HB549
Trees; conservation and replacement during development process in certain localities, report.
Status:
Passed
Latest Action:
March 14, 2026
Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A)
Chief Patron:
Patrick Hope (D)
Session:
2026 Regular Session
Summary
As Passed House of Origin. Conservation and replacement of trees during development process; report.
Expands certain existing local government authority to plant or replace trees during the development process by expanding such authority statewide. The bill allows localities to establish higher tree canopy replacement percentages based on density per acre. The bill also alters the current process for granting exceptions to a local ordinance ... (More) by altering a provision that requires the granting of an exception when strict application of the ordinance would result in unnecessary or unreasonable hardship to the developer and replacing it with a requirement that the locality concur with such determination. The bill permits localities to monitor and assess the condition and coverage of tree canopies at development sites during a time period of up to 20 years' maturity of the planted trees. The bill also directs the Institute for Coastal Adaption and Resilience to convene a work group to conduct a comprehensive review of the tree canopy laws and regulations and report the work group's findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns and Senate Committee on Local Government by November 1, 2026. The bill makes numerous technical amendments. This bill incorporates HB 995. (Less)-
Bill History
- 01/13/2026 - House: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102406D
- 01/13/2026 - House: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns
- 01/22/2026 - House: Placed on Counties, Cities and Towns Agenda
- 01/28/2026 - House: Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #3
- 01/28/2026 - House: Placed on Counties, Cities and Towns Agenda
- 02/04/2026 - House: Placed on Counties, Cities and Towns Agenda
- 02/06/2026 - House: House committee offered
- 02/06/2026 - House: House committee offered
- 02/06/2026 - House: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (16-Y 4-N 1-A)
- 02/06/2026 - House: Incorporates HB995 (Seibold)
- 02/07/2026 - House: Committee substitute printed 26106579D-H1
- 02/10/2026 - House: Read first time
- 02/11/2026 - House: Read second time
- 02/11/2026 - House: committee substitute agreed to
- 02/11/2026 - House: Engrossed by House - committee substitute
- 02/12/2026 - House: Read third time and passed House (64-Y 34-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
- 02/13/2026 - Senate: Referred to Committee on Local Government
- 03/02/2026 - Senate: Reported from Local Government with substitute (9-Y 6-N)
- 03/03/2026 - Senate: Committee substitute printed 26109044D-S1
- 03/03/2026 - Senate: Rules suspended
- 03/03/2026 - Senate: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/03/2026 - Senate: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Read third time
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Local Government Substitute agreed to
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute
- 03/04/2026 - Senate: Passed Senate with substitute (24-Y 16-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/06/2026 - House: Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 96-N 0-A)
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Senate insisted on substitute (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
- 03/10/2026 - Senate: Senate requested conference committee
- 03/11/2026 - House: House acceded to request
- 03/11/2026 - House: Conferees appointed by House
- 03/11/2026 - House: House Conferees: Hope, Helmer, Tata
- 03/12/2026 - Senate: Conferees appointed by Senate
- 03/12/2026 - Senate: Senate Conferees: Salim, Srinivasan, Suetterlein
- 03/14/2026 - House: Conference substitute printed 26109630D-H2
- 03/14/2026 - Conference Report released
- 03/14/2026 - House: Conference report agreed to by House (63-Y 34-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/14/2026 - House: House requested second conference committee
- 03/14/2026 - Conference Report released
- 03/14/2026 - Senate: Senate acceded to request for second conference committee (22-Y 17-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/14/2026 - Senate: Second conferees appointed by Senate
- 03/14/2026 - Senate: Senate Conferees: Salim, Srinivasan, Suetterlein
- 03/14/2026 - House: Conferees appointed by House
- 03/14/2026 - House: House Conferees: Hope, McClure, Tata
- 03/14/2026 - House: Conference substitute printed 26110093D-H3
- 03/14/2026 - Conference Report released
- 03/14/2026 - House: Conference report agreed to by House (63-Y 34-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
- 03/14/2026 - Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A) Close Floor Vote
