Bill Commons

VA HB 596

in committee

Wildlife Corridor Action Plan; interagency implementation group, report.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Description

Wildlife Corridor Action Plan; interagency implementation group; report. Directs the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources to, in coordination with the Secretary of Transportation, convene an Interagency Implementation Group to advance projects, policies, and priorities identified under the Wildlife Corridor Action Plan. The bill requires the Group to (i) facilitate the development of a statewide memorandum of understanding among participating state agencies to formalize roles, data-sharing practices, and collaborative processes; (ii) facilitate sharing of wildlife vehicle collision data; (iii) support local level connectivity planning; (iv) develop and offer training to state agencies, localities, and metropolitan planning organizations relating to wildlife crossings and habitat connectivity strategies; (v) coordinate and prioritize projects identified in the Plan; and (vi) assist state agencies and political subdivisions, and by request any federal agency, in considering and incorporating wildlife corridors and the recommendations of the Plan when developing any governmental strategic plan, map, or action. The bill requires the Secretary of Transportation and the Secretary of Natural and Historic Resources to jointly submit a report of the Group's progress in advancing the Plan to the Chairs of the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and Transportation and the House Committees on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources and Transportation by September 1 of each year.

Introduced
2026-01-13
Status date
—
Latest action
2026-02-18 — Left in Committee Rules
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Shelly A. Simondsprimary
  • Debra D. Gardnercosponsor
  • Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.cosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-13

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103881D

    filing,introduction

  2. 2026-01-13

    Referred to Committee on Rules

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-22

    Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee

    referral-committee

  4. 2026-01-23

    Subcommittee recommends laying on the table (5-Y 0-N)

  5. 2026-02-18

    Left in Committee Rules

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends laying on the table

    2026-01-23 · pass · 5-0

    Member-level votes (5)
    • Dan I. Helmer: yes
    • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
    • C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
    • Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
    • Terry G. Kilgore: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB596

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z

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