Gas-powered leaf blowers; local prohibition or regulation, civil penalty.

Plain English Breakdown

The exact amount of civil penalties is not specified in the official source material.

Rules for Gas-Powered Leaf Blowers in Dense Areas

This law allows cities or towns with at least 2,500 people per square mile to make rules about gas-powered leaf blowers, including setting fines and helping residents buy non-banned alternatives.

What This Bill Does

• Allows local governments to create rules against using gas-powered leaf blowers if their area has a population density of at least 2,500 persons per square mile based on the most recent decennial report from the U.S. Census Bureau.
• Requires any new rule to take effect not less than one year after it is made by the local government.
• Permits localities to set fines for breaking these rules.
• Allows money from fines to be used to help residents and businesses buy nonprohibited leaf blowers.

Who It Names or Affects

• Local governments with high population density
• Residents and businesses in those areas

Terms To Know

decennial report

A report made every ten years by the U.S. Census Bureau about the number of people living in an area.

ordinance

A rule or law made by a local government, like a city council or town board.

Limits and Unknowns

• It is unclear how much the fines will be for breaking the rules about gas-powered leaf blowers.
• This law only applies to localities that meet the population density requirement based on the most recent decennial report from the U.S. Census Bureau.

Official Summary Text

Local prohibition or regulation of gas-powered leaf blowers; civil penalty.
Provides that any locality with a population density of at least 2,500 persons per square mile may by ordinance prohibit or regulate the use of gas-powered leaf blowers. The bill provides that any such ordinance shall become enforceable not less than 12 months after the date it is enacted by the local governing body. The bill also provides that the ordinance may include provisions for a civil penalty and that the funds from such civil penalties may be used by the locality to assist with the purchase of nonprohibited leaf blowers by residents and local businesses.

Current Bill Text

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered
15.2-918.1
, relating to local prohibition or regulation of gas-powered leaf blowers; civil penalty.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding a section numbered
15.2-918.1
as follows:

§
15.2-918.1
. Local
prohibition or
regulation of
use of gas-powered leaf blowers
; civil penalty
.

Any locality
with a popul
ation density of at least 2,500 persons per square mile
based on the most recent
decennial
report of the United States
Census
Bureau
may by ordinance
prohibit or

regulate

the
use of gas-powered leaf blowers
within its jurisdiction
.
Any such ordinance shall
become enforceable not less than 12 months after the date it is enacted by the local governing body.

The locality may authorize a civil penalty
for violations
in an amount to be set out in the ordinance.
Civil penalties assessed under this section shall be paid into the treasury of the locality where the violation occurred
and may be used by the locality
to
assist with the purchase of
nonprohibited leaf blowers
by residents and local businesses.