A BILL to amend and reenact § 1-510 of the Code of Virginia, relating to official emblems and designations; state grass; little bluestem.
HB152 amends Virginia Code § 1-510, the section listing the Commonwealth’s official emblems and designations, to add little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) as the state grass. The bill is a narrow symbolic designation measure and does not create a new regulatory program, funding mechanism, or enforcement scheme.
The proposal fits within Virginia’s existing catalog of official state symbols, alongside items such as the state bird, flower, tree, song, and other cultural designations. If enacted, it would update the statutory list to formally recognize little bluestem as an official emblem of the Commonwealth.
The bill would amend a single statute, § 1-510 of the Code of Virginia, by adding little bluestem to the list of official emblems and designations. Its legal effect is limited to state symbolism and public recognition; it does not alter substantive rights, duties, or agency authority, and it would not directly affect taxation, land use, agriculture regulation, or environmental standards.
The available legislative history suggests little to no controversy around the bill. There are no recorded committee transcripts or votes showing debate, and the bill was continued to the next session in the Rules Committee by voice vote. That procedural outcome indicates the measure was not actively opposed in the available record, but also that it did not advance to final passage during the session.
No specific points of contention are documented in the available materials. Because the bill is a symbolic designation of a state grass, any disagreement would likely have centered on whether little bluestem is the most appropriate species to represent Virginia or whether the Commonwealth should add another official symbol at all. However, the record provided does not show named opponents, amendments, or substantive objections.