Additional information regarding events that day will be provided to you as we get closer to the date.

If you need help identifying your legislator, click on this link: http://conview.state.va.us/whosmy.nsf/main?openform

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Citizen's Guide to the Virginia General Assembly
Every citizen has the ability and opportunity to impact public policy and influence the outcome of state legislation. Grassroots lobbying works well when concerned citizens work together to voice their opinions in a determined, positive manner. Together we can make a difference! We have put together a few "tips" and suggestions to assist you in your efforts.