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Local ordinances; locality may regulate or prohibit sale of animals in a pet shop, effective clause.

Passed first chamber: it can still change before the session ends.

VA HB 1238 · House Bill · 2027

Stage
Passed first chamber
Started in
House
Sponsors
2
Latest action
Jul 21, 2026

What it does

Local ordinances; regulation of pet shops. Authorizes the governing body of any locality to, by ordinance, regulate or prohibit the sale of animals in a pet shop. Such ordinance may distinguish between certain types of pet shops and include provisions for special licensing, inspections, reporting, restrictions, or prohibitions on the sale of certain types of animals. The bill also includes certain existing statewide provisions related to pet shops in the list of sections for which a locality may adopt parallel or more stringent ordinances. The provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.

Read the full text

Where it stands

  1. Introduced (Done)

  2. Committee (Done)

  3. Floor (Current step)

    Passed first chamber · Jul 21, 2026

  4. Law (Not started)

What moved

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Who is involved

Sponsors

The lawmakers who put their names on it, lead sponsors first.

In the news

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Where it goes next

While a bill can still move, the questions are about people and money in Virginia.

Work with this bill

Local ordinances; locality may regulate or prohibit sale of animals in a pet shop, effective clause. | 52