VA SB 344
vetoedMammalian wildlife; premature separation and hybridization prohibited, exceptions.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · upper
Quick answers
Did VA SB 344 pass?
No. VA SB 344 passed the legislature but was vetoed on 2026-04-13. Latest recorded action (2026-04-13): Governor's recommendation received by Senate
What is VA SB 344 about?
Department of Wildlife Resources; premature separation and hybridization of mammalian wildlife prohibited; exceptions. Makes it unlawful to prematurely separate any mammalian wildlife offspring born in captivity from the mother prior to the offspring turning four months of age, except that wildlife offspring may be prematurely separated if a medical necessity exists pursuant to a written order from a veterinarian with appropriate species-specific experience and expertise licensed to practice in the Commonwealth. The bill excludes the following from its provisions: (i) agricultural animals; (ii) noncommercial transfers or trades between accredited zoological facilities; (iii) an accredited zoological facility, as defined in the bill, that retains the mammalian wildlife offspring separated by such zoological facility; (iv) the Department of Wildlife Resources, a person operating under a wildlife rehabilitator, scientific collection, or endangered and threatened species permit approved by the Department, or a person operating under a species recovery plan approved by the Department; (v) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; or (vi) any person rendering emergency neonatal aide, including the temporary separation of up to 72 hours until a licensed veterinarian can be engaged for assessment and treatment. The bill also makes it unlawful to intentionally and for commercial purposes propagate mammalian wildlife of different species, also known as hybridization. This bill is identical to HB 112.
Who sponsors VA SB 344?
Jennifer B. Boysko is the primary sponsor of VA SB 344, joined by 1 cosponsor.
Description
Department of Wildlife Resources; premature separation and hybridization of mammalian wildlife prohibited; exceptions. Makes it unlawful to prematurely separate any mammalian wildlife offspring born in captivity from the mother prior to the offspring turning four months of age, except that wildlife offspring may be prematurely separated if a medical necessity exists pursuant to a written order from a veterinarian with appropriate species-specific experience and expertise licensed to practice in the Commonwealth. The bill excludes the following from its provisions: (i) agricultural animals; (ii) noncommercial transfers or trades between accredited zoological facilities; (iii) an accredited zoological facility, as defined in the bill, that retains the mammalian wildlife offspring separated by such zoological facility; (iv) the Department of Wildlife Resources, a person operating under a wildlife rehabilitator, scientific collection, or endangered and threatened species permit approved by the Department, or a person operating under a species recovery plan approved by the Department; (v) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service; or (vi) any person rendering emergency neonatal aide, including the temporary separation of up to 72 hours until a licensed veterinarian can be engaged for assessment and treatment. The bill also makes it unlawful to intentionally and for commercial purposes propagate mammalian wildlife of different species, also known as hybridization. This bill is identical to HB 112.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-13
- Latest action
- 2026-04-13 — Governor's recommendation received by Senate
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Jennifer B. Boyskoprimary
- William M. Stanley, Jr.cosponsor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
2026-01-13
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104692D
filing,introduction
2026-01-13
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources
referral-committee
2026-01-27
Senate committee offered
2026-02-03
Senate committee offered
2026-02-03
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute (10-Y 3-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-04
Committee substitute printed 26107014D-S1
substitution
2026-02-05
Rules suspended
2026-02-05
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-05
Passed by for the day (Voice Vote)
2026-02-06
Read second time
reading-2
2026-02-06
Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Substitute agreed to
2026-02-06
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)
substitution
2026-02-09
Read third time and passed Senate (26-Y 14-N 0-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-02-11
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB344)
2026-02-12
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-12
Read first time
reading-1
2026-02-12
Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
referral-committee
2026-02-25
Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (19-Y 3-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-27
Read second time
reading-2
2026-03-02
Read third time
reading-3
2026-03-02
Passed House (74-Y 25-N 0-A)
passage
2026-03-05
Enrolled
enrolled
2026-03-05
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB344ER)
passage
2026-03-05
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB344)
2026-03-05
Signed by Speaker
passage
2026-03-05
Signed by President
passage
2026-03-10
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
enrolled,executive-receipt
2026-03-10
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
executive-receipt
2026-04-13
Governor's recommendation received by Senate
executive-veto-line-item
Versions
Documents
Votes
Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitute
2026-02-03 · pass · 10-3
Member-level votes (15)
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: no
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: not voting
- T. Travis Hackworth: no
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Timmy French: no
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: not voting
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
Constitutional reading dispensed R
2026-02-05 · pass · 40-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: yes
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: yes
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Passage R
2026-02-09 · pass · 26-14
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: no
- Christie New Craig: no
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: no
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: no
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: no
- T. Travis Hackworth: no
- Christopher T. Head: no
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: no
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: no
- Mark D. Obenshain: no
- Mark J. Peake: no
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: no
- Bryce E. Reeves: no
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
2026-02-25 · pass · 19-3
Member-level votes (22)
- Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
- Nadarius E. Clark: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Jackie H. Glass: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- Marty Martinez: yes
- John Chilton McAuliff: yes
- Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
- Virgil Thornton: yes
- Lily V. Franklin: yes
- R. Lee Ware: no
- Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: no
- Tony O. Wilt: no
- Michael J. Webert: yes
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: yes
- Hillary Pugh Kent: yes
H VOTE:
2026-03-02 · pass · 74-25
Member-level votes (99)
- Jessica L. Anderson: yes
- Bonita G. Anthony: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
- Jason S. Ballard: no
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
- Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Mike A. Cherry: no
- Nadarius E. Clark: yes
- Laura Jane Cohen: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Nicole Cole: yes
- Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
- Mitchell Cornett: no
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Will Davis: no
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Lindsey Dougherty: yes
- Mark C. Downey: yes
- Michael B. Feggans: yes
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: yes
- Lily V. Franklin: yes
- Margaret A. Franklin: yes
- Debra D. Gardner: yes
- Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: no
- Jackie H. Glass: yes
- Timothy P. Griffin: no
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
- Karen Hamilton: no
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- Dan I. Helmer: yes
- Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- M. Keith Hodges: no
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
- Hillary Pugh Kent: yes
- Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: yes
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich: no
- Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
- Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
- Marty Martinez: yes
- John Chilton McAuliff: yes
- Adele Y. McClure: yes
- Garrett McGuire: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes
- Joseph P. McNamara: yes
- Kirk McPike: yes
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- James W. Morefield: no
- May Nivar: yes
- Delores Oates: no
- Israel D. O'Quinn: no
- Justin Pence: no
- Eric Phillips: no
- Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Sam Rasoul: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- David A. Reid: yes
- Chris S. Runion: no
- Charlie Schmidt: yes
- Don Scott: yes
- Phillip A. Scott: no
- Holly M. Seibold: yes
- Briana D. Sewell: yes
- Irene Shin: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- JJ Singh: yes
- Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
- Anne Ferrell Tata: yes
- Joshua E. Thomas: yes
- Virgil Thornton: yes
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: no
- Wendell S. Walker: no
- Jeion A. Ward: yes
- R. Lee Ware: no
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Michael J. Webert: yes
- Madison Whittle: no
- Bill Wiley: no
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Wren M. Williams: yes
- Tony O. Wilt: no
- Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: no
- Scott A. Wyatt: no
- Eric R. Zehr: no
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z
Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:
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