# Virginia HB285: Distributed Energy Resources Task Force; created, membership, reports, sunset. Virginia HB285, Distributed Energy Resources Task Force; created, membership, reports, sunset., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Dan I. Helmer (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-22 (Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (22-Y 17-N 0-A)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB285-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB285 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Distributed Energy Resources Task Force; created, membership, reports, sunset. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-09 - Last action: 2026-04-22, Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (22-Y 17-N 0-A) - Sponsor: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 17 (470 yes, 197 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary Distributed Energy Resources Task Force established; reports; sunset. Establishes the Distributed Energy Resources Task Force as an advisory commission within the executive branch with the purpose of developing a comprehensive strategy to advance the Commonwealth's transition toward integrated distributed energy resource markets and to support the Commonwealth's compliance with certain regulations. The bill describes the membership, powers, and duties of the Task Force and requires the Task Force to submit various reports to the Governor, the State Corporation Commission, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Chairs of the House Committee on Labor and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor. The bill sunsets on July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to SB 223. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Plan to open distributed energy markets: benefit, medium. The law defines a distributed energy resource as up to five megawatts on a customer site or the distribution grid that makes, stores, or shifts electricity. The Task Force reviews Virginia laws and lessons from other states and brings in national experts. It must propose faster, clearer interconnec… - New task force on energy affordability: benefit, low. The law creates a 16-member Distributed Energy Resources Task Force in the executive branch. The Chief Energy Officer chairs it, and the Virginia Department of Energy provides staff. Members include lawmakers, consumer counsel, utilities, local governments, developers, small‑consumer advocates, and… - Reports due and sunset in 2027: mixed, low. The Task Force files a draft planning summary by September 1, 2026 (if it runs the planning process), an interim report by October 1, 2026, and a final report by November 1, 2026. The final report includes a roadmap so DER aggregation can take effect by February 1, 2027, plus suggested law and rule… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Dan I. Helmer (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-22 | House | House concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 63 | 36 | | | 2026-04-22 | Senate | Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 22 | 17 | | | 2026-03-14 | House | Conference report agreed to by House | pass | 93 | 3 | | | 2026-03-14 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate | pass | 22 | 17 | | | 2026-03-12 | Senate | Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-03-11 | House | Senate substitute rejected by House | fail | 1 | 98 | | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Rules Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute | pass | 22 | 18 | | | 2026-03-09 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-03-09 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 | | | 2026-03-06 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 4 | | | 2026-02-27 | Senate | Reported from Rules with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 10 | 4 | | | 2026-02-17 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 | | | 2026-02-11 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 22 | 0 | | | 2026-02-11 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 7 | 0 | | | 2026-02-06 | House | Reported from Rules with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations | pass | 16 | 0 | | | 2026-02-02 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations | pass | 5 | 0 | | ## Actions (57) - 2026-04-22: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (22-Y 17-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-04-22: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (63-Y 36-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-04-22: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1042) (Governor) - 2026-04-22: Reenrolled bill text (HB285ER2) (House) - 2026-04-22: Reenrolled (House) - 2026-04-22: Approved by Governor-Chapter 1042 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor) - 2026-04-22: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-04-22: Governor's recommendation adopted (Governor) - 2026-04-11: Governor's recommendation received by House (Governor) - 2026-04-01: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB285) (House) - 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House) - 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB285ER) (House) - 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House) - 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-03-18: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB285) (House) - 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-14: Conference report agreed to by House (93-Y 3-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-13: Conference Report released - 2026-03-12: House Conferees:Helmer, Franklin, M.A., Cornett (House) - 2026-03-12: Conferees appointed by House (House) - 2026-03-12: House acceded to request (House) - 2026-03-12: Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Conferees appointed by Senate (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Senate Conferees: VanValkenburg, Bagby, Suetterlein (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Senate requested conference committee (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Senate substitute rejected by House (1-Y 98-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-03-10: Passed Senate with substitute (22-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Rules Substitute agreed to (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Senate) - 2026-03-10: Read third time (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-03-09: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-03-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB285) (House) - 2026-03-06: Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Committee substitute printed 26108865D-S1 (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Reported from Rules with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N) (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Referred to Committee on Rules (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2026-02-17: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-16: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB285) (House) - 2026-02-16: Engrossed by House as amended (House) - 2026-02-16: committee amendments agreed to (House) - 2026-02-16: Read second time (House) - 2026-02-13: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-11: Subcommittee recommends reporting (7-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-02-11: Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-02-06: Reported from Rules with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations (16-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-02-06: Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources (House) - 2026-02-02: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations (5-Y 0-N) (House) - 2026-01-30: Assigned HRUL sub: Studies Subcommittee (House) - 2026-01-26: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB285) (House) - 2026-01-09: Referred to Committee on Rules (House) - 2026-01-09: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104735D (House) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225197.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225196.PDF) - Reenrolled, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219815.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219814.PDF) - Gov Recommendation, 2026-04-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218849.HTML) - Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214318.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214317.PDF) - Conference Report, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211214.HTML) - Substitute, 2026-03-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211211.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211210.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187344.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187343.PDF) - Engrossed, 2026-02-16: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143902.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143901.PDF) - Amendment, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133491.HTML) - Amendment, 2026-02-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105848.HTML) - Introduced, 2026-01-09: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083426.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083425.PDF) ## Related bills - HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed) - HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed) - HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed) - HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed) - HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed) ## Sources - [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225197.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225196.PDF) - [Reenrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219815.HTML) - [Reenrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219814.PDF) - [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1218849.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214318.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1214317.PDF) - [Conference Report (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211214.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211211.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1211210.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187344.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187343.PDF) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143902.HTML) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1143901.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1133491.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1105848.HTML) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083426.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083425.PDF) ## Related - [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026) - [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026) - [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026) - [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026) - [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026) - [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB285-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).