Crossover: 2024 legislative update

The Virginia General Assembly kicked off in January for a long 60 day session, and we have officially reached crossover! Virginia’s long sessions occur in even numbered years. During a long session, legislators pass policy bills as well as a budget bill. Even numbered years may be Virginia’s “long” sessions but these sessions are quite short for the amount of bills that move through the process. 

What is crossover?

Crossover is when all the bills passed in the Senate go to the House and all the bills that passed the House go to the Senate. This does not include the Budget bill. 

Bills move quickly through the General Assembly. Typically bills are heard in a subcommittee, a full committee (or two) and then voted on the floor of their chamber of origin (Senate or House of Delegates). If a bill passes in its chamber of origin, the bill crosses over to the other chamber. If a bill has not been heard by crossover then it dies at that point without a floor vote. 

Environment Virginia crossover update

The good

• All of the Clean Car rollback bills were defeated!
• A suite of bills to protect trees have passed the House!
• SB 445 to create the Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund has passed the Senate!
• HB 107 to create a rural EV infrastructure program and grant fund passed the House of Delegates!
• HB 1085 to combat PFAs in Virginia passed the House of Delegates! 
• SB 234 to create a Parking Lot Solar Development Program passed the Senate!

The bad

Several bills that we supported have been continued to next year or died in committee. A couple problematic bills have also crossed over that we will continue to oppose.

• Oppose: SB 454- Recovery of costs for development of small modular nuclear reactors (passed the Senate)
• Defeated: HJ 35- Study on VA Litter Tax improvements (continued to 2025)
• DefeatedL HB 1297- Virginia’s Great Outdoors Act (continued to 2025)
• Defeated: HB 33- Study on microplastics in public drinking water (continued to 2025)
• Defeated: HB 228- Truth in Recycling (continued to 2025)

The budget

A top budget priority is to move forward the dates of Virginia’s bipartisan ban on single use foam. Originally large chains would have phased out foam cups and take out containers in 2023. This was delayed to 2028 through the budget. We are calling on legislators to undo this rollback, support a foam free budget and stop the continued attacks on this popular, bipartisan and impactful law. 

Additionally, several priorities that require funding such as our commitment to cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay, creating wildlife corridors and funding the EV rebate program. The budget bills are released on “Budget Sunday” which falls on February 18th this year. We will provide an update once we are able to read through the House and Senate versions.