SB342 • 2026

Condemnation of conservation or open-space easement; compensation.

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 1 of Title 25.1 a section numbered 25.1-110, relating to condemnation of conservation or open-space easement; compensation.

Land Taxes

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Perry
Last action: 2026-04-22
Official status: Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Condemnation of conservation or open-space easement; compensation.

What This Bill Does

Condemnation of conservation or open-space easement; compensation.
Provides that if a person takes by condemnation any land subject to a conservation easement or open-space easement, such person shall compensate the Commonwealth and the locality in which such land is located for certain tax credits and values enumerated in the bill.
The bill specifies that any such compensation paid to the Commonwealth shall be in addition to compensation required by other provisions of law.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SB342G

2026-04-11 • Governor

Governor's Recommendation

Plain English: (SB342) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION 1.

(SB342) GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION 1.
After line 28, enrolled insert 2.
That the provisions of this act shall not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.

SB342AHC1

2026-02-18 • Committee

Courts of Justice Amendment

Plain English: OFFERED FOR CONSIDERATION 2/18/2026 SB 342 SUBCOMMITTEE 1.

OFFERED FOR CONSIDERATION 2/18/2026 SB 342 SUBCOMMITTEE 1.
Line 30, engrossed, after diverted.
insert Any dispute between the person initiating condemnation proceedings and the Commonwealth or locality seeking compensation pursuant to this section shall be adjudicated separately from the determination of the just compensation owed to the landowner and easement holder.

SB342AHC2

2026-02-18 • Committee

Civil Subcommittee Amendment

Plain English: 2/18/2026 SB 342 SUBCOMMITTEE 1.

2/18/2026 SB 342 SUBCOMMITTEE 1.
Line 30, engrossed, after diverted.
insert Any dispute between the person initiating condemnation proceedings and the Commonwealth or locality seeking compensation pursuant to this section shall be adjudicated separately from the determination of the just compensation owed to the landowner and easement holder.

SB342AH1

2026-03-02 • Committee

Courts of Justice Amendment

Plain English: 3/02/2026 SB 342 COURTS OF JUSTICE 1.

3/02/2026 SB 342 COURTS OF JUSTICE 1.
Line 30, engrossed, after diverted.
insert Any dispute between the person initiating condemnation proceedings and the Commonwealth or locality seeking compensation pursuant to this section shall be adjudicated separately from the determination of the just compensation owed to the landowner and easement holder.

SB342AH2

2026-03-04 • Committee

Courts of Justice Amendment

Plain English: 3/04/2026 (SB342) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE HOUSE COURTS OF JUSTICE 1.

3/04/2026 (SB342) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE HOUSE COURTS OF JUSTICE 1.
Line 30, engrossed, after diverted.
insert Any dispute between the person initiating condemnation proceedings and the Commonwealth or locality seeking compensation pursuant to this section shall be adjudicated separately from the determination of the just compensation owed to the landowner and easement holder.

SB342EDOC

2026-03-11 • House

House Amendments

Plain English: 3/11/2026 (SB342) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE HOUSE COURTS OF JUSTICE 1.

3/11/2026 (SB342) AMENDMENT(S) PROPOSED BY THE HOUSE COURTS OF JUSTICE 1.
Line 30, engrossed, after diverted.
insert Any dispute between the person initiating condemnation proceedings and the Commonwealth or locality seeking compensation pursuant to this section shall be adjudicated separately from the determination of the just compensation owed to the landowner and easement holder.
COURTS OF JUSTICE 2.

