# Virginia HB252: Servient estate; establishes relocation or modification of easement by owner.

Virginia HB252, Servient estate; establishes relocation or modification of easement by owner., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Vivian E. Watts (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0916)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB252-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB252
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Servient estate; establishes relocation or modification of easement by owner.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-08
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0916)
- Sponsor: Vivian E. Watts (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 7 (220 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Relocation or modification of easement by owner of servient estate. Establishes that any easement may be relocated or modified either (i) by filing with each clerk of the circuit court of the city or county in which the easement or any part of the easement is located a written agreement evidencing the consent of the easement holder, as defined in the bill, and the consent of any other affected persons or (ii) in the absence of such agreement, upon petition to the circuit court and notice to all interested parties. The bill also provides that certain easements enumerated in the bill shall not be subject to a relocation or modification upon petition to the circuit court. This bill is a recommendation of the Boyd-Graves Conference.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Landowners gain options to change easements: mixed, medium. Virginia landowners can relocate or modify an easement—a right someone else holds to use their land. One route requires a written agreement with the easement holder and everyone else whose consent is required. The agreement must describe the change and be recorded with the circuit court wherever an…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Vivian E. Watts (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 13 | 0 | 1 |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) | pass | 19 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-21 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Actions (30)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0916) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 916 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB252) (House)
- 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB252ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed Senate (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Reported from Courts of Justice (13-Y 0-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB252) (House)
- 2026-02-04: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-03: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-02: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-02-02: committee amendments agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-02: Read second time (House)
- 2026-01-30: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-28: Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (19-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-21: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-21: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-20: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB252) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HCJ sub: Civil (House)
- 2026-01-08: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-01-08: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104063D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224591.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224590.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210636.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210635.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103145.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103144.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100130.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-01-21: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092893.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1093028.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083267.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083266.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/1224591.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224590.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210636.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1210635.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103145.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103144.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100130.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092893.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1093028.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083267.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083266.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)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB252-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).