summary
Introduced
01/01/2026
01/01/2026
In Committee
02/25/2026
02/25/2026
Crossed Over
02/11/2026
02/11/2026
Passed
03/04/2026
03/04/2026
Dead
Introduced Session
2026 Regular Regular Session
Bill Summary
Highway rights-of-way; invasive species. Prohibits the Commonwealth Transportation Board (the 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 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 and requires the Department of Transportation to conduct a review of the processes and resources that are necessary and appropriate to (i) determine the prevalence of invasive plants on the list of invasive plant species created by the Department of Conservation and Recreation and develop options for establishing and implementing a plan to remove or control such plants and manage such plants on an ongoing basis.
AI Summary
This bill prohibits the Commonwealth Transportation Board (Board) and the Commissioner of Highways from planting any invasive plant, as defined by a list maintained by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, on state highway rights-of-way, which are the lands alongside public roads. This replaces an older law that only prohibited specific plants like devil shoestring, Johnson grass, and barberry if a local government declared them injurious, and it removes the requirement for the Board to actively remove such plants. Furthermore, the bill mandates that the Department of Transportation, in consultation with other agencies and an advisory group, will study how widespread these invasive plants are on highway rights-of-way and explore ways to remove, control, or manage them, with a report of their findings due by December 1, 2027, to legislative committees.
Committee Categories
Budget and Finance, Transportation and Infrastructure
Sponsors (2)
Last Action
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (on 03/10/2026)
Official Document
bill text
bill summary
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bill summary
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bill summary
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