# Virginia HB344: Property under common ownership; creation of easements.

Virginia HB344, Property under common ownership; creation of easements., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Marty Martinez (Democratic); status failed, last action 2026-03-11 (Defeated by Senate (18-Y 22-N 0-A)) (as of 2026-11-06).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB344-2026
- As of: 2026-11-06
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB344
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Property under common ownership; creation of easements.
- Status: failed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-03-11, Defeated by Senate (18-Y 22-N 0-A)
- Sponsor: Marty Martinez (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 7 (194 yes, 28 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 0

## Summary

Property under common ownership; creation of easements. Provides that a private appurtenant easement may be created for any purposes by the owner of the dominant and servient estate by the recordation of an instrument that grants or reserves such easement. The bill further provides that the rule of property law known as the doctrine of merger shall not prevent such grant or reservation.

## Bill overview

No economic impacts identified for this bill.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Marty Martinez (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Defeated by Senate | fail | 18 | 22 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 9 | 6 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 98 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | House | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 19 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-21 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Actions (16)

- 2026-03-11: Defeated by Senate (18-Y 22-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Reported from Courts of Justice (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 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: Read second time and engrossed (House)
- 2026-01-30: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-28: Reported from Courts of Justice (19-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-21: Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HCJ sub: Civil (House)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice (House)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103482D (House)

## Bill text

- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083938.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083937.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB20: Minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees, temporary foreign workers. (signed)
- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB329: Va. Residential Landlord & Tenant/Manufactured Home Lot Rental Acts; retaliatory conduct prohibited. (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)

## Sources
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083938.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083937.PDF)

## Related
- [HB20: Minimum wage; farm laborers or farm employees, temporary foreign workers.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB20-2026)
- [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)
- [HB329: Va. Residential Landlord & Tenant/Manufactured Home Lot Rental Acts; retaliator…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB329-2026)
- [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)
- [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills)
- [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB344-2026 (as of 2026-11-06).