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2023 Priority Legislation

of the Virginia Grassroots Coalition

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Cat	Number	Title	Patron	House	Senate	Governor	updated
2023 Priority Bills Climate & Clean Energy
climate	HB 1604 Support	Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act; regulation of rates. more... This bipartisan Act, will lower energy costs and put money back in Virginians' pockets by holding regulated utilities accountable for overcharging customers.	Lee Ware (R-HD65)	Passed	Passed	Signed	8/31/23
climate	HB 1852 Support	HB 1852 Public school bldgs. & facilities; construction & renovation, renewable energy generation facility. more... Directs the Commission on School Construction and Modernization, in consultation with the Department of Energy, to develop and make recommendations on strategies to assist interested school divisions with incorporating renewable energy generation facilities in the construction or renovation of school buildings	Suhas Subramanyam (D-HD87)	Tabled			1/25/23
climate	HB 1853 Support	Public utilities; shared solar, minimum bill. more... Expands access and use of solar energy.	Suhas Subramanyam (D-HD87)	Tabled			1/24/23
climate	HB 2267 Support	Electric utilities; cost recovery; alternative to rate adjustment clause. more... Rate Adjustment Clause Reform. Protect Virginians from excessive surcharges on their electric bills by restoring the authority of regulators to determine the appropriate way for utilities to recover costs from customers.	Tony Wilt (R-HD26)	Passed	PBI		2/20/23
climate	HJ 522 Support	Study; Department of Energy more... Directs the Department of Energy to study the impacts of data center development on Virginia's environment, economy, energy resources, and ability to meet carbon-reduction goals.	Danica A. Roem (D-HD-13)	Tabled			1/30/23
climate	HJ 545 Support	Clean energy; Dept. of Energy to study barriers for local governments to purchase. more... Requests the Department of Energy to study the barriers for local governments to directly purchase clean energy or to facilitate the purchase of clean energy by their constituents. ...	Briana D. Sewell (D-HD51)	Tabled			1/30/23
climate	SB 804 Support	Campaign finance; prohibited contributions to candidates. more... Restricts regulated utilities from making campaign contributions, and candidates and political committees from accepting such contributions.	Chap Petersen (D-SD34)		PBI		1/19/23
climate	SB 848 Support	Public school bldgs. & facilities; construction & renovation, renewable energy generation facility. more... Expand access and use of solar energy and, under SB848, perform a study to assist interested school divisions with incorporating renewable energy generation facilities in the construction or renovation of K-12 school buildings.	Barbara Favola (D-SD31)	Tabled	Passed		2/13/23
climate	SB 1083 Support	Shared solar programs; SCC to establish by regulation. more... Expand access and use of solar energy.	Scott Surovell (D-SD36)	Tabled	Passed		2/16/23
climate	SB 1166 Support	Energy planning and electric utility oversight; Commonwealth Energy Research Consortium established. more... Requires the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation (the Commission) to establish the Commonwealth Energy Research Consortium (the Consortium), consisting of public institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth, to conduct energy research and policy analysis for the Commonwealth. ...	Scott A. Surovell (D-SD36)	Passed	Passed	Signed 02/25/23 Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (31-Y 9-N) 02/25/23 House: Conference report agreed to by House (93-Y 0-N) 02/25/23 House: VOTE: Adoption (93-Y 0-N)	8/31/23
climate	SB 1266 Support	Public utilities; shared solar; minimum bill. more... Expand access and use of solar energy.	Scott Surovell (D-SD36)	Tabled	Passed		2/16/23
climate	SB 1321 Support	Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act; regulation of rates. more... Affordable Energy Act. This bipartisan bill restores the State Corporation Commission's ability to lower electric rates and prevent monopoly utilities from overcharging customers. Since 2009, Dominion Energy has overcharged Virginians by at least $1.9 billion.	Creigh Deeds (D-SD25)	Passed	Passed	Signed 02/21/23 House: VOTE: Block Vote Passage (99-Y 0-N) 02/24/23 Senate: Enrolled 02/24/23 Senate: Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1321ER)	8/31/23
climate	SB 1417 Support	Electric utilities; cost recovery; alternative to rate adjustment clause. more... Rate Adjustment Clause Reform. Protect Virginians from excessive surcharges on their electric bills by restoring the authority of regulators to determine the appropriate way for utilities to recover costs from customers.	David R. Suetterlein (R-SD19)		PBI		1/24/23
climate	SJ 240 Support	Study; Department of Energy; impacts of data center development; report. more... Directs the Department of Energy to study the impacts of data center development on Virginia's environment, economy, energy resources, and ability to meet carbon-reduction goals.	Chapman Petersen (D-SD34)	Tabled	Passed		2/13/23
