SEARCH SITE

VIRGINIA LAW PORTAL

SEARCHABLE DATABASES

ACROSS SESSIONS

Developed and maintained by the Division of Legislative Automated Systems.

2024 SESSION

  • print version
Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor

Chair: R. Creigh Deeds

Clerk: Hobie Lehman, Andrew Horton
Staff: Thomas Stevens
Date of Meeting: February 9, 2024
Time and Place: 8 AM / Senate Room A, 3rd floor of the General Assembly Building
https://virginia-senate.granicus.com/ViewPublisher.php?view_id=3

S.B. 247

Patron: McPike

Building service employees; public contracting. Permits any county, city, or town in the Commonwealth to provide for certain requirements concerning incumbent and successor building service employers, defined in the bill, by local ordinance or resolution. For example, such local ordinance or resolution may require that successor building service employers retain incumbent employees during a transition period of 90 days. Under the bill, building service employees are those who perform work in connection with the care or maintenance of property, services at an airport, or food preparation services at schools. The bill provides that a building service employer that violates the provisions of a local ordinance or resolution enacted pursuant to the bill may be subject to a civil action and monetary damages.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Article 6 of Chapter 43 of Title 2.2 a section numbered 2.2-4377.1, relating to building service employees; public contracting.

24104539D

S.B. 253

Patron: Surovell


Shared solar programs; Dominion Energy Virginia; minimum bill; capacity. Amends existing shared solar program provisions to apply to Dominion Energy Virginia (Phase II Utility). The bill provides that a customer's net bill for participation in the shared solar program means the resulting amount a customer must pay the utility after the bill credit, defined in relevant law, is deducted from the customer's monthly gross utility bill. The bill requires the State Corporation Commission to establish a minimum bill, below which a subscriber's net bill cannot go, that is calculated based on the amount of kilowatt-hours billed by the utility. The bill also changes the shared solar program capacity to 450 megawatts and requires the Commission's regulations to allow for program participation by all jurisdictional and nonjurisdictional customer classes.

Under the bill, co-location of two or more shared solar facilities is permitted for shared solar program participation if the facilities are located on a single parcel of land. The bill requires the Commission to (i) establish regulations that prohibit early termination fees and credit reporting for low-income customers, (ii) require net financial savings for subscribers relative to the subscription fee, (iii) require a customer's affirmative consent before providing customer billing and usage data to a subscriber organization, and (iv) establish customer engagement rules. Under the bill, any net crediting fee imposed by the shared solar program shall not exceed one percent of the bill credit value and shall be charged to the subscriber organization. The bill also provides that a utility is permitted to seek recovery of bill credit costs in its triennial base review only if such costs would result in the utility being unable to meet its revenue requirement after accounting for all avoided costs that can be realized by ratepayers.

The bill specifies that the Commission shall update its shared solar program consistent with the requirements of the bill by January 1, 2025, and shall require each utility to file any associated tariffs, agreements, or forms necessary for implementing the program by July 1, 2025. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Energy to convene a stakeholder work group to determine the amounts and forms of project incentives for (a) projects located on rooftops, brownfields, or landfills; (b) projects that are dual-use agricultural facilities; or (c) projects that satisfy another category as established by the Department and to submit a written report to the Chairs of the House Committee on Commerce and Energy and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor no later than November 30, 2024.

 

A BILL to amend and reenact § 56-594.3 of the Code of Virginia, relating to shared solar programs; Phase II Utility; minimum bill; capacity.

24102098D

S.B. 255

Patron: Surovell


Shared solar programs; American Electric Power; minimum bill; capacity. Requires the State Corporation Commission to establish by regulation a shared solar program, defined in the bill, that allows customers of American Electric Power (Phase I Utility) the opportunity to purchase electric power through a subscription in a shared solar facility, defined in the bill. The bill provides that a customer's net bill for participation in the shared solar program means the resulting amount a customer must pay the utility after the bill credit, defined in the bill, is deducted from the customer's monthly gross utility bill. The bill also requires the Commission to establish a minimum bill, below which a subscriber's net bill cannot go, that is calculated based on the amount of kilowatt-hours billed by the utility and specifies that low-income customers are exempt from such minimum bill.

