{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/2.2-5509.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/2.2-5509.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/2.2-5509.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/2.2-5509.html"}],"law_id":60378,"edition_id":1,"section_id":60378,"structure_id":15529,"section_number":"2.2-5509","catch_line":"Limitation on local regulation","history":"1994, c. 472, \u00a7 2.1-778; 2001, c. 844.","full_text":"No locality shall enact any regulation or ordinance regulating or prohibiting (i) the planned introduction of genetically engineered organisms into the environment or (ii) biotechnology research activities; however, the siting of biotechnology research activities shall be subject to the zoning and land-use laws and regulations of the localities in which such activities are conducted, the Uniform Statewide Building Code (\u00a7 36-97 et seq.), the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (\u00a7 27-94 et seq.), local public utility and public works ordinances and regulations of general application, and local tax ordinances of general application.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":220817,"text":"No locality shall enact any regulation or ordinance regulating or prohibiting (i) the planned introduction of genetically engineered organisms into the environment or (ii) biotechnology research activities; however, the siting of biotechnology research activities shall be subject to the zoning and land-use laws and regulations of the localities in which such activities are conducted, the Uniform Statewide Building Code (\u00a7 36-97 et seq.), the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (\u00a7 27-94 et seq.), local public utility and public works ordinances and regulations of general application, and local tax ordinances of general application.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":15529,"edition_id":1,"name":"Virginia Biotechnology Research Act","identifier":"55","label":"chapter","depth":4,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12751,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:55:59","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:55:59","permalink":{"id":177941,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":15529,"identifier":"55","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55","url":"\/2.2\/II\/B\/55\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12751,"edition_id":1,"name":"Transaction of Public Business","identifier":"B","label":"part","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12750,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":176445,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12751,"identifier":"B","token":"2.2\/II\/B","url":"\/2.2\/II\/B\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12750,"edition_id":1,"name":"Administration of State Government","identifier":"II","label":"subtitle","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12749,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":176253,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12750,"identifier":"II","token":"2.2\/II","url":"\/2.2\/II\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12749,"edition_id":1,"name":"Administration of Government","identifier":"2.2","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:43:51","permalink":{"id":171453,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12749,"identifier":"2.2","token":"2.2","url":"\/2.2\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":59399,"structure_id":15529,"section_number":"2.2-5500","catch_line":"Purpose","url":"\/2.2-5500\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5500","metadata":false},{"id":62425,"structure_id":15529,"section_number":"2.2-5501","catch_line":"Definitions","url":"\/2.2-5501\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5501","metadata":false},{"id":59259,"structure_id":15529,"section_number":"2.2-5502","catch_line":"Exemptions from chapter to be determined by Department","url":"\/2.2-5502\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5502","metadata":false},{"id":84406,"structure_id":15529,"section_number":"2.2-5503","catch_line":"Requirements for regulated introduction","url":"\/2.2-5503\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5503","metadata":false},{"id":86467,"structure_id":15529,"section_number":"2.2-5504","catch_line":"Public notice of proposed regulated introduction","url":"\/2.2-5504\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5504","metadata":false},{"id":72976,"structure_id":15529,"section_number":"2.2-5505","catch_line":"Comment on proposed regulated introduction","url":"\/2.2-5505\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5505","metadata":false},{"id":59221,"structure_id":15529,"section_number":"2.2-5506","catch_line":"Confidential business information; Department to establish procedures","url":"\/2.2-5506\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5506","metadata":false},{"id":68975,"structure_id":15529,"section_number":"2.2-5507","catch_line":"Enforcement","url":"\/2.2-5507\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5507","metadata":false},{"id":61086,"structure_id":15529,"section_number":"2.2-5508","catch_line":"Penalties","url":"\/2.2-5508\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5508","metadata":false},{"id":60378,"structure_id":15529,"section_number":"2.2-5509","catch_line":"Limitation on local regulation","url":"\/2.2-5509\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5509","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":61086,"structure_id":15529,"section_number":"2.2-5508","catch_line":"Penalties","url":"\/2.2-5508\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5508","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/2.2-5509\/","history_text":"

This law was first created in 1994. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 472<\/a> of that year\u2019s edition of \u201cActs of Assembly,\u201d the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 1 time. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. That modification is as follows: in 2001, chapter 844<\/a>.<\/p>","references":false,"refers_to":[{"id":65870,"section_number":"27-94","catch_line":"Short title","order_by":null,"url":"\/27-94\/"},{"id":78167,"section_number":"36-97","catch_line":"Definitions","order_by":null,"url":"\/36-97\/"}],"permalink":{"id":177979,"object_type":"law","relational_id":60378,"identifier":"2.2-5509","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5509","url":"\/2.2-5509\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/2.2-5509\/","token":"2.2\/II\/B\/55\/2.2-5509","dublin_core":{"Title":"Limitation on local regulation","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 2.2-5509","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

No locality<\/span> shall enact any regulation or ordinance<\/span> regulating or prohibiting (i) the planned introduction of genetically engineered organisms<\/span> into the environment or (ii) biotechnology research activities; however, the siting of biotechnology research activities shall be subject to the zoning and land-use laws<\/span> and regulations of the localities in which such activities are conducted, the Uniform Statewide Building Code (\u00a7 36-97<\/a> et seq.), the Statewide Fire Prevention Code (\u00a7 27-94<\/a> et seq.), local public utility and public works ordinances<\/span> and regulations of general application, and local tax ordinances<\/span> of general application.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nLIMITATION ON LOCAL REGULATION (\u00a7 2.2-5509)\n\nNo locality shall enact any regulation or ordinance regulating or prohibiting\n(i) the planned introduction of genetically engineered organisms into the\nenvironment or (ii) biotechnology research activities; however, the siting of\nbiotechnology research activities shall be subject to the zoning and land-use\nlaws and regulations of the localities in which such activities are conducted,\nthe Uniform Statewide Building Code (\u00a7 36-97 et seq.), the Statewide Fire\nPrevention Code (\u00a7 27-94 et seq.), local public utility and public works\nordinances and regulations of general application, and local tax ordinances of\ngeneral application.\n\nHISTORY: 1994, c. 472, \u00a7 2.1-778; 2001, c. 844.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}