climate	HB 1372 Oppose	State Air Pollution Control Board; regulations; low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle standards. more... Repeals the State Air Pollution Control Board's authority to implement low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle standards for vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later.	Buddy Fowler(R-HD55)	Stricken			1/19/23
climate	HB 1378 Oppose	State Air Pollution Control Board; motor vehicle emissions standards. more... Repeals the requirement that the State Air Pollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later. ...	Tony O. Wilt (R-HD26)	Passed	PBI		2/14/23
climate	HB 1430 Oppose	Clean Economy Act; non-bypassable charges, energy-intensive trade-exposed (EITE) industries. more... Defines EITE industries as companies that are constrained in their ability to pass through carbon costs due to international competition, companies that engage in importation of products that cause emission leakage, and critical infrastructure facilities identified by certain federal agencies. ...	Lee Ware (R-HD65)	Passed	Stricken		2/20/23
climate	HB 1480 Oppose	Va. Clean Economy Act; non-bypassable charges, energy-intensive trade-exposed (EITE) industries. more... Directs the State Corporation Commission to establish an EITE customer exemption pilot program for non-bypassable charges in certain provisions of the Virginia Clean Economy Act related to generation of electricity from renewable and zero carbon sources and development of offshore wind capacity. ...	Lee Ware (R-HD65)	Stricken			1/19/23
climate	HB 1770 Oppose	Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act; retail competitiveness, review proceedings, etc. more... Restricts the ability of the State Corporation Commission to keep energy costs affordable.	Terry Kilgore (R-HD1)	Passed	Passed	Signed 02/25/23 Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N) 02/25/23 House: Conference report agreed to by House (94-Y 1-N) 02/25/23 House: VOTE: Adoption (94-Y 1-N)	8/31/23
climate	HB 1783 Oppose	Natural gas utilities; retail supply choice. more... Limits local authorities' ability to set building codes and permitting rules.	Israel O'Quinn (R-HD5)	Passed	PBI		2/13/23
climate	SB 778 Oppose	State Air Pollution Control Board; regulations, low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle standards. more... Repeals the requirement that the State Air Pollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later. ...	Richard H. Stuart (R-SD28)		Incorp		1/18/23
climate	SB 779 Oppose	State Air Pollution Control Board; motor vehicle emissions standards. more... Repeals the requirement that the State Air Pollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later. ...	Stephen Newman (R-SD23)		PBI		1/18/23
climate	SB 781 Oppose	State Air Pollution Control Board; motor vehicle emissions standards. more... Repeals the requirement that the State Air Pollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later. ...	Bill DeSteph (R-SD8)		Incorp		1/18/23
climate	SB 782 Oppose	State Air Pollution Control Board; motor vehicle emissions standards. more... Repeals the requirement that the State Air Pollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later. ...	Bryce E. Reeves (R-SD17)		Incorp		1/18/23
climate	SB 785 Oppose	State Air Pollution Control Board; motor vehicle emissions standards. more... Repeals the requirement that the State Air Pollution Control Board implement a low-emissions and zero-emissions vehicle program for motor vehicles with a model year of 2025 and later. ...	Ryan McDougle (R-SD4)		Incorp		1/18/23
climate	SB 1001 Oppose	Clean Energy and Community Flood Preparedness Act; repeal. more... Repeals the Clean Energy and Community Flood Preparedness Act and directs the Director of the Department of Environmental Quality to take all steps necessary to suspend the Commonwealth's participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative market-based trading program.	Richard Stuart (R-SD28)		PBI		1/26/23
climate	SB 1125 Oppose	Renewable energy portfolio standard requirements; State Corporation Commission authority, report. more... Requires electric utilities to petition the State Corporation Commission for relief from the requirements of certain provisions of the Code that mandate the retirement of electric generating units that are coal-fired or emit carbon as a by-product of combusting fuel to generate electricity if such requirements would threaten the reliability or security of electric service to customers. ...	Travis Hackworth (R-SD38)		Failed		1/30/23
climate	SB 1265 Oppose	Virginia Electric Utility Regulation Act; retail competitiveness, review proceedings, etc. more... Allows regulated investor-owned utilities to restrict the ability of the State Corporation Commission to keep energy costs affordable.	Richard L. Saslaw (D-SD35)	Passed	Passed	Signed 02/25/23 Senate: Conference report agreed to by Senate (40-Y 0-N) 02/25/23 House: Conference report agreed to by House (91-Y 1-N) 02/25/23 House: VOTE: Adoption (91-Y 1-N)	8/31/23
climate	SB 1485 Oppose	Natural gas utilities; retail supply choice. more... Allows every person access to distribution service or retail natural gas from a natural gas company authorized to provide natural gas service to the area where the service will be received. ...	Joseph Morrissey(D-SD16)		Stricken		1/30/23

