Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · Bill
HB 641: Virginia's Great Outdoors Act; established, creates data center land conservation tax.
In committee Official data
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed one chamber
- Passed both chambers
- Enacted
Last official action: ·Record last updated:
Plain-language summary
HB 641 is a bill introduced in the Virginia House on January 13, 2026. According to its official title, it concerns: Virginia's Great Outdoors Act; established, creates data center land conservation tax. Primary sponsor: Paul Krizek (Democratic). It lists 4 additional sponsors. Most recent recorded action (February 11, 2026): Continued to next session in Finance (Voice Vote).
Generated automatically from the official title, sponsor list, and status record only. It does not characterize the bill’s purpose or effects. How summaries are written
Official summary
Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.
Virginia's Great Outdoors Act established; data center land conservation tax; land preservation distributions and appropriations. Creates a data center land preservation tax on and after January 1, 2027, in an amount equal to $3 per square foot of each data center facility footprint, as defined in the bill, and directs no less than $250 million of revenues from the tax to be distributed for various land protection and preservation purposes, including into the Virginia Tribal Commitment Fund, as created in the bill. 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 and Forestland Preservation Fund.
Sponsors
Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 3 · Republican 1
| Name | Role | Party | Chamber | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paul Krizek | Primary sponsor | Democratic | House | 16 |
| Destiny LeVere Bolling | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 80 |
| Gretchen M. Bulova | Co-sponsor | Not applicable (committee) | — | — |
| Buddy Fowler | Co-sponsor | Republican | House | 59 |
| Karen Keys-Gamarra | Co-sponsor | Democratic | House | 7 |
“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.
Recent official actions
- Continued to next session in Finance (Voice Vote)
- Assigned HFIN sub: Subcommittee #1
- Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB641)
- Referred to Committee on Finance
- Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102661D