VirginiaBill would let recognized tribes hold land conservation agreements
Tribes recognized by Virginia and the federal government would qualify to hold conservation easements, subject to the bill's other rules.
What it does
The bill text would include qualifying federally recognized tribes among those that can hold conservation easements, legal agreements that protect land or guide how it is used.
The bill text would exempt tribes from the five-year office or organization history required of other holders. An organization that has not met those rules may co-hold an easement with a tribe or a qualified holder.
The bill text would include tribes among the groups that may be given a right to enforce an easement's terms, as long as the tribe is not its holder.
Argument forTribes recognized by Virginia and the federal government could hold conservation easements without the five-year history rules for other holders, giving them a direct role in protecting land.
Argument againstSome may worry that tribes could hold easements without the office history or registration rules for other holders, removing those checks for tribal holders.
More detail
The bill text would include a qualifying federally recognized tribe in the definition of a conservation easement holder. A qualifying tribe must be within Virginia's present-day boundaries, acknowledged by the Commonwealth, and recognized by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior.
The bill text would exempt federally recognized tribes from the stated five-year requirements for other holders. These requirements apply to conservation easement holders that are not federally recognized tribes. Other holders must meet conservation-purpose criteria and either have had a main office in Virginia for at least five years or be a national organization that has existed for at least five years, has a Virginia office, and is registered and in good standing with the State Corporation Commission. Until another holder meets those requirements, it may co-hold an easement with a federally recognized tribe or a holder that meets the requirements.
The bill text would include federally recognized tribes among those that may receive a right to enforce a conservation easement's terms. The definition also covers governmental bodies and qualifying charitable organizations that are not holders of the easement. The easement must grant the enforcement right. A tribe with that right cannot also be the holder of that easement.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 21Continued from last sessionLatest
- Mar 4Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
- Feb 24Reported from Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (13-Y 0-N)Minor
- Feb 4Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural ResourcesMinor
- Feb 4Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- Feb 3Read third time and passed House (93-Y 5-N 0-A)Passed House
- Feb 2Read second time and engrossedMinor
- Jan 30Read first timeMinor
- Jan 28Reported from Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources (21-Y 1-N)Minor
- Jan 21Subcommittee recommends reporting (10-Y 0-N)
- Jan 20Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB134)
- Jan 19Assigned HACNR sub: Natural ResourcesMinor
- Jan 3Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural ResourcesMinor
- Jan 3Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100116DIntroduced
Environment & Energy