VA HB 597
enactedWildlife Corridor Grant Fund; created, voluntary contributions, report.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower
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Quick answers
Did VA HB 597 pass?
Yes. VA HB 597 has been enacted into law. Latest recorded action (2026-04-13): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0636)
What is VA HB 597 about?
Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund established; voluntary contributions; report. Establishes the Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund to provide grants for projects that conserve or enhance wildlife corridors prioritized by the Wildlife Corridor Action Plan and associated wildlife crossing infrastructure projects. The Director of the Department of Wildlife Resources shall administer the Fund in collaboration with the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Forestry, and the Department of Transportation. The Director of the Department of Wildlife Resources shall submit a report to the General Assembly by November 1 of each odd-numbered year concerning the amount of public and private funding received by the Fund, the awarding of grants from the Fund, and the progress of funded projects, including data on the use of project infrastructure by wildlife. The bill also provides mechanisms for individuals to make voluntary contributions to the Fund through a Department of Motor Vehicles electronic transaction and an individual income tax return.
Who sponsors VA HB 597?
Shelly A. Simonds is the primary sponsor of VA HB 597, joined by 6 cosponsors.
Description
Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund established; voluntary contributions; report. Establishes the Wildlife Corridor Grant Fund to provide grants for projects that conserve or enhance wildlife corridors prioritized by the Wildlife Corridor Action Plan and associated wildlife crossing infrastructure projects. The Director of the Department of Wildlife Resources shall administer the Fund in collaboration with the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the Department of Forestry, and the Department of Transportation. The Director of the Department of Wildlife Resources shall submit a report to the General Assembly by November 1 of each odd-numbered year concerning the amount of public and private funding received by the Fund, the awarding of grants from the Fund, and the progress of funded projects, including data on the use of project infrastructure by wildlife. The bill also provides mechanisms for individuals to make voluntary contributions to the Fund through a Department of Motor Vehicles electronic transaction and an individual income tax return.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-13
- Latest action
- 2026-04-13 — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0636)
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Shelly A. Simondsprimary
- Amy J. Laufercosponsor
- Jessica L. Andersoncosponsor
- Kathy K.L. Trancosponsor
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.cosponsor
- Betsy B. Carrcosponsor
- Debra D. Gardnercosponsor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-04-13
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0636)
2026-04-13
Approved by Governor-Chapter 636 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive-signature
2026-04-01
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB597)
2026-03-31
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
executive-receipt
2026-03-31
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026
enrolled,executive-receipt
2026-03-31
Signed by Speaker
passage
2026-03-30
Signed by President
passage
2026-03-30
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB597ER)
passage
2026-03-30
Enrolled
enrolled
2026-03-10
Passed Senate (25-Y 15-N 0-A)
passage
2026-03-10
Read third time
reading-3
2026-03-09
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-03-09
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-03-09
Rules suspended
2026-03-06
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 5-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-18
Referred to Committee on Finance and Appropriations
referral-committee
2026-02-18
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
2026-02-17
Read third time and passed House (65-Y 32-N 0-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-02-16
Read second time and engrossed
reading-2
2026-02-13
Read first time
reading-1
2026-02-12
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB597)
2026-02-11
Reported from Appropriations (15-Y 7-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-11
Subcommittee recommends reporting (5-Y 2-N)
2026-01-20
Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources
referral-committee
2026-01-13
Referred to Committee on Appropriations
referral-committee
2026-01-13
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26105131D
filing,introduction
Versions
Documents
Votes
Reported from Appropriations
2026-02-11 · pass · 15-7
Member-level votes (22)
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- David A. Reid: yes
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Briana D. Sewell: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- Joshua E. Thomas: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- Terry L. Austin: no
- James W. Morefield: no
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
- M. Keith Hodges: no
- Scott A. Wyatt: no
- Bill Wiley: no
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: no
Subcommittee recommends reporting
2026-02-11 · pass · 5-2
Member-level votes (7)
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
- Bill Wiley: no
H VOTE:
2026-02-17 · pass · 64-32
Member-level votes (99)
- Jessica L. Anderson: yes
- Bonita G. Anthony: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Terry L. Austin: no
- Jason S. Ballard: no
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
- Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Mike A. Cherry: no
- Nadarius E. Clark: not voting
- Laura Jane Cohen: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Nicole Cole: yes
- Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
- Mitchell Cornett: no
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Will Davis: no
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Lindsey Dougherty: yes
- Mark C. Downey: yes
- Michael B. Feggans: yes
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: yes
- Lily V. Franklin: yes
- Margaret A. Franklin: yes
- Debra D. Gardner: yes
- Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: no
- Jackie H. Glass: yes
- Timothy P. Griffin: no
- Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
- Karen Hamilton: no
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- Dan I. Helmer: yes
- Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
- Phil M. Hernandez: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- M. Keith Hodges: no
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
- Hillary Pugh Kent: no
- Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: no
- Barry D. Knight: not voting
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich: yes
- Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
- Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
- Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
- Marty Martinez: yes
- John Chilton McAuliff: not voting
- Adele Y. McClure: yes
- Garrett McGuire: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: no
- Joseph P. McNamara: no
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- James W. Morefield: no
- May Nivar: yes
- Delores Oates: no
- Israel D. O'Quinn: no
- Justin Pence: no
- Eric Phillips: no
- Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Sam Rasoul: yes
- Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
- David A. Reid: yes
- Chris S. Runion: yes
- Charlie Schmidt: yes
- Don Scott: yes
- Phillip A. Scott: no
- Holly M. Seibold: yes
- Briana D. Sewell: yes
- Irene Shin: yes
- Marcus B. Simon: yes
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- JJ Singh: yes
- Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
- Anne Ferrell Tata: no
- Joshua E. Thomas: yes
- Virgil Thornton: yes
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: no
- Wendell S. Walker: no
- Jeion A. Ward: yes
- R. Lee Ware: no
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Michael J. Webert: no
- Madison Whittle: no
- Bill Wiley: no
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Wren M. Williams: no
- Tony O. Wilt: no
- Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: no
- Scott A. Wyatt: no
- Eric R. Zehr: no
Reported from Finance and Appropriations
2026-03-06 · pass · 10-5
Member-level votes (15)
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: no
- Mark D. Obenshain: no
- Richard H. Stuart: no
- Bryce E. Reeves: no
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: no
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading)
2026-03-09 · pass · 40-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: yes
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Passage R
2026-03-10 · pass · 25-15
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: no
- Christie New Craig: no
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: no
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: no
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: no
- T. Travis Hackworth: no
- Christopher T. Head: no
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: no
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: no
- Mark D. Obenshain: no
- Mark J. Peake: no
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: no
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: no
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
- David R. Suetterlein: no
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z
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