2015 General Assembly Session
The 2015 General Assembly session has ended. All bills can be found online at the Legislative Information System, which includes a searchable database. Those bills which may be of interest to those at VIMS are briefly listed below and linked to the Legislative Information System. Please [[eahein, let us know]] if there are any that we may have missed.
HB 1290 Home food operations; certain exemptions for products
Exempts food products and food made from milk processed or prepared in private homes or farms from Board of Agriculture and Consumer Services regulations, so long as (i) the sale is made directly to end consumers and (ii) the product is labeled with the producer's name and address, the product's ingredients, and a disclosure statement indicating the product is not for resale and is processed and prepared without state inspection. The bill also exempts private homes or farms that meet the same conditions from examinations conducted by the State Health Commissioner of establishments in which crustacea, finfish, and shellfish are handled.
02/02 House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table by voice vote
02/10 House: Left in Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
HB 1591 Genetically engineered foods; definition, labeling of food, penalty
Defines "genetically engineered"; establishes conditions under which a food must be labeled as "genetically engineered" and must, in some cases, bear additional labeling; and provides that a violation of the section is a Class 3 misdemeanor.
01/26 House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table by voice vote
02/10 House: Left in Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
HB 1697 Synthetic plastic microbeads; prohibition against manufacture or sale of certain products, penalty
Defines the term "synthetic plastic microbead" and prohibits the manufacture of certain personal care products containing microbeads beginning in 2018. The bill also bars the sale of such products, and the manufacture of over-the-counter drugs containing microbeads, beginning in 2019, and it prohibits the sale of such drugs beginning in 2020. Violators are subject to a civil penalty of between $250 and $10,000 per day, the proceeds of which are to be deposited into the Virginia Environmental Emergency Response Fund. Naturally occurring biopolymers or other compounds that biodegrade in marine and freshwater environments are excluded from the definition of "synthetic plastic microbead."
01/29 House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table by voice vote
02/10 House: Left in Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources
HB 1722 / SB 893 Virginia Freedom of Information Act; exemptions for university presidents
Eliminates the working paper and correspondence record exemption for the president or other chief executive officer of any public institution of higher education in Virginia.
HB 1722: 01/29 House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table by voice vote
HB 1722: 02/10 House: Left in General Laws
SB 893: 02/02 Senate: Passed by indefinitely in General Laws and Technology with letter (10-Y 1-N)
HB 1734 Living shorelines; loans for creation
Authorizes the State Water Control Board to provide loans from the Virginia Water Facilities Revolving Fund to (i) a local government for the purpose of establishing living shorelines that protect or improve water quality and prevent water pollution or (ii) a local government that has developed a funding program to provide low-interest loans or other incentives to individuals to assist in establishing living shorelines.
02/04 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 1-N)
02/06 House: Reported from Appropriations (19-Y 1-N)
02/10 House: VOTE: PASSAGE (89-Y 10-N)
02/19 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (15-Y 0-N)
02/24 Senate: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)
HB 1811 Clams, cultured; use of handheld devices for harvesting
Authorizes the Marine Resources Commission to issue permits for the use of a handheld hydraulically operated device for harvesting cultured clams from leased grounds.
01/29 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 0-N)
02/04 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (22-Y 0-N)
02/09 House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (96-Y 0-N)
02/19 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (15-Y 0-N)
02/25 Senate: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)
HB 1866 Dam Safety, Flood Prevention, and Protection Assistance Fund; use of Fund
Allows the Director of the Department of Conservation and Recreation to make loans from the Dam Safety, Flood Prevention, and Protection Assistance Fund of up to $300,000 to be used to elevate or flood-proof primary and secondary single-family homes, owner-occupied rental housing of not more than four units, and businesses. To be eligible, homeowners' and business owners' structures must be subject to coastal flooding and located in either Zone VE or Coastal Zone AE, as defined by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the National Flood Insurance Program.
01/28 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute (19-Y 3-N)
02/04 House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table by voice vote
02/10 House: Left in Appropriations
HB 1871 Private wells; registration of wells located in ground water management areas
Requires certified water well systems providers to register wells being constructed in ground water management areas with the State Water Control Board (SWCB) within 30 days of the completion of the well's construction. The bill requires the Department of Health (VDH) to provide the SWCB annually with a list of the wells that were permitted during the previous year and the SWCB to provide VDH annually with a list of the wells that were registered during the previous year. The bill also requires VDH to give the SWCB copies of all historical VDH records on permitted private well construction.
