# Virginia SB347: Solar facilities; local regulation, permits, special exceptions. Virginia SB347, Solar facilities; local regulation, permits, special exceptions., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-22 (House concurred in Governor's recommendation (64-Y 34-N 0-A)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB347-2026 - As of: 2026-10-12 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia SB347 - State: Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Solar facilities; local regulation, permits, special exceptions. - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-13 - Last action: 2026-04-22, House concurred in Governor's recommendation (64-Y 34-N 0-A) - Sponsor: Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: yes - Roll calls: 11 (249 yes, 133 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 5 ## 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 HB 711. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Residents can search solar approval decisions: benefit, low. The State Corporation Commission must maintain a searchable public website of local solar special-exception decisions covering at least five years. Records include reasons for adverse decisions and findings about whether projects fit local comprehensive plans. Localities must submit decision record… - More land qualifies for solar installations: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, localities must allow ground-mounted solar by right on commercial, industrial, institutional, and mixed-use land. By right means no special exception is needed. Agricultural land also qualifies when the facility operates under Virginia Code § 56-594 or § 56-594.2. Facilities… - Localities can approve and regulate storage: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, localities can approve energy storage projects through special exceptions and adopt reasonable rules for them. Covered equipment must absorb energy, store it for a time, and later deliver it again. This gives projects an approval path while allowing local limits. The solar a… - Solar developers face statewide siting rules: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, statewide rules govern qualifying ground-mounted solar projects of at least 1 megawatt serving other property. Unless allowed by right, these projects need a special exception or siting agreement; localities do not have to approve them. The law overrides conflicting local or… - Solar owners must guarantee site cleanup: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, localities must require written cleanup agreements and financial guarantees during covered solar facilities' legislative or site-plan approval. Coverage depends on the locality finding that the property is subject to Virginia Code § 15.2-2232. Agreements require equipment re… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Schuyler T. VanValkenburg (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-22 | House | House concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 64 | 34 | | | 2026-04-22 | Senate | Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation | pass | 18 | 18 | | | 2026-02-19 | Senate | House substitute agreed to by Senate | pass | 21 | 18 | | | 2026-02-16 | House | Passed House with substitute | pass | 63 | 35 | | | 2026-02-13 | House | Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute | pass | 15 | 6 | | | 2026-01-30 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 21 | 17 | | | 2026-01-29 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-29 | Senate | Local Government Amendments agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-27 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 | | | 2026-01-27 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2026-01-26 | Senate | Reported from Local Government with amendments | pass | 8 | 5 | 1 | ## Actions (48) - 2026-04-22: House concurred in Governor's recommendation (64-Y 34-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-04-22: Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (18-Y 18-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1005) (Governor) - 2026-04-22: Reenrolled bill text (SB347ER2) (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Reenrolled (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Approved by Governor-Chapter 1005 (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 Senate (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor) - 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB347) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB347ER) (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Enrolled (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Signed by President (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2026-02-19: House substitute agreed to by Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-18: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-02-16: Passed House with substitute (63-Y 35-N 0-A) (House) - 2026-02-16: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2026-02-16: committee substitute agreed to (House) - 2026-02-16: Read third time (House) - 2026-02-15: Read second time (House) - 2026-02-13: Committee substitute printed 26107959D-H1 (House) - 2026-02-13: House committee offered (House) - 2026-02-13: Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (15-Y 6-N) (House) - 2026-02-09: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB347) (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns (House) - 2026-02-04: Read first time (House) - 2026-02-04: Placed on Calendar (House) - 2026-01-30: Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 17-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Local Government Amendments agreed to (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate) - 2026-01-29: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Read second time (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Read first time (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2026-01-27: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2026-01-26: Senate committee offered (Senate) - 2026-01-26: Senate committee offered (Senate) - 2026-01-26: Reported from Local Government with amendments (8-Y 5-N 1-A) (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Local Government (Senate) - 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104614D (Senate) ## Bill text - Chaptered, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225103.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225102.PDF) - Reenrolled, 2026-04-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220946.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220945.PDF) - Gov Recommendation, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219677.HTML) - Enrolled, 2026-02-23: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171583.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171582.PDF) - Substitute, 2026-02-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1146761.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145885.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145884.PDF), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1146760.PDF) - Engrossed, 2026-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098953.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098952.PDF) - Amendment, 2026-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097565.HTML) - Amendment, 2026-01-26: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096516.HTML) - Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089724.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089723.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/1225103.HTML) - [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1225102.PDF) - [Reenrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220946.HTML) - [Reenrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1220945.PDF) - [Gov Recommendation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1219677.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171583.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1171582.PDF) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1146761.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145885.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145884.PDF) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1146760.PDF) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098953.HTML) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098952.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1097565.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1096516.HTML) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089724.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1089723.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-SB347-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).