Government Relations
Bills We Are Following
The 2024 General Assembly session is about to begin. Some bills affecting our industry have already been introduced.
House Bill 320
HB 320 Pesticide control exemptions; herbicide applications by unpaid volunteers.
Pesticide control exemptions; herbicide applications by unpaid volunteers. Exempts from the provisions of state pesticide laws and regulations any unpaid volunteer who uses or supervises the use of any nonrestricted herbicide with the express authorization of a local political subdivision for the sole purpose of controlling invasive plants or noxious weeds on properties owned by such local political subdivision. The bill provides that such unpaid volunteer shall use such herbicide under the direct supervision of a certified applicator and the local political subdivision shall provide instruction to the unpaid volunteer prior to application on (i) the risks associated with the herbicide utilized, (ii) the proper use of equipment used to apply the herbicide, (iii) other information to prevent an unreasonable adverse effect on the environment, and (iv) any other information relevant to the specific herbicide utilized.
This bill has become law. We have written our concerns about circumventing the training, testing, certification, and on-going recertification rules that industry persons follow. These rules protect the environment, the applicator, and anyone else exposed to the pesticide.
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HB 528 Property Owners’ Association Act; managed conservation landscaping; unreasonable restrictions.
Property Owners’ Association Act; managed conservation landscaping; unreasonable restrictions prohibited. Provides that no association shall prohibit an owner from installing managed conservation landscaping, defined in the bill, upon such owner’s property unless such prohibition was recorded in the declaration for the association. The bill allows associations to establish reasonable restrictions concerning the management, design, and aesthetic guidelines for managed conservation landscaping features.
This legislation was carried over to 2025. We are monitoring it but the issues addressed are primarily property rights ones.
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