01/29 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 0-N)
02/04 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment (18-Y 4-N)
02/09 House: VOTE: PASSAGE (78-Y 19-N)
02/19 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (9-Y 6-N)
02/24 Senate: Passed Senate (26-Y 13-N)
02/24 Senate: Reconsideration of Senate passage agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N)
02/24 Senate: Passed Senate (24-Y 15-N)
HB 1924 / SB 1341 Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Advisory Committee; established, report
Establishes the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Advisory Committee (the Committee) to assist the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) in developing, revising, and implementing a management strategy for ground water in the Eastern Virginia Groundwater Management Area. The bill prohibits the State Water Control Board and the DEQ from taking any actions that require reductions in the volume of permitted ground water withdrawals until the report of the Committee is presented to the State Water Commission. The bill has a sunset date of January 1, 2018.
HB1924: 01/29 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (4-Y 1-N)
HB1924: 02/04 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment (18-Y 4-N)
HB1924: 02/09 House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (96-Y 0-N)
HB1924: 02/19 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with amendment (15-Y 0-N)
HB1924: 02/24 Senate: Passed Senate with amendment (39-Y 0-N)
HB1924: 02/25 House: Senate amendment agreed to by House (95-Y 1-N)
HB1924: 02/25 House: VOTE: ADOPTION (95-Y 1-N)
SB1341: 02/05 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitite (14-Y 1-N)
SB1341: 02/10 Senate: Passed Senate (37-Y 0-N)
SB1341: 02/18 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (22-Y 0-N)
SB1341: 02/10 Senate: Passed Senate (37-Y 0-N)
SB1341: 02/18 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (22-Y 0-N)
SB1341: 02/20 House: VOTE: PASSAGE (94-Y 2-N)
SB1341: 02/26 Senate: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on 2/26/15
HB 2032 Notice to localities and property owner's application for use of bottomland
Requires the Marine Resources Commission to provide written notification of the receipt of an application for an oyster lease or a permit for the placement of temporary enclosure to adjacent property owners and localities where the lease or temporary enclosure is to be located. The applicant is responsible for paying the costs of notifying the property owners and localities.
01/29 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (3-Y 0-N)
02/04 House: Tabled in Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources by voice vote
HB 2195 Fishing privileges; Marine Resources Commission authorized to revoke license to fish in tidal water
Authorizes the Marine Resources Commission to revoke the privilege to fish in tidal waters of any person who has been convicted of unlawfully taking oysters or other shellfish from oyster grounds. Currently, such a conviction only results in the revocation of a person's tidal fishing license. The bill also increases from two years to five years the maximum duration of the revocation of a fishing license or the privilege to fish in tidal waters. The bill also authorizes the Commission to assess a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 against a person if it finds the person has engaged in fishing other than for recreational purposes during the revocation period. The bill requires the Commission to consider the person's history of violating the conservation, health, and safety laws or regulations in setting the amount of the civil penalty.
02/04 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (22-Y 0-N)
02/09 House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (96-Y 0-N)
02/19 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (15-Y 0-N)
02/24 Senate: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)
HB 2205 / SB1428 Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; Commonwealth Resilience Fund established
Requires the Governor to join the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative that established a regional CO2 electric power sector cap and trade program and establishes the Commonwealth Resilience Fund, a revolving fund to serve as a consistent revenue stream to assist counties, cities, and towns in the Hampton Roads region with the implementation of adaptation efforts to combat sea level rise and recurrent flooding. The bill also provides economic development assistance for families, businesses, and localities in Southwest Virginia to offset negative economic impacts associated with reduced fossil fuel production.
SB1428: 01/29 Senate: Passed by indefinitely in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (8-Y 7-N)
HB2205: 02/03 House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table by voice vote
HB2205: 02/10 House: Left in Commerce and Labor
HB 2240 Blue catfish; introduction, stocking, and release of Blue catfish; exception
Makes it unlawful for any person to introduce into, stock in, or release into waters of the Commonwealth the blue catfish; however, the blue catfish may be released into the same water body in which it was caught. A violation of the provisions of the bill is a Class 2 misdemeanor.
