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SB814 • 2026

Conservation easement owners, DCR to report demographic information.

<p class=ldtitle>A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 10.1-1010.1, relating to Virginia Conservation Easement Act; demographic information on certain conservation easement owners; report.</p>

Enacted

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

Sponsor
Stuart
Last action
2026-01-27
Official status
Continued
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text excerpt mentions adding details about public access, but this is not reflected in the official summary or digest. Therefore, it was removed from the explanation.

Report on Conservation Easement Owners

This bill requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation to report demographic information about owners of conservation easements funded with public money.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation to send an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly containing demographic information about each owner of a conservation easement in Virginia that is funded with public funds.
  • Includes details like age, gender, ethnicity, household income, geographic location, type of conservation entity formed under Virginia laws, and if part of an Indian tribe.
  • The first report is due by November 1, 2026, and every year after that.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners of conservation easements funded with public money in Virginia.
  • The Department of Conservation and Recreation.
  • The Governor and General Assembly.

Terms To Know

Conservation Easement
A legal agreement that limits the use of land to protect its natural features, often funded by public money.
Demographic Information
Details about a person's background like age, gender, ethnicity, and income.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if the required information is missing or incomplete.
  • It is unclear how this report will be used by the government after it is submitted.
  • The official source material does not mention public access allowed by owners on their conservation easement property.

Amendments

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

SB814ASC1

2026-01-27 • Committee

Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources Amendment

Plain English: The amendment adds a requirement for owners of certain conservation easements to report information about public access and recreational activities on their properties.

  • Adds new language after 'such tribe' in line 16, introduced, requiring the owner to report how much they allow the general public to use walking trails, fishing locations, or other recreational areas on the conservation easement property.
  • The amendment text does not specify which types of conservation easements are covered by this reporting requirement.
  • It is unclear what actions will be taken based on the reported information.

Bill History

  1. 2026-01-27 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    Continued to 2027 in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (7-Y 6-N)

  2. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB814)

  3. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Senate committee offered

  4. 2026-01-23 Senate

    Presented and ordered printed 26105684D

  5. 2026-01-23 Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

    Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources

Official Summary Text

Virginia Conservation Easement Act; demographic information on certain conservation easement owners; report.
Requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation to submit an annual report to the Governor and General Assembly containing demographic information about each owner of a conservation easement in the Commonwealth that is funded with public funds. The bill requires such information to include (i) the owner's age, gender, ethnicity, household income, and geographic location; (ii) the type of conservation entity the owner formed under the laws of the Commonwealth; and (iii) if an owner is a part of a Indian tribe, the identity of such tribe. The bill requires the Department to submit the initial report by November 1, 2026, and annually by November 1 of each year thereafter.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
SB 814

AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES

1. Line 16, introduced, after
Commonwealth;

strike

and

AGRICULTURE, CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES

2. Line 16, introduced, after
such tribe

insert

; and (iv) the extent to which the owner has allowed the general public access to or the use of walking trails, fishing locations, or other public recreational activities on the conservation easement property