SB 342 Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Condemnation of conservation or open-space easement; compensation.

Summary

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.

Bill status vetoed 4 of 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Jan 2026

Committee Review

Mar 2026

Senate Passage

Mar 2026

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2026

Vetoed

Apr 2026

Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Vetoed Apr 11, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced → Enrolled · 2 edits · Mar 12, 2026

MINOR

The bill was finalized and enacted into law, transitioning from a draft proposal to an official state statute. The core policy remains unchanged: when the government condemns land protected by conservation or open-space easements, the condemning entity must pay the landowner back for tax credits and property tax savings they received while the easement was active.

Scope change

The bill's scope is now fixed as law; it applies to any condemnation of land subject to a conservation or open-space easement in Virginia.

TECHNICAL

The text was updated from a draft format to the official enrolled format required for state laws, including adding the formal title 'Virginia Acts of Assembly' and the approval date.

ENFORCEMENT

A new provision was added to clarify that disputes over the government's compensation payments must be handled in a separate legal proceeding from the dispute over the landowner's just compensation.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 10, 2026 · House of Delegates Mar 4, 2026

How they voted

39–0

Passed

Total votes 39

Feb 10, 2026

D Democratic20

20 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican19

19 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Apr 11, 2026

Vetoed

Governor's recommendation received by Senate

executive

Mar 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

Signed by President

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Signed by Speaker

lower

Mar 12, 2026

Upper · Passed

Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB342ER)

upper

Mar 6, 2026

Upper · Passed

H-Courts of Justice Amendment agreed to by Senate (37-Y 3-N 0-A)

upper

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

Passed House with amendment (65-Y 34-N 0-A)

lower

Mar 4, 2026

Lower · Passed

Courts of Justice Amendment agreed to by House

lower

Mar 2, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported from Courts of Justice with amendment(s) (15-Y 7-N)

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (10-Y 0-N)

lower

Feb 18, 2026

Lower · Passed

House committee offered

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

Assigned HCJ sub: Civil

lower

Feb 17, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

lower

Feb 11, 2026

Upper · Passed

Read third time and passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

upper

Feb 10, 2026

Upper · Passed

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

upper

Feb 9, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported from Courts of Justice (15-Y 0-N)

upper

Jan 13, 2026

Committee

Referred to Committee for Courts of Justice

upper

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors