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SB814 • 2026

Conservation easement owners, certain; 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 official source does not provide details on how the demographic data will be used, nor does it clarify if all conservation easement owners are affected or just those with public funding.

Report on Conservation Easement Owners

This bill requires the Department of Conservation and Recreation to report demographic information about owners of certain 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 November 1, 2026, with yearly updates after that.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Owners of conservation easements funded with public money
  • Department of Conservation and Recreation

Terms To Know

Conservation Easement
An agreement to protect land by limiting its development.
Demographic Information
Details about a person's background like age, gender, and ethnicity.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how the information will be used or what actions might follow from it.
  • It is unclear if all conservation easement owners are affected or just those with public funding.

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 the Department of Conservation and Recreation to report information about how much the owners of certain conservation easements allow the general public to access their properties for recreation.

  • Adds new language after 'such tribe' in line 16, introduced, requiring DCR to include details on public recreational activities allowed by conservation easement owners.
  • The amendment text is brief and technical, making it hard to fully explain all potential impacts without additional context.

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