Bill History

2026-04-22 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-04-22 Governor
Assigned Chapter 980 (effective 7/1/2026)
2026-04-22 Senate
Communicated to Governor
2026-04-22 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., May 23, 2026
2026-04-22 Governor
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0980)
2026-04-22 Senate
Senate rejected Governor's recommendation (10-Y 29-N 0-A)
2026-04-22 Senate
Passed in enrolled form (32-Y 7-N 0-A)
2026-04-22 House
Passed by temporarily
2026-04-22 House
Passed in enrolled form (73-Y 25-N 0-A)
2026-04-11 Governor
Governor's recommendation received by Senate
2026-03-14 Senate
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026
2026-03-14 Governor
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
2026-03-12 House
Signed by Speaker
2026-03-12 Senate
Signed by President
2026-03-12 Senate
Enrolled
2026-03-12 Senate
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB342ER)
2026-03-12 Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB342)
2026-03-06 Senate
House Amendment agreed to by Senate
2026-03-06 Senate
H-Courts of Justice Amendment agreed to by Senate (37-Y 3-N 0-A)
2026-03-04 House
Read third time
2026-03-04 House
Courts of Justice Amendment agreed to by House
2026-03-04 House
Passed House with amendment (65-Y 34-N 0-A)
2026-03-03 House
Read second time
2026-03-02 Courts of Justice
Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (15-Y 7-N)
2026-02-18 Civil
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (10-Y 0-N)
2026-02-18 House
House committee offered
2026-02-17 House
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-17 Courts of Justice
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice
2026-02-17 Civil
Assigned HCJ sub: Civil
2026-02-17 House
Read first time
2026-02-11 Senate
Read second time
2026-02-11 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-11 Senate
Engrossed by Senate Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-11 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 3rd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-11 Senate
Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-10 Senate
Rules suspended
2026-02-10 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-10 Senate
Passed by for the day
2026-02-10 Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-10 Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-09 Courts of Justice
Reported from Courts of Justice (15-Y 0-N)
2026-01-30 Senate
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB342)
2026-01-13 Senate
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100300D
2026-01-13 Courts of Justice
Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

Official Summary Text

Condemnation of conservation or open-space easement; compensation.
Provides that if a person takes by condemnation any land subject to a conservation easement or open-space easement, such person shall compensate the Commonwealth and the locality in which such land is located for certain tax credits and values enumerated in the bill. The bill specifies that any such compensation paid to the Commonwealth shall be in addition to compensation required by other provisions of law.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

An Act to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Chapter 1 of Title 25.1 a section numbered
25.1-110
, relating to condemnation of conservation or open-space easement; compensation.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1. That the Code of Virginia is amended by adding in Chapter 1 of Title 25.1 a section numbered
25.1-110
as follows:
§
25.1-110
. Condemnation of conservation or open-space easement; compensation.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, if a person takes by condemnation proceedings any land or right-of-way or similar interest therein that is subject to a conservation easement, as such term is defined in §
10.1-1009
, or an open-space easement, as such term is defined in §
10.1-1700
, the person, in addition to any compensation determined under the provisions of this title, shall compensate, in amounts proportionate to the land or interest therein being condemned, (i) the Commonwealth for the value of any tax credit received by the landowner under the provisions of the Virginia Land Conservation Incentives Act of 1999 (§
58.1-510
et seq.) during the pendency of the conservation easement or open-space easement and (ii) the locality in which the land or interest therein is located for any property tax avoided by the landowner during the pendency of the conservation easement or open-space easement.
Compensation required to be paid to the Commonwealth under clause (i) shall be in addition to (1) any compensation required by the provisions of the conservation easement due to the landowner and holder, as such term is defined in §
10.1-1009
, or compensation required by the provisions of the open-space easement due to the landowner and the public body, as such term is defined in §
10.1-1700
, and (2) fulfillment of the requirements of §
10.1-1704
pertaining to the conversion or diversion of open-space land.
Any compensation paid to the Commonwealth or the locality shall be used in a manner consistent with the conservation purposes of the conservation or open-space easement extinguished or open-space land that is converted or diverted.
Any dispute between the person initiating condemnation proceedings and the Commonwealth or locality seeking compensation pursuant to this section shall be adjudicated separately from the determination of the just compensation owed to the landowner and easement holder.