Under the bill, co-location of two or more shared solar facilities is permitted for shared solar program participation if the facilities are located on a single parcel of land. The bill requires the Commission to (i) establish regulations that prohibit early termination fees and credit reporting for low-income customers, (ii) require net financial savings for subscribers relative to the subscription fee, (iii) require a customer's affirmative consent before providing customer billing and usage data to a subscriber organization, and (iv) establish customer engagement rules. Under the bill, any net crediting fee imposed by the shared solar program shall not exceed one percent of the bill credit value and shall be charged to the subscriber organization. The bill also provides that a utility is permitted to seek recovery of bill credit costs in its triennial base review only if such costs would result in the utility being unable to meet its revenue requirement after accounting for all avoided costs that can be realized by ratepayers.

The bill specifies that the Commission shall update its shared solar program consistent with the requirements of the bill by January 1, 2025, and shall require each utility to file any associated tariffs, agreements, or forms necessary for implementing the program by July 1, 2025. Additionally, the bill requires the Department of Energy to convene a stakeholder work group to determine the amounts and forms of project incentives for (a) projects located on rooftops, brownfields, or landfills; (b) projects that are dual-use agricultural facilities; or (c) projects that satisfy another category as established by the Department and to submit a written report to the Chairs of the House Committee on Commerce and Energy and the Senate Committee on Commerce and Labor no later than November 30, 2024.

 

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 56-594.4, relating to shared solar programs; Phase I Utility; minimum bill; capacity.

24102100D

S.B. 256

Patron: Surovell


Motor vehicle insurance claims; bad faith. Provides that if an insurance company denies, refuses, or fails to pay its insured, or refuses a reasonable settlement demand within the policy's coverage limits, for a claim for uninsured or underinsured motorist benefits within a reasonable time after being presented with a demand for such benefits and it is subsequently found that such denial, refusal, or failure was not in good faith, then the insurance company is liable to the insured in an amount double the amount of the judgment, together with reasonable attorney fees, expenses, and interest.

The bill also provides that when an insurance company denies, refuses, or fails to pay to its insured a claim under the provisions of a policy of motor vehicle insurance issued by such company to the insured and it is subsequently found that such denial, refusal, or failure was not made in good faith, then the insurance company is liable to the insured in an amount double the amount of the judgment, together with reasonable attorney fees and expenses, and plus interest for claims of more than $3,500 in excess of the deductible.

The bill also provides that when an uninsured person denies, refuses, or fails to pay a claimant a claim of $3,500 or less and it is subsequently found that such denial, refusal, or failure was not made in good faith, then such person is liable to the insured in an amount double the amount of the judgment, together with reasonable attorney fees and expenses.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 8.01-66.1, as it is currently effective and as it shall become effective, and 38.2-2206 of the Code of Virginia, relating to remedies for bad faith refusal of motor vehicle insurance claims.

24104903D

S.B. 346

Patron: Subramanyam

Net energy metering; solar interconnection; cost recovery. Provides that an electric distribution company shall pay $1 per kilowatt per day for the costs of lost electricity production for any and all delays beyond the regulatory notice period required by State Corporation Commission related to net energy metering. The bill requires that, for the purposes of net energy metering, an eligible customer-generator shall bear all reasonable costs of equipment required at the eligible customer-generator's side of the meter for the interconnection to the supplier's electric distribution system, including reasonable and prudent costs of additional controls, tests, or liability insurance. Additionally, the bill allows for cost recovery by Phase I and Phase II Utilities for electric distribution grid transformation projects that support the interconnection of generating facilities using energy derived from sunlight that are owned or contracted by eligible customer-generators, subject to the Commission finding those costs to be reasonable and prudent in accordance with existing law.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 56-585.1 and 56-594 of the Code of Virginia, relating to net energy metering; solar interconnection; cost recovery.

24104922D

S.B. 450

Patron: Marsden

Regulation of towing fees; State Corporation Commission; report. Directs the State Corporation Commission to examine the existing regulation of fees charged for the removal of vehicles and identify policy options for the Commission to assume all or part of such regulation. The bill requires the Commission to report its findings to the General Assembly by November 30, 2024.

A BILL to direct the State Corporation Commission to examine the regulation of fees charged for the removal of vehicles and identify policy options to assume all or part of such regulation; report.

24100181D

S.B. 454

Patron: Marsden

Electric utilities; recovery of development costs associated with small modular reactor. Permits American Electric Power (Phase I Utility) and Dominion Energy Virginia (Phase II Utility) to petition the State Corporation Commission at any time for the approval of a rate adjustment clause for the recovery of small modular reactor project development costs. The bill also permits the utility to petition the Commission for project development cost recovery along separate development phases.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by adding a section numbered 56-585.1:14, relating to electric utilities; recovery of development costs associated with small modular reactor.

