State Sen. Timmy F. French has put forth a bill seeking to dissolve the Virginia Apple Board and make corresponding updates to state laws, as outlined by the Virginia State Senate.
The legislation, designated as SB390 and introduced on Jan. 14, 2026, during the 2026 regular session, is formally titled: “Apple Board; repealing Board and Apple Fund effective July 1, 2028, delayed effective date, report.”
Our summary below is based on a review of the full bill language, incorporating clarification where needed for understanding its measures.
SB390 eliminates the Virginia Apple Board and its enabling statutes by July 1, 2028, including updates to related state code provisions like Freedom of Information Act references and the list of protected agricultural funds. The proposal discontinues new appointments after July 1, 2026, yet lets the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services assign individuals to any unexpired terms. It also halts the state excise tax on apples grown in Virginia after July 1, 2026. Any remaining Apple Fund financing on July 1, 2028, would move to the Governor’s Agriculture and Forestry Industries Development Fund, and the Board must issue a final financial statement by June 30, 2028.
Sen. Timmy F. French (Republican-1st District) is the sole sponsor of SB390.
This session, French has introduced 2 other bills in addition to this measure.
Elected in 2024, French represents Virginia’s 1st Senate district, preceding former Sen. T. Monty Mason in office.
In Virginia, the procedure for lawmaking starts when a bill is brought to either the House of Delegates or the Senate. Bills are reviewed by committees, may be amended, and face debate and voting in both houses. If both chambers approve a bill, it advances to the governor, who may sign, veto, or let it become law without signature. Each regular session of the Virginia General Assembly, beginning the second Monday in January, routinely sees introduction of hundreds of bills, but only a segment are enacted.
| Legislative Session | Patron(s) | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Timmy F. French | SB390 | 01/14/2026 | Apple Board; repealing Board and Apple Fund effective July 1, 2028, delayed effective date, report. |
| 2026 | Timmy F. French and T. Travis Hackworth | SB383 | 01/14/2026 | Invasive plant species installation; written notification to property owners, civil penalty. |
| 2026 | Timmy F. French | SB385 | 01/14/2026 | Front Royal, Town of; amending charter, relating to town manager. |
| 2025 | Timmy F. French | SB857 | 01/08/2025 | Dam Safety Act; powers and duties of DCR, rights and requirements of dam owners, civil penalty. |
Information for this report was sourced from the Virginia State Senate. Access the full source data here.
