Property Taxes - Tax Sales, Legacy Protection Program, and Tax Credits
HB 1148 creates an Heirs Protection Program to prevent tax sales of inherited homes. It allows heirs (people who inherit a home after a homeowner's death) to become the official property owner, stay in their homes, and access property tax relief without losing the home to tax sales. The program is funded by a new Heirs Protection Fund financed by state and county governments, and requires the State Tax Sale Ombudsman to provide outreach and grants. The bill also expands eligibility for certain property tax credits to include heirs who aren't yet listed as the official property owner, under specific conditions.
Bill status
signed
all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Feb 2026
Committee Review
Apr 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Apr 2026
Senate Passage
Apr 2026
Signed into Law
May 2026
Introduced Feb 11, 2026
Signed May 26, 2026
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What changed between versions
First - Property Taxes - Tax Sales, Heirs Protection Program, and Tax Credits
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Third - Property Taxes - Tax Sales, Legacy Protection Program, and Tax Credits
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3 edits
MINOR
The bill was amended to rename the 'Heirs Protection Program' to the 'Heirs Legacy Protection Program' and the corresponding fund to the 'Heirs Legacy Protection Fund'. While the text was updated to reflect this new name, the substantive eligibility criteria, program functions, and legal definitions regarding heirs and legatees remained unchanged. The amendment also adjusted the bill's procedural status, marking it as adopted with a favorable committee report and updated the internal code references to align with the new fund name.
Scope change
The scope of the bill's applicability remains the same; the change is purely a nomenclature update from 'Heirs Protection' to 'Heirs Legacy Protection'.
DEFINITION
Renamed the program and fund from 'Heirs Protection Program' and 'Heirs Protection Fund' to 'Heirs Legacy Protection Program' and 'Heirs Legacy Protection Fund' throughout the text.
TECHNICAL
Updated the bill's procedural header to indicate it was 'Adopted' and has a 'Favorable with amendments' committee report.
Adjusted the repeal and reenactment sections to reference the new 'Heirs Legacy Protection Fund' instead of the old 'Heirs Protection Fund'.
Floor votes · Senate Mar 16, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 5, 2026
How they voted
46–0
Passed · 3 other
Total votes 49
Mar 16, 2026
D
Democratic36
94% Yea
R
Republican13
92% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea
All Nay
Mixed
No data
Full legislative history
Actions timeline
Total actions
16
Key actions
10
Committee
6
May 26, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 718
executive
Apr 3, 2026
Lower · Passed
Returned Passed
lower
Apr 3, 2026
Upper · Passed
Third Reading Passed
upper
Apr 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable Adopted
upper
Apr 2, 2026
Upper · Passed
Favorable Report by Budget and Taxation
upper
Mar 19, 2026
Committee
Referred Budget and Taxation
upper
Mar 18, 2026
Lower · Passed
Third Reading Passed
lower
Mar 17, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments {
lower
Mar 16, 2026
Senate · Passed
Senate Vote: pass (46-0-3)
senate
Mar 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Favorable with Amendments Report by Ways and Means
lower
Mar 5, 2026
House Of Delegates · Passed
House of Delegates Vote: pass (100-34-8)
house of delegates
Feb 11, 2026
Committee
First Reading Ways and Means
lower
3 primary · 0 co-sponsors
Sponsors
Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Aaron Kaufman
DDemocratic
P
Anne Kaiser
DDemocratic
P
Denise Roberts
DDemocratic
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