VirginiaHB8462026 Regular SessionHouse

Virginia Land Conservation Foundation; purposes of Foundation, easements.

Sponsored By: Hillary Pugh Kent (Republican)

Became Law

Summary

Virginia Land Conservation Foundation. Allows the Virginia Land Conservation Board of Trustees to waive the requirement for a holder of a conservation easement to have such easement jointly held with a public body whenever such holder acquires any interest in land other than a fee simple interest from a grant or transfer from the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation, provided that such holder is accredited by the national Land Trust Accreditation Commission or meets a similar set of standards and practices adopted by the Board of Trustees and the easement contains a third party right of enforcement, as defined in relevant law, in favor of the Department of Conservation and Recreation or another public body.

Your PRIA Score

Score Hidden

Personalized for You

How does this bill affect your finances?

Sign up for a PRIA Policy Scan to see your personalized alignment score for this bill and every other piece of legislation we track. We analyze your financial profile against policy provisions to show you exactly what matters to your wallet.

Free to start

Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 2 benefits, 0 costs, 2 mixed.

Annual split of conservation dollars

Each year, after admin costs, 25% of remaining unrestricted money goes to the Virginia Outdoors Foundation’s Open‑Space Lands Preservation Trust Fund. If annual appropriations are under $10 million, the other 75% is split equally among four areas, and at least one‑third of that funds easements held or co‑held by a public body. If annual appropriations are $10 million or more, the rest is split equally among five areas: natural areas, parks, farmland, forestland, and historic sites.

New fund backs land conservation

The law creates the Virginia Land Conservation Fund, run by the Virginia Land Conservation Foundation. The Fund can buy land or development rights to protect farms, forests, parks, habitat, and historic places. It also helps conserve and restore homelands for state‑recognized and federally recognized Virginia Indian Tribes. The Board gives grants and matching grants to state agencies, tribes, localities, and qualified land trusts.

Guardrails on conservation fund dollars

The Fund holds state, federal, and private money, with restricted and unrestricted dollars tracked separately by the Comptroller. Money left at the end of a biennium stays in the Fund, and interest (except on bond proceeds) stays in the Fund. The Foundation can use up to $250,000 a year of interest for admin costs, with Board approval. Up to 20% of the annual unrestricted balance can develop Fund‑bought properties for public use or pay for environmental checks before buying; this applies to properties bought in full or by buying development rights. Money sent to the Virginia Outdoors Foundation that is not used or committed by year‑end returns to the Fund for the next grant cycle.

Stronger safeguards on conservation easements

When the Fund helps buy only part of a property, a public body must co‑hold the interest. The Board can waive this if the holder is accredited or meets Board standards and the easement gives a public body a third‑party enforcement right. When the Fund helps buy land in full, a public body must hold an open‑space easement. The law uses existing code to define who is a 'public body' and a 'holder.'

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Hillary Pugh Kent

    Republican • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 221 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/27/2026

Passed Senate Block Vote

Yes: 37 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/26/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 40 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/26/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 2/24/2026

Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

Yes: 14 • No: 0

House vote 2/10/2026

Read third time and passed House Block Vote

Yes: 98 • No: 0

House vote 2/4/2026

Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources with substitute

Yes: 22 • No: 0

House vote 1/28/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute

Yes: 10 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0433)

    4/8/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 433 (effective 7/1/2026)

    4/8/2026Governor
  3. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/10/2026Governor
  4. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026

    3/10/2026House
  5. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB846)

    3/5/2026House
  6. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB846ER)

    3/4/2026House
  7. Enrolled

    3/4/2026House
  8. Signed by President

    3/4/2026Senate
  9. Signed by Speaker

    3/4/2026House
  10. Passed Senate Block Vote (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/27/2026Senate
  11. Read third time

    2/27/2026Senate
  12. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    2/26/2026Senate
  13. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/26/2026Senate
  14. Rules suspended

    2/26/2026Senate
  15. Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (14-Y 0-N)

    2/24/2026Senate
  16. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB846)

    2/16/2026House
  17. Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    2/11/2026Senate
  18. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/11/2026Senate
  19. Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

    2/10/2026House
  20. Engrossed by House - committee substitute

    2/9/2026House
  21. committee substitute agreed to

    2/9/2026House
  22. Read second time

    2/9/2026House
  23. Read first time

    2/6/2026House
  24. Committee substitute printed 26107146D-H1

    2/5/2026House
  25. House committee offered

    2/4/2026House

Bill Text

Related Bills

Back to State Legislation