HB2059: Virginia's Great Outdoors Act; land preservation distributions and appropriations.

Legislative Summary

Virginia's Great Outdoors Act; land preservation distributions and appropriations. Provides that beginning July 1, 2026, (i) after required distributions for transportation and localities under current law, no less than $200 million of the remaining recordation tax revenues shall be distributed for specified land protection and preservation purposes and (ii) no less than $30 million of the proceeds of bonds issued by the Virginia Public Building Authority shall be made available for infrastructure improvements and other capital projects for state parks each year The bill also repeals provisions requiring the Governor to include in the budget bill or in his amendments to the general appropriation act a recommended appropriation from the general fund, up to $20 million, for land preservation as follows: (i) 80 percent of the unissued credits to the Virginia Land Conservation Fund, of which at least 50 percent must be used for acquisitions with public access; (ii) 10 percent to the Virginia Battlefield Preservation Fund; and (iii) 10 percent to the Virginia Farmland Preservation Fund.