01/29 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 0-N)
02/04 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (22-Y 0-N)
02/09 House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (96-Y 0-N)
02/19 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (14-Y 0-N)
02/24 Senate: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N)
SB 811 Water Protection and Toxic Chemicals Advisory Committee; established, report, sunset provision
Establishes the Water Protection and Toxic Chemicals Advisory Committee to make recommendations for the protection of state water resources from toxic chemical contamination. The bill contains a one-year sunset.
01/29 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitite (15-Y 0-N)
02/04 Senate: Passed Senate (38-Y 0-N)
02/11 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (21-Y 0-N)
02/13 House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (97-Y 0-N)
02/17 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB811ER)
02/23/15 Senate: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on 2/23/15
SB 1006 Virginia Marine Resources Commission; submerged lands, permit fees
Clarifies the requirement of a permit application to the Virginia Marine Resources Commission (Commission) for the placement of certain piers and provides that certain applications for permits to use state-owned submerged lands shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable processing fee of $100. The bill raises the existing fees for the issuance of such a permit from $25 to $100 for small projects and from $100 to $300 for projects costing more than $10,000. The bill establishes a permit fee of $600 for projects costing $500,000 or more. The bill also increases the range of royalties for removal of each cubic yard of bottom material from $0.20-$0.60 to $0.40-$0.80. Finally, the bill authorizes the Commission to increase fees beginning in 2018 and once every three years thereafter.
01/22 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with amendment (8-Y 6-N 1-A)
02/04 Senate: Reported from Finance (10-Y 3-N)
02/09 Senate: Read third time and defeated by Senate (19-Y 19-N)
02/09 Senate: Chair votes No
SB 1030 Virginia Marine Resources Commission; conveyance of easement across Rappahannock River
Authorizes the Virginia Marine Resources Commission to convey to Virginia Electric and Power Company (Dominion Virginia Power) an easement and rights-of-way needed for constructing and maintaining an overhead electric transmission line across the Rappahannock River in Middlesex and Lancaster Counties. The bill provides that none of the right-of-way property that lies within the Baylor Survey shall be considered part of the natural oyster beds, rocks, and shoals of the Commonwealth.
02/02 Senate: Reported from Courts of Justice (13-Y 0-N)
02/05 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (38-Y 0-N)
02/18 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with amendment (22-Y 0-N)
02/20/15 House: VOTE: PASSAGE EMERGENCY (93-Y 0-N 2-A)
02/24/15 Senate: House amendment agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N)
03/04/15 Senate: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on 3/4/15
SB 1079 Flood protection plan
Directs the Department of Conservation and Recreation to regularly update the flood protection plan for the Commonwealth and to make the plan accessible online. This is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee to Formulate Recommendations to Address Recurrent Flooding.
01/15 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (13-Y 0-N)
01/21 Senate passed (39-Y 0-N)
02/11 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (21-Y 0-N)
02/13 House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE PASSAGE (97-Y 0-N)
02/17 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1079ER)
02/23/15 Senate: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on 2/23/15
SB 1101 Oysters; marking planting grounds
Prohibits the use stakes or buoys made of metal or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to mark oyster planting grounds.
01/29 Senate: Passed by indefinitely in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with letter (15-Y 0-N)
SB 1154 Discharge of deleterious substance into state waters; notice
Requires any person who unlawfully discharges any deleterious substance into state waters to notify the Department of Environmental Quality (the Department) and the coordinator of emergency services of the affected locality within 12 hours. Current law allows such a person 24 hours to give notice and gives the person a choice between notifying the State Water Control Board (the Board), the Director of the Department, or the local emergency services coordinator. The bill also requires the Board or the Department to provide each report of a discharge to local newspapers, television stations, and radio stations within 24 hours of receiving it.
01/29 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitite (15-Y 0-N)
02/04 Senate: Passed Senate (38-Y 0-N)
02/12 House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table by voice vote
SB 1201 Stormwater; dredging by municipal separate storm sewer system permittees
Directs the State Water Control Board (the Board) to establish a procedure for the approval of dredging operations in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed by a locality that is a municipal separate storm sewer system (MS4) permittee as a method by which the permittee may meet its pollutant reduction and loading requirements. The bill provides that before the Board is required to establish the procedure, the Chesapeake Bay Program shall first approve the procedure as a creditable practice for pollutant removal under the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Model. The bill also requires that any dredging take place in a navigable waterway within the boundaries of the locality and comply with all applicable laws.
01/29 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitite (15-Y 0-N)
02/04 Senate: Passed Senate (38-Y 0-N)
02/18 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute (22-Y 0-N)
02/20 House: Passed House with substitute (95-Y 0-N 1-A)
02/24 Senate: House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 38-N 1-A)
02/25 House: House requested conference committee
02/26 Senate: Senate acceded to request (37-Y 0-N)
02/26 Conference: Amended by conference committee
02/26 House: Conference report agreed to by House (91-Y 1-N 1-A)
02/27 Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (36-Y 0-N)
SB 1284 Water Implementation Plans (WIPs); replacement of tributary strategies
Replaces the tributary strategies for cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, which were last prepared in 2003-2004, with the Water Implementation Plans (WIPs) developed pursuant to the Chesapeake Bay total maximum daily load (TMDL). The bill authorizes the Secretary of Natural Resources to oversee the development and implementation of the WIPs.
01/29 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (13-Y 0-N)
02/04 Senate: Passed Senate (38-Y 0-N)
02/11 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (21-Y 0-N)
02/13 House: VOTE: PASSAGE (94-Y 2-N)
02/17 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1284ER)
02/23/15 Senate: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on 2/23/15
SB 1292 Sanitary districts; boat ramps, shoreline management, and dredging
Authorizes a county governing board to construct and operate boat ramps and facilities systems, beach and shoreline management and restoration systems, and creek and river dredging systems within a county sanitary district. The bill also authorizes the governing board to charge the owner of each parcel of improved real property a flat fee for a shoreline management or dredging system, regardless of whether the owner also owns unimproved land.
01/29 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with amendments (15-Y 0-N)
02/03 Senate: Reported from Finance (14-Y 0-N)
02/05 Senate: Passed Senate (37-Y 0-N)
02/18 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (14-Y 8-N)
02/24 House: Defeated by House (47-Y 51-N 1-A)
SB 1317 Virginia Shoreline Resiliency Fund; established
Establishes the Fund for the purpose of creating a low-interest loan program to help residents and businesses that are subject to recurrent flooding. Moneys from the Fund may be used to mitigate future flood damage.
01/29 Senate: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources with substitite (15-Y 0-N)
02/04 Senate: Passed Senate (38-Y 0-N)
02/18 House: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (21-Y 1-N)
02/20 House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table by voice vote
02/24 House: Left in Appropriations
SB 1323 Study; Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative; report
Requests the Department of Environmental Quality to study the potential for the establishment of a funding source to localities in coastal Virginia for flood resilience that could result by including the Commonwealth as a full participant in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
01/27 Senate: Stricken at request of Patron in Rules (12-Y 0-N)
SB 1443 Comprehensive plan; strategies to combat projected sea-level rise
Provides that any locality included in the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission shall incorporate into the next scheduled and all subsequent reviews of its comprehensive plan strategies to combat projected sea-level rise and recurrent flooding. Such review shall be coordinated with the other localities in the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission. The Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Marine Resources Commission, and the Virginia Institute of Marine Science shall provide technical assistance to any such locality upon request.
02/03 Senate: Reported from Local Government with substitute (7-Y 6-N)
02/09 Senate: Read third time and passed Senate (22-Y 16-N)
02/13 House: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (19-Y 2-N)
02/17 House: VOTE: PASSAGE (90-Y 9-N)
02/19 Senate: House substitute agreed to by Senate (26-Y 11-N)
02/19 Senate: Reconsideration of House substitute agreed to by Senate (37-Y 1-N)
02/19 Senate: House substitute agreed to by Senate (27-Y 11-N)
02/26 Senate: Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on 2/26/15
HJ 506 / HJ 516 / SJ 244 / SJ271 Long-term impact of biosolids and industrial waste; DEQ to study
Directs the Department of Environmental Quality to study the long-term effects of the storage and land application of industrial wastes and sewage sludge on public health, residential wells, and surface and ground water.
