# Virginia HB446: Virginia Passenger Rail Authority; expands authority to exercise power of eminent domain.

Virginia HB446, Virginia Passenger Rail Authority; expands authority to exercise power of eminent domain., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Marcus B. Simon (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0924)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB446-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB446
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Virginia Passenger Rail Authority; expands authority to exercise power of eminent domain.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0924)
- Sponsor: Marcus B. Simon (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 10 (285 yes, 47 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

Virginia Passenger Rail Authority; eminent domain. Expands the authority of the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority to exercise the power of eminent domain.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Oyster rights face forced rail acquisition: cost, medium. The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority can take part or all of rights in oyster bottoms or oyster-planting grounds. It can use eminent domain, which allows compulsory acquisition, when those rights are necessary for its purposes. Owners and other holders of these rights are affected.
- Rail authority gains broader land-taking powers: cost, medium. The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority can force the sale of public or private property it deems needed for rail construction or operations. This includes land, access rights, and other property rights, including those needed to restore, replace, or move damaged property. The law removes earlier con…
- Former owners lose transportation buyback protections: cost, low. The law removes the former-owner buyback-offer requirements for transportation property acquired by a locality or the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority. This includes property for bond-funded projects and future transportation improvements. Separate transportation-property disposal rules apply inst…
- Rail property faces fewer local controls: cost, low. The Virginia Passenger Rail Authority is exempt from local location and consent limits on certain wetlands-related land takings. This applies to acquisitions under Virginia's transportation law when project approval requires measures to offset harm to wetlands. Transferred rail rights-of-way are al…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Marcus B. Simon (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-06 | House | Senate substitute agreed to by House | pass | 78 | 19 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Transportation Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 37 | 3 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Reported from Courts of Justice | pass | 14 | 0 | 1 |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Reported from Transportation with substitute and rereferred to Courts of Justice | pass | 12 | 1 | 2 |
| 2026-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 73 | 24 |   |
| 2026-01-29 | House | Reported from Transportation with amendment(s) | pass | 21 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-27 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 10 | 0 |   |

## Actions (38)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0924) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 924 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-13: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB446) (House)
- 2026-03-13: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB446ER) (House)
- 2026-03-13: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-13: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-13: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-06: Senate substitute agreed to by House (78-Y 19-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Passed Senate with substitute (37-Y 3-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Transportation Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB446) (House)
- 2026-03-03: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Courts of Justice (14-Y 0-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-27: Committee substitute printed 26108677D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Reported from Transportation with substitute and rereferred to Courts of Justice (12-Y 1-N 2-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Referred to Committee on Transportation (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Read third time and passed House (73-Y 24-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-04: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB446) (House)
- 2026-02-03: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-02-03: committee amendments agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-03: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-03: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-02: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-29: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB446) (House)
- 2026-01-29: Reported from Transportation with amendment(s) (21-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-27: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-27: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (10-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HTRAN sub: Transportation Infrastructure and Funding (House)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on Transportation (House)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104511D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224603.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224602.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203383.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203382.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186744.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186743.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1182015.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1182014.PDF)
- Engrossed, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103023.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103022.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1102015.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098062.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097301.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084473.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084472.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/1224603.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1224602.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203383.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1203382.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186744.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1186743.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1182015.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1182014.PDF)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103023.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103022.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1102015.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098062.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097301.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084473.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084472.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)
- [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills)

Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB446-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).