# Virginia SB589: Trees; conservation and replacement during development process in certain localities, report.

Virginia SB589, Trees; conservation and replacement during development process in certain localities, report., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Saddam Azlan Salim (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0511)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB589-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB589
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Trees; conservation and replacement during development process in certain localities, report.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0511)
- Sponsor: Saddam Azlan Salim (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 12 (299 yes, 164 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## 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 is identical to HB 549.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Qualifying forestry practices protected from local limits: benefit, low. Local tree conservation rules cannot prohibit or unreasonably limit forestry practices that comply with the law's referenced forestry requirements. This protection covers only those qualifying practices.
- More Virginia localities can require development trees: mixed, low. Any Virginia locality can adopt tree planting and replacement rules for development. The former limits—75 people per square mile or location within the Chesapeake Bay watershed—no longer apply. Requirements apply only where a locality adopts an ordinance. Site plans must meet minimum tree canopy, m…
- Special tree conservation options for qualifying localities: mixed, low. Qualifying localities in Planning District 8 can adopt a separate tree conservation ordinance. They must meet the referenced population-density test and the federal eight-hour ozone nonattainment classification as of July 1, 2008. That ordinance cannot also impose the law's separate tree replacemen…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Saddam Azlan Salim (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-14 | Senate | Senate acceded to request for second conference committee | pass | 22 | 17 |   |
| 2026-03-14 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 64 | 33 |   |
| 2026-03-14 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 22 | 17 |   |
| 2026-02-23 | Senate | Senate acceded to request | pass | 38 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-18 | Senate | House substitute rejected by Senate | fail | 0 | 38 |   |
| 2026-02-16 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 64 | 34 |   |
| 2026-02-13 | House | Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute | pass | 16 | 5 |   |
| 2026-01-29 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 24 | 16 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-27 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-27 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-26 | Senate | Reported from Local Government | pass | 10 | 4 |   |

## Actions (48)

- 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0511) (Governor)
- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 511 (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 (Senate)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB589ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 33-N 0-A) (House)
- 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: Senate Conferees: Salim, Srinivasan, Suetterlein (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Second conferees appointed by Senate (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: House requested second conference committee (House)
- 2026-03-13: Conference Report released
- 2026-02-24: House Conferees: Hope, McClure, Tata (House)
- 2026-02-24: Conferees appointed by House (House)
- 2026-02-23: Senate acceded to request (38-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Senate Conferees: Salim, Srinivasan, Suetterlein (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate)
- 2026-02-19: House requested conference committee (House)
- 2026-02-19: House insisted on substitute (House)
- 2026-02-18: House substitute rejected by Senate (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Passed House with substitute (64-Y 34-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-16: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-16: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-16: Read third time (House)
- 2026-02-15: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-13: Committee substitute printed 26107965D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-13: House committee offered (House)
- 2026-02-13: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (16-Y 5-N) (House)
- 2026-02-04: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (House)
- 2026-02-04: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-04: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-01-29: Read third time and passed Senate (24-Y 16-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-01-27: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-01-27: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-01-27: Read first time (Senate)
- 2026-01-27: Passed by for the day (Senate)
- 2026-01-27: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-01-26: Reported from Local Government (10-Y 4-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Local Government (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26101913D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218243.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218242.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214538.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214537.PDF)
- Conference Report, 2026-03-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212373.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-03-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212370.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212369.PDF)
- Conference Report, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211193.HTML)
- Substitute, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211190.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211189.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1146694.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145920.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1146693.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145919.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090968.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090967.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/1218243.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218242.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214538.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214537.PDF)
- [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212373.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212370.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212369.PDF)
- [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211193.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211190.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211189.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1146694.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145920.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1146693.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145919.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090968.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1090967.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-SB589-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).