# Virginia HB1081: Working Lands Preservation, Office of; powers and duties, small renewable energy projects fees.

Virginia HB1081, Working Lands Preservation, Office of; powers and duties, small renewable energy projects fees., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Michael J. Webert (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0810)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1081-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB1081
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Working Lands Preservation, Office of; powers and duties, small renewable energy projects fees.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0810)
- Sponsor: Michael J. Webert (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (221 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Office of Working Lands Preservation; powers and duties; small renewable energy projects fees. Requires the Office of Working Lands Preservation to serve as a trustee to administer the in-lieu fees in trust for small renewable energy projects. The bill requires such fees to be used to acquire conservation easements and cover any expenses associated with acquiring such easements.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Conservation fees support farmland and forestland: benefit, low. The Office of Working Lands Preservation manages in-lieu fees held in trust under § 10.1-1197.6. It must use these fees to buy conservation easements and pay related purchase costs. This provision does not set a fee amount.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Michael J. Webert (Republican), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-27 | Senate | Passed Senate Block Vote | pass | 37 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-24 | Senate | Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources | pass | 14 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | House | Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Actions (26)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0810) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 810 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1081) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1081ER) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-04: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-27: Passed Senate Block Vote (37-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (14-Y 0-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB1081) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-10: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-09: Read second time and engrossed (House)
- 2026-02-06: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-04: Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-28: Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-27: Assigned HACNR sub: Agriculture (House)
- 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (House)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102877D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222828.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222827.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191205.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191204.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087345.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087344.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222828.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222827.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191205.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191204.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087345.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1087344.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
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- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1081-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).