VA HB429 | 2026 | Regular Regular Session
Status
Completed Legislative Action
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: Passed on April 13 2026 - 100% progression
Action: 2026-04-13 - Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0607)
Text: Latest bill text (Chaptered) [HTML]
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)
Status: Passed on April 13 2026 - 100% progression
Action: 2026-04-13 - Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0607)
Text: Latest bill text (Chaptered) [HTML]
Summary
Electric utilities; integrated resource plans. Makes various changes related to the content and process for an integrated resource plan (IRP) developed by an electric utility that provides a forecast of its load obligations and a plan to meet those obligations. The bill (i) extends the planning timeframe from 15 to 20 years; (ii) requires Appalachian Power to file an IRP by removing an exception from the definition of "electric utility"; (iii) changes the frequency with which a utility is required to file an IRP from biennially to triennially; (iv) requires utilities to consider the use of grid-enhancing technologies as alternatives to new transmission infrastructure, and when new transmission lines are envisioned, to provide the reasons grid-enhancing technologies are not sufficient to defer or eliminate the need for new transmission infrastructure; and (v) requires utilities to consider the use of surplus interconnection service, as defined in the bill, to add new electric generation projects and energy storage resources to the grid. The bill requires that the current stakeholder review process for integrated resource plans be facilitated by a third-party facilitator selected by the State Corporation Commission and compensated by the utility. The bill requires, as part of the stakeholder review process, the utility to provide stakeholders with reasonable access to the same modeling software, modeling assumptions, modeling inputs, and data used by the utility to evaluate supply and demand resources in its integrated resource plan to enable stakeholders to create modeling scenarios for the utility's consideration during the development of its integrated resource plan. The bill requires the State Corporation Commission to (a) establish guidelines that ensure that utilities develop comprehensive integrated resource plans and provide meaningful public engagement and maximum transparency during the planning process; (b) conduct a proceeding by July 1, 2027, and at least once every five years thereafter, to identify and review each of its existing orders relevant to integrated resource plans to determine if such orders remain necessary and effective and are not overly burdensome; and (c) convene a work group to make recommendations on the required guidelines. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to SB 249.
Title
Electric utilities; definitions, integrated resource plans, report.
Sponsors
Roll Calls
2026-03-14 - Senate - Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) (Y: 21 N: 18 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-03-14 - House - Conference report agreed to by House (72-Y 24-N 0-A) (Y: 72 N: 24 NV: 0 Abs: 3) [PASS]
2026-03-12 - Senate - Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-03-11 - House - Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 99-N 0-A) (Y: 0 N: 99 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [FAIL]
2026-03-10 - Senate - Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Y: 21 N: 19 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-03-09 - Senate - Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-03-06 - Senate - Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N) (Y: 10 N: 4 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-03-02 - Senate - Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N) (Y: 8 N: 6 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-02-11 - House - Read third time and passed House (84-Y 13-N 0-A) (Y: 84 N: 13 NV: 0 Abs: 3) [PASS]
2026-02-05 - House - Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (17-Y 5-N) (Y: 17 N: 5 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-02-03 - House - Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 0-N) (Y: 9 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-03-14 - House - Conference report agreed to by House (72-Y 24-N 0-A) (Y: 72 N: 24 NV: 0 Abs: 3) [PASS]
2026-03-12 - Senate - Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-03-11 - House - Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 99-N 0-A) (Y: 0 N: 99 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [FAIL]
2026-03-10 - Senate - Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) (Y: 21 N: 19 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-03-09 - Senate - Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Y: 40 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-03-06 - Senate - Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N) (Y: 10 N: 4 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-03-02 - Senate - Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N) (Y: 8 N: 6 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2026-02-11 - House - Read third time and passed House (84-Y 13-N 0-A) (Y: 84 N: 13 NV: 0 Abs: 3) [PASS]
2026-02-05 - House - Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (17-Y 5-N) (Y: 17 N: 5 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2026-02-03 - House - Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 0-N) (Y: 9 N: 0 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
History
| Date | Chamber | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-04-13 | Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0607) | |
| 2026-04-13 | Approved by Governor-Chapter 607 (effective 7/1/2026) | |
| 2026-04-06 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB429) |
| 2026-03-31 | Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 | |
| 2026-03-31 | House | Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 |
| 2026-03-31 | House | Signed by Speaker |
| 2026-03-30 | Senate | Signed by President |
| 2026-03-30 | House | Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB429ER) |
| 2026-03-30 | House | Enrolled |
| 2026-03-14 | Senate | Conference report agreed to by Senate (21-Y 18-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-14 | House | Conference report agreed to by House (72-Y 24-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-14 | Conference Report released | |
| 2026-03-12 | Senate | Senate Conferees: Surovell, Rouse, Obenshain |
| 2026-03-12 | Senate | Conferees appointed by Senate |
| 2026-03-12 | House | House Conferees: LeVere Bolling, Shin, O'Quinn |
| 2026-03-12 | House | Conferees appointed by House |
| 2026-03-12 | House | House acceded to request |
| 2026-03-12 | Senate | Senate requested conference committee |
| 2026-03-12 | Senate | Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-11 | House | Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 99-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Read third time |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Rules suspended |
| 2026-03-06 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N) |
| 2026-03-05 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB429) |
| 2026-03-03 | Senate | Committee substitute printed 26108331D-S1 |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N) |
| 2026-02-16 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB429) |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor |
| 2026-02-12 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) |
| 2026-02-11 | House | Read third time and passed House (84-Y 13-N 0-A) |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Engrossed by House - committee substitute |
| 2026-02-10 | House | committee substitute agreed to |
| 2026-02-10 | House | Read second time |
| 2026-02-09 | House | Read first time |
| 2026-02-06 | House | Committee substitute printed 26107083D-H1 |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (17-Y 5-N) |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (9-Y 0-N) |
| 2026-02-03 | House | House subcommittee offered |
| 2026-02-02 | House | Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB429) |
| 2026-01-19 | House | Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3 |
| 2026-01-12 | House | Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce |
| 2026-01-12 | House | Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103036D |
