# Virginia HB711: Solar facilities; local regulation, permits, special exceptions.

Virginia HB711, Solar facilities; local regulation, permits, special exceptions., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Charniele L. Herring (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-22 (Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (20-Y 18-N 0-A)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB711-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB711
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Solar facilities; local regulation, permits, special exceptions.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-22, Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (20-Y 18-N 0-A)
- Sponsor: Charniele L. Herring (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 9 (240 yes, 116 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 3

## Summary

Local regulation of solar facilities; special exceptions. Provides that a ground-mounted solar energy generation facility to be located on property zoned agricultural, commercial, industrial, or institutional shall be considered pursuant to various criteria to be included in a local ordinance, such as specifications for setbacks, fencing, solar panel height, visual impacts, grading, and a decommissioning plan for solar energy equipment and facilities, unless otherwise permitted by right. The bill requires localities to furnish the State Corporation Commission with a record of special exception decisions reached pursuant to these provisions that includes (i) the reason for any adverse decision, (ii) any finding of nonconformity with the local comprehensive plan, and (iii) the date of the last revision to the comprehensive plan. The bill further requires the State Corporation Commission to compile and maintain on the Commission's public website a searchable database of all solar special exception decisions and the reasons for any adverse decisions made over a period of not less than five years. Finally, the bill states that its provisions shall apply to any ground-mounted solar facility with a generating capacity of one megawatt or more for which an application for local approval is filed on or after July 1, 2026, and any such project shall not be governed by any local ordinances inconsistent with the bill; however, any application for a solar energy facility that has been received and accepted by the relevant authority prior to July 1, 2026, shall be subject to any applicable local ordinances in place at the time the initial application was filed. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to SB 347.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Solar developers gain more zoning options: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, ground-mounted solar facilities are allowed by right on commercial, industrial, institutional, and mixed-use land. Local ordinances cannot ban this use, but applicable height, setback, historic, architectural-preservation, and corridor-protection rules still apply. On agricu…
- New siting rules protect solar neighbors: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, ground-mounted solar projects of at least 1 megawatt serving other properties face new siting rules. Unless allowed by right, they need a special exception or siting agreement; localities do not have to approve them. Required distances are 150–200 feet from occupied homes an…
- Solar owners must guarantee cleanup funding: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, localities must require covered solar owners, lessees, or developers to sign cleanup agreements and provide financial backing. This applies to property the locality determines is covered by the law, with cleanup due within the agreement's timeframe. The applicant hires a lic…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Charniele L. Herring (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-22 | House | House concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 64 | 35 |   |
| 2026-04-22 | Senate | Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 20 | 18 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 22 | 18 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Reported from Local Government | pass | 9 | 6 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 63 | 33 |   |
| 2026-01-30 | House | Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute | pass | 15 | 5 |   |
| 2026-01-29 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 7 | 1 |   |

## Actions (38)

- 2026-04-22: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (20-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-04-22: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (64-Y 35-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-04-22: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1068) (Governor)
- 2026-04-22: Reenrolled bill text (HB711ER2) (House)
- 2026-04-22: Reenrolled (House)
- 2026-04-22: Approved by Governor-Chapter 1068 (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)
- 2026-04-13: Governor's recommendation received by House (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB711) (House)
- 2026-03-14: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-12: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-11: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB711ER) (House)
- 2026-03-11: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-11: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Passed Senate (22-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Local Government (9-Y 6-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Referred to Committee on Local Government (Senate)
- 2026-02-06: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB711) (House)
- 2026-02-05: Read third time and passed House (63-Y 33-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-04: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-04: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-04: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-03: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-30: Committee substitute printed 26106588D-H1 (House)
- 2026-01-30: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (15-Y 5-N) (House)
- 2026-01-29: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-29: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2026-01-28: Assigned HCCT sub: Subcommittee #2 (House)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (House)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104367D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225397.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225396.PDF)
- Reenrolled, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219898.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219897.PDF)
- Gov Recommendation, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219362.HTML)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199743.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199742.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1104682.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1104681.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100582.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1101952.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100581.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1101951.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085614.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085613.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/1225397.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225396.PDF)
- [Reenrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219898.HTML)
- [Reenrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219897.PDF)
- [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219362.HTML)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199743.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1199742.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1104682.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1104681.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100582.HTML)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1101952.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1100581.PDF)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1101951.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085614.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085613.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB711-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).