VirginiaSolar facilities; local regulation, special exceptions.
What it does
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.
More detail
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.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed Senate
- Passed House
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 13Governor's recommendation received by SenateLatest
- Mar 10Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026To Governor
- Mar 10Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026Minor
- Mar 2Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB347)
- Feb 23Signed by PresidentMajor
- Feb 23Signed by SpeakerMajor
- Feb 23Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB347ER)Major
- Feb 23EnrolledMinor
- Feb 19House substitute agreed to by SenateMajor
- Vote recorded Concur House Substitute R. Result: pass.Upper
- Feb 18Passed by for the day
- Feb 16Passed House with substitute (63-Y 35-N 0-A)Passed House
- Vote recorded H VOTE:. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 16Engrossed by House - committee substituteMajor
- Feb 16committee substitute agreed toMajor
- Feb 16Read third timeMinor
- Feb 15Read second timeMinor
- Feb 13Committee substitute printed 26107959D-H1Major
- Vote recorded Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 13Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (15-Y 6-N)Minor
- Feb 13House committee offered
- Feb 9Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB347)
- Feb 4Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and TownsMinor
- Feb 4Read first timeMinor
- Feb 4Placed on Calendar
- Jan 30Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 17-N 0-A)Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Passage R. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 29Engrossed by Senate as amended
- Jan 29Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
- Jan 29Local Government Amendments agreed toMajor
- Jan 29Read second timeMinor
- Jan 28Passed by for the day
- Jan 28Read second timeMinor
- Jan 27Passed by for the day
- Vote recorded Constitutional reading dispensed R. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 27Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
- Jan 27Rules suspended
- Jan 27Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
- Jan 27Read first timeMinor
- Jan 26Reported from Local Government with amendments (8-Y 5-N 1-A)Minor
- Vote recorded Reported from Local Government with amendments. Result: pass.Upper
- Jan 26Senate committee offered
- Jan 26Senate committee offered
- Jan 13Referred to Committee on Local GovernmentMinor
- Jan 13Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104614DIntroduced