Electric utilities; integrated resource plans. Makes various changes related to the content and process for an integrated resource plan (IRP) developed by an electric utility that provides a forecast of its load obligations and a plan to meet those obligations. The bill (i) extends the planning timeframe from 15 to 20 years; (ii) requires Appalachian Power to file an IRP by removing an exception from the definition of "electric utility"; (iii) changes the frequency with which a utility is required to file an IRP from biennially to triennially; (iv) requires utilities to consider the use of grid-enhancing technologies as alternatives to new transmission infrastructure, and when new transmission lines are envisioned, to provide the reasons grid-enhancing technologies are not sufficient to defer or eliminate the need for new transmission infrastructure; and (v) requires utilities to consider the use of surplus interconnection service, as defined in the bill, to add new electric generation projects and energy storage resources to the grid.The bill requires that the current stakeholder review process for integrated resource plans be facilitated by a third-party facilitator selected by the State Corporation Commission and compensated by the utility. The bill requires, as part of the stakeholder review process, the utility to provide stakeholders with reasonable access to the same modeling software, modeling assumptions, modeling inputs, and data used by the utility to evaluate supply and demand resources in its integrated resource plan to enable stakeholders to create modeling scenarios for the utility's consideration during the development of its integrated resource plan.The bill requires the State Corporation Commission to (a) establish guidelines that ensure that utilities develop comprehensive integrated resource plans and provide meaningful public engagement and maximum transparency during the planning process; (b) conduct a proceeding by July 1, 2027, and at least once every five years thereafter, to identify and review each of its existing orders relevant to integrated resource plans to determine if such orders remain necessary and effective and are not overly burdensome; and (c) convene a work group to make recommendations on the required guidelines.As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to HB 429.
Renewable energy portfolio standard program; geothermal heating and cooling systems; report. Requires, for purposes of the renewable energy portfolio standard program, Dominion Energy Virginia and American Electric Power to annually procure and retire certain percentages of renewable energy certificates from geothermal heating and cooling systems, as defined in the bill. The bill directs the State Corporation Commission to prepare and deliver a report evaluating the procurement and retirement of renewable energy certificates from geothermal heating and cooling systems in the Commonwealth on or before November 1, 2028. The bill also directs the Real Estate Appraiser Board to promulgate regulations requiring the development of a continuing education curriculum and required training for all licensees that includes how to properly determine the increase in value of real estate created by reductions in building energy costs associated with solar, geothermal, and solar water heating investments. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation and is identical to HB 1102.
Electric utilities; performance-based regulation; work group; report. Directs the State Corporation Commission to independently consider whether elements of an effective performance-based regulatory framework to evaluate and potentially improve electric utility performance and cost control incentives in the Commonwealth are in the public interest and to develop related legislative recommendations. The bill requires the Commission to include its findings and recommendations in a report required by existing law by July 1, 2027. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to HB 903.
Affordable housing; religious organizations and other nonprofit tax-exempt properties. Allows for the administrative approval of development and construction of housing on land owned by property tax-exempt religious organizations or certain property tax-exempt nonprofit organizations and provides that zoning ordinances shall allow the by-right development and construction of housing on real property owned by such organizations, subject to various conditions and limitations. The bill provides that the review of such developments be completed pursuant to general law and states that localities shall not require a special exception, special use permit, conditional use permit, rezoning, or any discretionary review or approval process. The bill requires that at least 60 percent of the housing development's total units be for affordable housing and that the housing development remain affordable for at least 30 years. The bill also provides that all such housing is subject to local real property taxation following completion, unless explicitly exempted by the locality. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, and expires on January 1, 2031. This bill incorporates SB 367 and is identical to HB 1279.
Protection of employees; standards for heat illness prevention; Safety and Health Codes Board. Requires the Safety and Health Codes Board (the Board) to adopt regulations designed to protect workers from heat illness, as defined in the bill, during indoor and outdoor work. The bill provides that such regulations shall be enforced by the Board's existing authority. The bill directs the Board, in consultation with the Department of Labor and Industry, to develop and adopt regulations that require employers to implement heat illness prevention plans and to convene an advisory panel to assist in developing such regulations. This bill is identical to HB 1092.
Secretary of Administration; work group on automatic voter registration. Directs the Department of Elections to convene a work group for the purpose of studying the implementation of back-end, opt-out automatic voter registration (AVR) in the Commonwealth. The work group shall include representatives of the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Virginia Information Technologies Agency, and the Office of the Attorney General, in addition to members of the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections, general registrars, and organizations advocating for or working on voting rights and data privacy. The work group is tasked with considering the effectiveness, efficiency, and security of back-end, opt-out AVR as compared to Virginia's current front-end, opt-out process and identifying the costs and benefits of moving to such a system. The Secretary of Administration is required to submit a report of the work group's findings to the Chairs of the House and Senate Committees on Privileges and Elections by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 319.
Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections; report. Requires the governing body of any county or city that contracts with a private company to provide transportation services to (i) require such company to provide any employee of such company providing such services compensation and benefits that are, at a minimum, equivalent to the compensation and benefits provided to a public employee, as defined in the bill, with a position requiring equivalent qualifications and years of service; (ii) provide transportation services through such company's own employees; and (iii) if such county or city subsequently elects to provide its own system of public transportation, adopt an ordinance or resolution providing for collective bargaining and ensure all employees of such private company are offered employment with such subsequent public transportation system without loss of compensation or benefits. The bill clarifies that the bill only applies to actions occurring on or after the effective date and excludes any action taken, contract signed, liability incurred, or right accrued prior to July 1, 2026, from the requirements. Finally, the bill directs the Director of the Department of Rail and Public Transportation to convene a work group to develop recommendations on how to implement the provisions of the bill and requires the work group to report its findings and recommendations to the Chairs of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and Senate Committee on Local Government by November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 547.
