Virginia Overview – 2024 Session
VIRGINIA
Legislative Overview – 2024 Session
(Adjourned on March 8, 2024)
23 pet related items were proposed during the 1st year of the 2024-2025 legislative session, 9 of which were designated as priority by the Pet Advocacy Network.
Final Disposition of Priority ISSUES:
| BILL # | SUMMARY | FINAL DISPOSITION |
| HB 62 | Animal Cruelty Conviction List: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care, and Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 9 (Cruelty to Animals) of the Code of Virginia by adding a new Section 6573.1 relating to local animal cruelty registries. | ENACTED |
| HB 137 | Emergency Medical Services Regulations – Police Dogs: Amends Title 32.1 (Health), Chapter 4 (Health Care Planning), Article 2.1 (Statewide Emergency Medical Services System and Services), Section 111.4 (Regulations; emergency medical services personnel and vehicles; response times; enforcement provisions; civil penalties) of the Code of Virginia relating to emergency medical services regulations for police dogs. | DIED IN COMMITTEE (MISSED CROSSOVER DEADLINE) |
| HB 206 | Pet Shop Recordkeeping – Cat and Dog Deaths: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care & Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 3 (Transportation & Sale of Animals), Section 6511 (Failure of dealer or pet shop to provide adequate care; penalty; report) of the Code of Virginia in relation to mandatory recordkeeping and reporting by pet shops of dog and cats deaths. | HELD OVER TO 2025 SESSION |
| HB 223 | Animal Cruelty Conviction/Pet Ownership Prohibition: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care & Food), Subtitle V (Domestic Animals), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 9 (Cruelty to Animals), Section 3.2-6570 (Cruelty to animals; penalty) of the Code of Virginia to further restrict animal possession and ownership for those convicted of felony cruelty to animals. | ENACTED (EFFECTIVE 7/1/24) |
| HB 299 | Dog Ownership License Tax Exemption: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care & Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 5 (Rabies Control and Licensing of Dogs and Cats), Section 6528 (Amount of license tax) of the Code of Virginia to exempt certain dogs from a local dog ownership license tax. | ENACTED (EFFECTIVE 7/1/24) |
| HB 330 | Pet Shop Financing Restrictions: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care & Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care), Article 3 (Transportation and Sale of Animals) of the Code of Virginia by adding a new Section 6515.1 (Pet shops; consumer credit) in relation to pet shops offering consumer credit. | ENACTED (EFFECTIVE 7/1/24) |
| HB 889 | Companion Animal Care Sales Tax: Amends Title 58.1 (Taxation), Subtitle I (Taxes Administered by the Department of Taxation), Chapter 6 (Retail Sales & Use Tax), Section 602 of the Code of Virginia adding a definition for and impose sales tax on “taxable services” (would include “companion animal care”). | HELD OVER TO 2025 SESSION |
| SB 31 | Pet Food Product Manufacturer/Distributor Surcharge: Amends Title 3.2 (Agriculture, Animal Care and Food), Chapter 65 (Comprehensive Animal Care) of the Code of Virginia by adding Section 6504.2 to create the “Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Fund;” and Title 58.1 (Taxation), Chapter 17 (Miscellaneous Taxes) of the Code of Virginia by adding Section 1707.1, imposing a surcharge of $50.00 for each ton of pet food distributed, to be paid into the state treasury and credited to the Companion Animal Surgical Sterilization Fund. | HELD OVER TO 2025 SESSION |
| REG 2021-001 | Pet Shop Dog and Cat Sales – Animal Welfare Requirements: Rulemaking amends Title 2 (Agriculture), Agency 5 (Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services) of Virginia Administrative Code by adding a new Chapter 105 (Regulations Pertaining to Pet Shops Selling Dogs or Cats) to establish statutory and regulatory requirements standardizing welfare requirements for dogs and cats sold by retail pet shops. (Mandated by the enactment of SB 891 in July 2020). | ADOPTED (EFFECTIVE ON 5/9/24) |
View ALL Virginia legislation tracked by the Pet Advocacy Network during the 2024 session.
View ALL local ordinances tracked by the Pet Advocacy Network during the 2024 session.
View ALL federal and state issues tracked by the Pet Advocacy Network during the 2023-24 session.