During the Senate debate of the budget bill (H.4000) in 2019, Senator Massey proposed a budget amendment that would have prohibited local communities from adopting ordinances from banning consumer goods – including plastic bags. Senator Massey’s amendment was an attempt…
H.3700 sought to allow the placement of wingwalls at the ends of existing erosion control structures, like seawalls. This bill was referred to the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee. The Conservation Community had no position on the bill…
The Pyrolysis or Advanced Recycling bill sought to exempt pyrolysis facilities from existing Solid Waste Management laws. Pyrolysis is the melting and gasification of plastics into other petroleum products, like jet fuel. While this process is already permitted in South…
The bill passed overwhelmingly 100-5 and was sent to the Senate, ultimately passing into law in 2020. This is a Pro-Conservation Bill. The scored vote was for second reading in the House.
Without the time in the final hours of the legislative session to stop or amend the bill, the conservation community worked with Governor McMaster to veto this dangerous legislation. We applaud the Governor for taking this position in support of…
This bill passed out of the Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee in the House. There were significant concerns expressed on the House floor, with Representatives Will Wheeler and Mandy Powers Norrell leading efforts to amend and improve the…
With a lot of negotiating and time spent crafting the bill in the House Labor, Commerce, and Industry (LCI) Committee, the bill unanimously passed the House 110-0 and was sent to the Senate in early April of 2019. This is…
Senator Tom Davis had introduced the Senate companion bill (S.332) early in the 2019 session. Conversations surrounding S.332 had laid the foundation for quick consideration of the House version of the Energy Freedom Act by the Senate Judiciary Committee. After…
Ultimately, the amendment was stopped by a vote to “table” it, thus killing it 27-15. This vote serves as a useful indicator of which Senators support home rule and the right of communities to pass ordinances controlling plastic pollution. This…