HB88
Highway rights-of-way; invasive species.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
March 10, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Chief Patron:
Amy Laufer (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Passed House of Origin. Highway rights-of-way; invasive species.
Prohibits the Commonwealth Transportation Board (Board) and Commissioner of Highways from planting or causing or suffering to be planted any invasive plant on the list of invasive plants created by the Department of Conservation and Recreation on the right-of-way of any state highway. Current law prohibits the planting of three ... (More) listed plants if the governing body of the locality declares such weeds or plants to be injurious and requires the Board to remove such plants. The bill removes such requirement for the Board to remove such plants. The bill requires the Department of Transportation to conduct a review regarding the prevalence of invasive plants on state highway rights-of-way and options for the removal, control, or management of such plants and submit a report of its findings to the Chairs of the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, and the House and Senate Committees on Transportation no later than December 1, 2027. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/01/2026 - House: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102366D
- 01/01/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Transportation
- 01/19/2026 - House: Assigned HTRAN sub: Transportation Infrastructure and Funding
- 01/21/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB88)
- 01/26/2026 - House: Placed on Transportation Agenda
- 01/27/2026 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (10-Y 0-N)
- 01/28/2026 - House: Placed on Transportation Agenda
- 01/29/2026 - House: Reported from Transportation with substitute and referred to Appropriations (21-Y 0-N)
- 01/29/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Appropriations
- 01/29/2026 - House: Committee substitute printed 26106402D-H1
- 01/29/2026 - House: Assigned HAPP sub: Transportation & Public Safety
- 02/03/2026 - House: Placed on Appropriations Agenda
- 02/04/2026 - House: House subcommittee offered
- 02/04/2026 - House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 0-N)
- 02/05/2026 - House: Placed on Appropriations Agenda
- 02/06/2026 - House: Reported from Appropriations with substitute (22-Y 0-N)
- 02/06/2026 - House: Committee substitute printed 26107203D-H2
- 02/10/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/11/2026 - House: Read second time
- 02/11/2026 - House: committee substitute rejected
- 02/11/2026 - House: committee substitute agreed to
- 02/11/2026 - House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute
- 02/12/2026 - House: Read third time and passed House (98-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Transportation
- 02/19/2026 - Senate: Reported from Transportation and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)
- 02/19/2026 - Senate: Rereferred to Finance and Appropriations
- 02/25/2026 - Senate: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N)
- 02/26/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 02/26/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 02/26/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- 02/26/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB88)
- 02/27/2026 - Senate: Read third time
- 02/27/2026 - Senate: Passed Senate (37-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/04/2026 - House: Enrolled
- 03/04/2026 - House: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB88ER)
- 03/04/2026 - House: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB88)
- 03/04/2026 - House: Signed by Speaker
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Signed by President
- 03/10/2026 - House: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
- 03/10/2026 - Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