24104921D

S.B. 565

Patron: Deeds

Energy efficiency programs; incremental annual savings. Provides that it is in the public interest and the policy of the Commonwealth to deploy demand-side management programs and energy efficiency measures throughout the Commonwealth to achieve the greatest possible reductions in energy consumption. The bill permits the State Corporation Commission to increase or decrease an investor-owned electric utility's combined rate of return based on the utility's success in complying with energy efficiency program targets in existing law. Additionally, the bill states that "in the public interest," for the purpose of assessing energy efficiency programs, means that the Commission determines that the program is cost-effective. The bill directs the Commission to promulgate regulations no later than December 31, 2024, establishing a single, consistent cost-effectiveness test for use in evaluating proposed energy efficiency programs. Finally, the bill requires the Commission to consider, as a factor in establishing performance based adjustments to the combined rate of return for an electric utility, the utility's compliance with energy efficiency standards and to update ongoing proceedings to consider this factor no later than December 31, 2024. The provisions of the bill apply to any Commission proceeding that commenced on or after January 1, 2024.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 56-576, 56-585.1, and 56-596.2 of the Code of Virginia, relating to energy efficiency programs; incremental annual savings.

24104925D

S.B. 567

Patron: Deeds

Siting of energy facilities; approval by the State Corporation Commission. Establishes a procedure under which an electric utility or independent power provider (applicant) is able to obtain approval for a certificate from the State Corporation Commission for the siting of an energy facility rather than from the governing body of a locality. Under the bill, applicants are authorized to submit an application to the Commission if (i) the locality fails to timely approve or deny an application; (ii) the application complies with certain requirements for Commission approval, but a host locality denies the application; or (iii) the locality amends its zoning ordinance after it has notified the applicant that its requirements are compatible with the requirements for Commission approval, and the amendment imposes additional requirements that are more restrictive. The bill provides that an applicant who is issued a certificate by the Commission for an energy facility is exempt from obtaining approvals or permits, including any land use approvals or permits under the regulations and ordinances of the locality.

The bill applies to any solar energy facility with a capacity of 50 megawatts or more, any wind energy facility with a capacity of 100 megawatts or more, and any energy storage facility with a nameplate capacity of 50 megawatts or more and an energy discharge capability of 200 megawatt hours or more.

A BILL to amend and reenact §§ 15.2-2316.6 through 15.2-2316.9 of the Code of Virginia and to amend the Code of Virginia by adding in Title 56 a chapter numbered 31, consisting of sections numbered 56-626 through 56-636, relating to siting of energy facilities; approval by the State Corporation Commission.

24104898D

S.B. 591

Patron: McPike

Electric utilities; customer energy choice; notice required for customer return to service. Removes certain restrictions on the ability of individual retail customers of electric energy within the Commonwealth, regardless of customer class, to purchase electric energy provided 100 percent from renewable energy from any supplier of electric energy licensed to sell retail electric energy within the Commonwealth. The bill also decreases the required written notice period from five years to six months for certain electric energy customers to return to service by Dominion Energy Virginia after purchasing electric energy from other suppliers.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 56-577 of the Code of Virginia, relating to electric utilities; customer energy choice; notice required for customer return to service.

24101613D

S.B. 634

Patron: Rouse

State Corporation Commission; powers and duties. Provides that in proceedings before the State Corporation Commission, the Commission shall consider public safety, the economy of the Commonwealth, the promotion of workforce development for residents of the Commonwealth, and the maintenance of fair labor standards for workers employed by public service companies and their contractors.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 12.1-12 of the Code of Virginia, relating to State Corporation Commission; powers and duties.

24104287D

S.B. 664

Patron: Stuart

Electric utilities; electric distribution infrastructure serving data centers. Prohibits the costs associated with the construction or extension of any electric distribution infrastructure that primarily serves the load of a data center from being recovered from any other customer.

A BILL to amend and reenact § 56-585.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to electric utilities; electric distribution infrastructure serving data centers.

24100901D

S.B. 737

Patron: Surovell

Energy efficiency programs.

A BILL to amend the Code of Virginia by to amend and re-enact a section numbered 56-576, relating to energy efficiency programs.

24105837D

S.J.R. 47

Patron: Surovell

Study; State Corporation Commission; electric utilities; performance-based regulatory tools; report. Requests the State Corporation Commission, in consultation with the Department of Energy, to study performance-based regulatory tools for investor-owned electric utilities in the Commonwealth.

Requesting the State Corporation Commission, in collaboration with the Department of Energy to study performance-based regulatory tools for investor-owned electric utilities in the Commonwealth. Report.

24104724D