HJ506: 01/22 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (4-Y 0-N)
HJ506: 02/06 House: Reported from Rules with substitute (14-Y 0-N)
HJ506: 02/09 House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE ADOPTION (92-Y 0-N)
HJ506: 02/24 Senate: Agreed to by Senate with substitute by voice vote
HJ506: 02/25 House: Senate substitute rejected by House 15105166D-S1 (1-Y 97-N)
HJ506: 02/26 Senate: Senate requested conference committee
HJ506: 02/26 House: House acceded to request
HJ506: 02/27 House: No further action taken
HJ506: 02/27 House: Failed to pass in House
HJ516: 01/22 House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table by voice vote
HJ516: 02/10 House: Left in Rules
SJ244: 01/27 Senate: Incorporated by Rules (SJ271-Norment) by voice vote
SJ271: 01/27 Senate: Reported from Rules with substitute by voice vote
SJ271: 01/29 Senate: Incorporates SJ244
SJ271: 01/30 Senate: Committee substitute agreed to 15104397D-S1
SJ271: 01/30 Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SJ271S1
SJ271: 02/02 Senate: Read third time and agreed to by Senate by voice vote
SJ271: 02/13 House: Reported from Rules with substitute (13-Y 1-N)
SJ271: 02/17 House: VOTE: ADOPTION (84-Y 15-N)
SJ271: 02/19 Senate: House substitute rejected by Senate
SJ271: 02/20 House: House requested conference committee
SJ271: 02/24 Senate: Senate acceded to request
SJ271: 02/27 Senate: No further action taken
SJ271: 02/27 Senate: Failed to pass in Senate
HJ 587 Stormwater regulations; impact on high water table area, report
Requests the Department of Environmental Quality to conduct a two-year study of the application of the post development stormwater management technical criteria, as established in the Virginia Stormwater Management Regulations, in areas with a seasonal high groundwater table.
01/22 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (4-Y 0-N)
02/06 House: Reported from Rules with substitute (14-Y 0-N)
02/09 House: VOTE: BLOCK VOTE ADOPTION (92-Y 0-N)
02/24 Senate: Agreed to by Senate by voice vote
HJ 595 Virginia's water resource planning and management; JLARC to study
Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study Virginia's water resource planning and management.
01/22 House: Subcommittee recommends incorporating (HJ623-Hodges) by voice vote
02/06 House: Incorporated by Rules (HJ623-Hodges) by voice vote
HJ 623 / SJ 272 Study; JLARC to study groundwater resources; report
Directs the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study Virginia's water resource planning and management, particularly with regard to groundwater. This study is a recommendation of the Joint Subcommittee to Formulate Recommendations to Address Recurrent Flooding.
HJ623: 01/22 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (4-Y 0-N)
HJ623: 02/06 House: Reported from Rules with substitute (14-Y 0-N)
HJ623: 02/09 House: VOTE: ADOPTION (85-Y 7-N)
HJ623: 02/24 Senate: Agreed to by Senate by voice vote
SJ272: 01/30 Senate: Committee substitute agreed to 15104273D-S1
SJ272: 01/30 Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SJ272S1
SJ272: 02/02 Senate: Read third time and agreed to by Senate by voice vote
SJ272: 02/13 House: Reported from Rules with amendment (14-Y 0-N)
SJ272: 02/17 House: Agreed to by House with amendment (96-Y 3-N)
SJ272: 02/19 Senate: House amendments rejected by Senate
SJ272: 02/20 House: House requested conference committee
SJ272: 02/24 Senate: Senate acceded to request
SJ272: 02/26 Conference: Amended by conference committee
SJ272: 02/26 Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate
SJ272: 02/26 House: Conference report agreed to by House (98-Y 1-N)
SJ 291 Flood resilience; DEQ to study potential for funding source to localities in coastal Virginia
Requests the Department of Environmental Quality to study the potential for the establishment of a funding source to localities in coastal Virginia for flood resilience that could result by including the Commonwealth as a full participant in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
01/22 House: Subcommittee recommends reporting (4-Y 0-N)
02/04 Senate: Reported from Finance with amendment (13-Y 1-N)
02/09 Senate: Rejected by Senate (21-Y 17-N)
02/09 Senate: Requires 2/3 of members voting for passage