# Virginia SB659: Solar Interconnection Grant Program; established, report, sunset.

Virginia SB659, Solar Interconnection Grant Program; established, report, sunset., is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Christie New Craig (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0660)) (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB659-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia SB659
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Solar Interconnection Grant Program; established, report, sunset.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0660)
- Sponsor: Christie New Craig (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 8 (200 yes, 28 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Solar Interconnection Grant Fund and Program established; report; sunset. Establishes the Solar Interconnection Grant Program for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to public bodies to offset costs associated with the interconnection of solar facilities to the grid. The Program is administered by the Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency of the Department of Energy. The bill requires that priority be given to solar facilities located on previously developed project sites and requires the Division to establish and publish guidelines and criteria for the awarding of grants and general requirements of the Program. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2027, and, as introduced, was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to HB 683.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Grants to connect public solar projects: benefit, low. The law creates a competitive grant program to cut the cost of connecting public solar projects to the grid. Eligible applicants are public bodies: localities, other political subdivisions, and school boards. Projects on previously developed sites get priority for funding. The Division of Renewable…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Christie New Craig (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-02 | House | Passed House | pass | 84 | 15 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-16 | Senate | Read third time and passed Senate | pass | 30 | 8 | 1 |
| 2026-02-13 | Senate | Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute | pass | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| 2026-02-09 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 12 | 3 |   |

## Actions (33)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0660) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 660 (effective 7/1/2026) (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)
- 2026-03-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB659) (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB659ER) (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Enrolled (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-02: Passed House (84-Y 15-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-02: Read third time (House)
- 2026-03-02: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-27: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-25: Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-02-25: Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources (House)
- 2026-02-20: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-20: Referred to Committee on Appropriations (House)
- 2026-02-20: Placed on Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-18: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB659) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Read third time and passed Senate (30-Y 8-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Read second time (Senate)
- 2026-02-13: Committee substitute printed 26107816D-S1 (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (12-Y 2-N 1-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-09: Reported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (12-Y 3-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-08: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB659) (Senate)
- 2026-01-30: Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB659) (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-01-14: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104604D (Senate)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221753.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221752.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191328.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191327.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145743.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145742.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091691.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091690.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/1221753.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1221752.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191328.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1191327.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145743.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1145742.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091691.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1091690.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-SB659-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).