With the 2025 Virginia General Assembly Session coming to a close, VRLTA's Director of Government Affairs Tommy Herbert has a couple of quick updates relevant to our industry.
Polystyrene Ban Likely to Be Implemented July 1 for Large Operators
For restaurant companies that operate 20 or more locations in the Commonwealth, it is more likely than not that starting on July 1, 2025, the use of expanded polystyrene food containers will be banned. This comes through the Virginia State Budget, which has been the site of a battle over the course of the last three years on when that ban takes place. VRLTA has been a part of a coalition that has been fighting the ban since 2021, and last year successfully lobbied to get the effective dates for it back to what was agreed upon in 2022, namely 2028 for larger operators and 2030 for smaller ones.
The Democratic majorities in the House and Senate of Virginia, however, have closed ranks on the issue, and reset the dates to 2025 and 2026 in the Budget that they’ve sent to the Governor for negotiation. It is still possible, though not probable, that the Governor will successfully insist upon the 2028 and 2030 dates, but large operators should start preparing for the worst-case scenario sooner rather than later.
The ban will be enforced at the local level, with state authorities taking no hand in how localities choose to do that. This means that there will be a patchwork of local enforcing officials with varying degrees of zeal in carrying this out. It is also worth mentioning that there exists the possibility for an operator to petition their local government for a one-year waiver of the requirement, which would need to be annually renewed by the authorities. VRLTA is planning on education efforts for members that will include showcasing alternative materials, and guidance on how to petition a local government for a waiver. Please stay tuned.
No Money for Sports Tourism Grant Fund, $3M for Golf Tournament in PWC in VA Budget
Unfortunately, though the Virginia General Assembly passed the legislation that would establish it, the Virginia Sports Tourism Grant Fund is functionally dead for the year, having not been funded in the General Assembly’s joint Budget bill.
This is disappointing, as the $5 million request would have been a huge value add as Virginia’s localities seek to keep us in the Top 10 States for attracting youth and amateur sports, and the only one in the Top 10 that does not host a professional sports team. There is, though, $3 million dedicated to a LIV golf tournament to be hosted in Prince William County in 2025, which will likely bring in visitors from a wide radius.