# Virginia HB549: Trees; conservation and replacement during development process in certain localities, report.

Virginia HB549, Trees; conservation and replacement during development process in certain localities, report., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Patrick A. Hope (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0626)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB549-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB549
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Trees; conservation and replacement during development process in certain localities, report.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0626)
- Sponsor: Patrick A. Hope (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 13 (363 yes, 258 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 6

## Summary

Conservation and replacement of trees during development process; work group; report. Expands certain existing local government authority to plant or replace trees during the development process by expanding such authority statewide. The bill allows localities to establish higher tree canopy replacement percentages based on density per acre. The bill also alters the current process for granting exceptions to a local ordinance by modifying a provision that requires the granting of an exception when the strict application of the ordinance would result in unnecessary or unreasonable hardship to the developer, and replacing it with a requirement that the locality concur with such a determination. The bill permits localities to monitor and assess the condition and coverage of tree canopies at development sites during a period of up to 20 years after the trees are planted. The bill also allows any town within Planning District 8 belonging to an eight-hour nonattainment area for air quality standards to require, by ordinance, that a subdivision or development provide for the preservation or replacement of trees on the development site such that the minimum tree canopy or cover 10 years after development is projected to meet specified coverage criteria. Under current law, the criteria apply to tree canopy coverage 20 years after development. Finally, the bill directs the Institute for Coastal Adaptation and Resilience to convene a work group to conduct a comprehensive review of the tree canopy laws and regulations and report the work group's findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns and Senate Committee on Local Government by November 1, 2026. This bill incorporates HB 995 and is identical to SB 589.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Forestry and recreation get tree-rule relief: benefit, low. Conservation ordinances must exempt genuine forestry activity, lakes, ponds, and stormwater retention areas within their normal water level. Local rules cannot prohibit or unreasonably limit forestry practices that follow the law's referenced requirements. Dedicated school sites, playing fields, an…
- Tree credits ease developers' canopy requirements: benefit, low. Conservation ordinances must give qualifying preserved cover up to 1.25 times its area toward the tree-cover target. Localities may offer preservation credits up to 1.5 times for qualifying forest communities, 2 times for assessed conservation trees, and 3 times for locally protected trees. Qualify…
- Developers face preservation-first tree rules: mixed, low. Planning District 8 localities with the qualifying eight-hour ozone classification can adopt conservation rules without the former population-density test. That classification uses federal law as in effect July 1, 2008; localities cannot also impose the separate tree-replacement rules. The 20-year…
- Developers follow planting and plan standards: mixed, low. Conservation ordinances must list suitable, commercially available tree types and their expected cover credits after 20 years. Development plans must show cover calculations, preservation details, planting sizes, locations, species names, and cover totals. Plans claiming extra credits or changed re…
- Developers get off-site options with fees: mixed, low. A Planning District 8 conservation ordinance must offer a tree bank or fund when on-site compliance is blocked. Grounds include space, root growth, utility conflicts, potential infrastructure damage, and specified development conflicts. Bank projects must meet on-site standards, stay within the sam…
- More local tree rules for development: mixed, low. Any Virginia locality can adopt development tree rules; the law removes earlier population and watershed limits. Where adopted, 20-year tree-cover targets are 10% for business, commercial, industrial, and residential sites with at least 20 homes per acre. Residential targets are 15% above 10 but be…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Patrick A. Hope (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-14 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 63 | 34 |   |
| 2026-03-14 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 63 | 34 |   |
| 2026-03-14 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 22 | 17 |   |
| 2026-03-14 | Senate | Senate acceded to request for second conference committee | pass | 22 | 17 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-06 | House | Senate substitute rejected by House | fail | 0 | 96 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Local Government Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 24 | 16 |   |
| 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 Local Government with substitute | pass | 9 | 6 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 64 | 34 |   |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute | pass | 16 | 4 | 1 |

## Actions (52)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0626) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 626 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 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 (HB549ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by House (63-Y 34-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Conference Report released
- 2026-03-14: House Conferees: Hope, McClure, Tata (House)
- 2026-03-14: Conferees appointed by House (House)
- 2026-03-14: Senate acceded to request for second conference committee (22-Y 17-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Conference Report released
- 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by House (63-Y 34-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-14: Conference Report released
- 2026-03-14: Senate Conferees: Salim, Srinivasan, Suetterlein (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Second conferees appointed by Senate (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: House requested second conference committee (House)
- 2026-03-12: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate)
- 2026-03-12: Senate Conferees: Salim, Srinivasan, Suetterlein (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: House Conferees: Hope, Helmer, Tata (House)
- 2026-03-11: Conferees appointed by House (House)
- 2026-03-11: House acceded to request (House)
- 2026-03-10: Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Senate requested conference committee (Senate)
- 2026-03-06: Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 96-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-04: Passed Senate with substitute (24-Y 16-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Local Government Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Read third time (Senate)
- 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: Committee substitute printed 26109044D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Local Government with substitute (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Referred to Committee on Local Government (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Read third time and passed House (64-Y 34-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-11: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-11: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-11: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-07: Committee substitute printed 26106579D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-06: House committee offered (House)
- 2026-02-06: House committee offered (House)
- 2026-02-06: Incorporates HB995 (Seibold) (House)
- 2026-02-06: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (16-Y 4-N 1-A) (House)
- 2026-01-28: Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #3 (House)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (House)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102406D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221558.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221557.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214454.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214453.PDF)
- Conference Report, 2026-03-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211715.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212274.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-03-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212271.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211712.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211711.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212270.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-03-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190312.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190311.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133829.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133828.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132283.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132295.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132282.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132294.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084909.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084908.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/1221558.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221557.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214454.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214453.PDF)
- [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211715.HTML)
- [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212274.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212271.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211712.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211711.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212270.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190312.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190311.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133829.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133828.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132283.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132295.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132282.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132294.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084909.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084908.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-HB549-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).