Smart Solar Permitting Platform established; residential solar energy systems; work group; report. Creates the Smart Solar Permitting Platform (the Platform) to serve as a tool for (i) contractors to obtain permits for the construction of streamline-eligible residential solar energy systems and (ii) localities to process applications for such permits. The bill requires the Department of Energy to establish, launch, and administer the Platform by July 1, 2027, as an internet-based platform that automates plan review and instantly releases a permit or a permit revision to construct certain residential solar energy systems that comply with any applicable building codes and state laws. The bill requires localities to allow contractors to submit an application to construct a residential solar energy system through the Platform or through an alternative automated solar permitting platform by July 1, 2028. The bill requires any locality that chooses to use an alternative automated solar permitting platform to submit an annual report to the Department no later than March 1 of each year. The bill directs the Director of the Department to convene a work group to determine the appropriateness of adding a surcharge to local government permitting fees to defray state costs for the Platform and to report its findings to the General Assembly on or before November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 590.
Electric utilities; pilot programs for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. Amends annual funding commitments for the purposes of the annual pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for low-income, elderly, and disabled individuals conducted by Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power Company. Under the bill, Appalachian Power Company is required to continue its pilot program at no less than $1 million and no greater than $1.5 million annually. Dominion Energy Virginia is required to continue its pilot program at no less than $156 million and no greater than $204 million for the time period beginning July 1, 2026, and ending July 1, 2038. The bill extends the sunset date of such pilot programs from July 1, 2028, to July 1, 2038.The bill also provides that Dominion Energy Virginia may recover costs associated with certain electrical facilities that have been approved by the State Corporation Commission as of December 1, 2033, provided that certain requirements are met and notwithstanding any limitations on such cost recovery in current law. The bill directs Dominion Energy Virginia to propose to the Commission, in any proceeding to determine rates for generation and distribution services commencing after January 1, 2027, and before July 1, 2033, that certain costs related to capacity procurement requirements and distribution infrastructure investments are allocated to the utility's customer class approved to serve customers with a contracted or measured electric demand of 25 megawatts or greater and an anticipated or measured average annual electric load factor of 75 percent or greater. The bill provides that certain customers in manufacturing, industrial, or consumer goods warehousing and distribution activities other than data storage may elect to remain on their existing rate schedule. The bill requires Dominion Energy Virginia, in connection with its first proceeding to determine rates for generation and distribution services commencing after July 1, 2026, to include in its petition to the Commission a proposal to revise its tariff for supplementary, maintenance, or standby service for customers with power plants, effective as of January 1, 2028. The bill provides that the Commission shall only approve such proposal if it determines that such tariff will not adversely affect other retail customers or the utility in a manner contrary to the public interest, and any revised tariff terms shall include protections against stranded cost risks to the utility customer base. Additionally, the bill authorizes Dominion Energy Virginia to file a petition for the securitization of certain deferred fuel costs.
New College Institute; name; membership and composition of board of directors. Renames New College Institute as the West Piedmont Higher Education Center (the Center) and makes several revisions to the membership requirements for the board of directors of the Center, including (i) increasing from 15 to 20 members the total membership of the board of directors; (ii) modifying the composition of the board of directors by adding as required members the Executive Director of the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia or his designee, the Chancellor of the Virginia Community College System or his designee, and the presidents of George Mason University, Longwood University, Radford University, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Virginia State University or their designees; (iii) reducing from 10 to seven the total number of nonlegislative citizen members to be appointed by the Governor and requiring five of such nonlegislative citizen members to be representatives of West Piedmont public education and area business and industry, including one division superintendent, one public school teacher, and three business and industry leaders; and (iv) adding the president of Patrick & Henry Community College or his designee to serve as an ex officio nonvoting member. The bill also requires the board of directors of the Center, in collaboration with representatives of GO Virginia Region 3, the Institute for Advanced Learning and Research, Patrick & Henry Community College, local school boards, and major regional employers, to develop a sustainability plan, including a comprehensive strategic plan and customer recruitment and expansion strategy, to provide higher education degree and certification programs in accordance with its mission, to review options to achieve the goals stated in such plan, and to report on such options to the Governor, the Chair of the Senate Committee on Finance and Appropriations, and the Chair of the House Committee on Appropriations no later than August 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 430.
State Corporation Commission; electric utility infrastructure; report. Directs the Department of Energy (the Department), in consultation with the State Corporation Commission (the Commission), Appalachian Power, and Dominion Energy Virginia, to conduct a comprehensive analysis of existing electric utility infrastructure to identify cost-saving opportunities that improve or preserve electric system reliability as an alternative or supplement to greenfield infrastructure projects. Provided that the Department receives sufficient voluntary financial contributions to engage independent consulting services, the Department and the Commission shall complete the analysis and submit a report to the General Assembly no later than December 1, 2026.
Electric utilities; pilot program for electric energy conservation, generation, and storage. Requires American Electric Power and Dominion Energy Virginia to each petition the State Corporation Commission by December 31, 2026, to conduct a pilot program for electric energy conservation, solar energy generation, and energy storage resources for low-income, elderly, and disabled individuals. The bill directs the Commission to convene a technical conference to evaluate the creation of an energy efficiency program meeting certain requirements by November 1, 2026. Under the bill, if the Commission determines that such a program is feasible for implementation by American Electric Power and Dominion Energy Virginia, the Commission shall require such utilities to petition for approval by May 1, 2027, to implement such programs. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2034. This bill is identical to HB 1062.