No. of bills: 29

Note: The Rules Committees of both Chambers have limited the number of bills that individual members may introduce this Session: Senators have bill limits of 26, and Delegates have bill limits of 15.

General info

Introduced Bills by subject

Education bills

Continued from last session

2023 Session dates

Dec 12: Bills available
Jan 11: Session begins
Feb 8: Crossover*
Feb 15: Budget conferees named

Glossary

Dillon Rule. Restricts local government authority to enact ordinances.

Conference Committee. A temporary committee w. members from both the House and Senate, tasked with reconciling differences in legislation that passed both chambers.

Continued/Carried over. Action taken in an even-numbered year to postpone the consideration of a measure until the next regular session of the General Assembly.

Crossover. The last day for a bill to pass out of the chamber in which it was introduced and move forward for consideration in the opposite chamber. If a bill does not move forward, it is "Left" (dead).

Engrossed. A legislative stage when a bill passes the second reading in the House of origin. Every bill has to be "read" on the floor three times before voting on it. The action or any debate or discussion usually comes on the day of the second reading or the third reading.

Enrolled. Legislation which has passed both the House of Delegates and the Senate, signed by the Speaker of the House and President of the Senate, sent to the Governor, but not yet signed.

Failed to report. Defeated. The rejection of a motion to 'report' a bill to the full chamber.

Incorporated. Rolled into someone another bill. Either because they're identical, or they have incorporated *some* of the language in, and the patron agreed to have her name on the other bill.

Patron. Bill sponsor. There can be many patrons.

PBI. Passed by Indefinitely. Action to allow a committee to reconsider legislation at a later meeting. If the committee takes no further action, the bill is dead. [Usually the bill is dead.]

Referred. The assignment of legislation to another standing committee with no stance on the policy of the measure (neither endorses nor rejects the legislation).

Reported. The approval of a measure by the majority of the committee. The legislation may be reported by the committee with or without amendments. A bill may also be reported and referred to another committee.

Stricken. Legislation removed from a committee's docket, frequently at the request of the patron.

More definitions from League of Women Voters Virginia
More definitions from University of Virginia