All Roll Calls
Yes: 187 • No: 34
Sponsored By: Laura Jane Cohen (Democratic)
Became Law
State Corporation Commission; time frame for completion of certain proceedings. Requires the State Corporation Commission to complete proceedings involving an application for a certificate, permit, or approval required for the construction or operation by a public utility of certain transmission lines within nine months following such application, as required by current law for small renewable energy projects. The bill permits the Commission to enlarge such nine-month period for up to 120 days for applications regarding certain transmission lines. This bill is identical to SB 310.
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5 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 4 mixed.
The SCC must finish any proceeding for a public utility’s small renewable energy project within nine months after a complete application. For some facilities, the SCC may extend that by up to 120 days to allow full review and public input. Small renewable energy projects defined in state law are in the public interest. The SCC interprets the law in favor of approving these projects.
The SCC can approve a generating plant only if it will not harm reliability, is not against the public interest, and, for petitions filed after July 1, 2007 by regulated utilities, is required by public convenience and necessity. The SCC must consider environmental effects and may add conditions to reduce harm. Small renewable projects that have a state permit‑by‑rule are exempt from that SCC environmental review. A valid federal, state, or local environmental permit counts for those same issues, and the SCC cannot add extra conditions on them. In regions listed as “serious” one‑hour ozone nonattainment on July 1, 2001, the SCC cannot issue an approval that depends on getting an environmental permit later. Certificates from applications filed before July 1, 2002 get a two‑year extension before they expire.
The State Corporation Commission (SCC) continues to regulate retail electric distribution in Virginia and, where federal law allows, in‑state transmission. It also oversees reliability, quality, and maintenance of the grid. The SCC must set codes of conduct for utilities and their affiliates to prevent anti‑competitive behavior. The law keeps incumbent utilities’ exclusive service territories and requires them to keep serving those areas. Incumbent utilities may offer metering options to customers.
This chapter does not apply to municipal electric utilities and certain authorities that existed on July 1, 1999. A municipality or authority can choose to be covered. The chapter applies if the utility sells, offers to sell, or seeks to sell power outside its July 1, 1999 service area to a retail customer who is eligible to choose a supplier, with limited exceptions for transferred or mutually adjusted areas.
For an investor‑owned utility that served retail customers on January 1, 2003 and operates only in Dickenson, Lee, Russell, Scott, and Wise Counties, most of this chapter is suspended starting July 1, 2003. The suspension lasts while the utility does not serve retail customers elsewhere who can choose another supplier. During the suspension, rates are the capped rates for the capped‑rate period. After that period, the SCC sets rates based on the utility’s prudently incurred costs.
Laura Jane Cohen
Democratic • House
There are no cosponsors for this bill.
All Roll Calls
Yes: 187 • No: 34
Senate vote • 2/26/2026
Passed Senate
Yes: 36 • No: 4
Senate vote • 2/25/2026
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)
Yes: 40 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/25/2026
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Yes: 0 • No: 0
Senate vote • 2/23/2026
Reported from Commerce and Labor
Yes: 14 • No: 0
House vote • 2/4/2026
Read third time and passed House
Yes: 77 • No: 21
House vote • 1/29/2026
Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s)
Yes: 15 • No: 7
House vote • 1/27/2026
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)
Yes: 5 • No: 2
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0148)
Approved by Governor-Chapter 148 (effective 7/1/2026)
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB466)
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB466ER)
Enrolled
Signed by President
Signed by Speaker
Passed Senate (36-Y 4-N 0-A)
Read third time
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
Rules suspended
Reported from Commerce and Labor (14-Y 0-N)
Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB466)
Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
Read third time and passed House (77-Y 21-N 0-A)
Engrossed by House as amended
committee amendments agreed to
Read second time
Read first time
Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) (15-Y 7-N)
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (5-Y 2-N)
Chaptered
4/6/2026
Enrolled
3/3/2026
Engrossed
2/3/2026
Amendment
1/29/2026
Amendment
1/28/2026
Introduced
1/12/2026
SB767 — Motor vehicles; glass repair and replacement, emissions inspections, penalties, repeals.
Motor vehicle glass repair and replacement; emissions inspection; penalties. Establishes various notice requirements for motor vehicle glass repair shops, defined in the bill, and provides that a violation of such requirements is a prohibited practice under the Virginia Consumer Protection Act. The bill permits a motor vehicle to qualify for an emissions inspection waiver if such vehicle has failed an inspection and the vehicle's onboard diagnostic system is in a not-ready condition to be tested when presented for reinspection. This bill is identical to HB 312.
SB803 — Virginia Fair Housing Law; regulations defining terms related to unlawful conduct.
Virginia Fair Housing Law; unlawful conduct. Directs the Fair Housing Board to promulgate regulations defining "quid pro quo harassment," "hostile environment harassment," and other terms related to unlawful conduct under the Virginia Fair Housing Law. The bill directs the Fair Housing Board to adopt emergency regulations to implement the provisions of the bill.
SB731 — Private companies providing public transportation services; employee protections.
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.
SB620 — Va. ABC Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers, etc.
Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority; permitting of retail tobacco product retailers; purchase, possession, and sale of retail tobacco products; penalties; report. Transitions and provides a more comprehensive structure for the current licensing and enforcement responsibilities related to liquid nicotine and retail tobacco products from the Department of Taxation to a permitting system administered by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Authority. The bill requires the Board of Directors of the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage and Control Authority to conduct an unannounced buyer operation at least once every 24 months to verify that a permittee, defined in the bill, is not selling retail tobacco products to persons under 21 years of age. Portions of the bill have a delayed effective date of October 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 308.
SB666 — Residential land development and construction; fee transparency, local housing development.
Department of Housing and Community Development; housing development database. Requires the Department of Housing and Community Development to collect from each locality and make available to the public, localities, state agencies, and other state and regional public entities in a centralized, machine-readable, screen reader compatible database various data for each new and existing housing development in each locality in the Commonwealth, including data related to the number of housing development plans submitted and approved by the locality and the average approval timeline for housing development plans.
SB599 — Va. Opioid Use Red. & Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Trtmt. and Transition Fund; grant procedure.
Virginia Opioid Use Reduction and Jail-Based Substance Use Disorder Treatment and Transition Fund; grant procedures. Requires the grant procedure to govern funds awarded to local and regional jails for the planning or operation of substance use disorder treatment services and transition services for persons with substance use disorder who are incarcerated in local and regional jails to include requirements that (i) any grant awarded shall be made for up to three years and (ii) an applicant for a grant submit a plan demonstrating how such applicant will become independently financially viable within the time period for which the grant is awarded. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Commission on Health Care and is identical to HB 455.