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Labor and Commerce Subcommittee #3

Tuesday, January 27, 2026·1h 44m·▶ Watch / Listen

The subcommittee advanced a sweeping slate of clean energy and utility bills — including expanded shared solar, plug-in solar access for renters, a water utility rate-increase moratorium, and a disconnection transparency dashboard — while tabling bills on transmission line timelines and solar capacity factor reporting that drew sharp division, with contested votes of 5-2 on both kills and on the transmission bill that did advance.

Key Actions

·HB 395 – Plug-in Solar for Renters and BalconiesPassed

+ 8 more actions

Controversies

HB 466 — Whether a 180-day transmission line permitting timeline rushes major infrastructure decisions

Ms. Burbank (Protect Fauquier [UNCLEAR]) argued the bill is 'about railroading through the process' for major transmission lines costing billions — citing one $4.8 billion project and eight new Dominion lines planned in her county alone — calling it 'an anti affordability bill,' while proponents Philip Skranich (AES Clean Energy), Nicole Riley (Data Center Coalition), and Ray Fakhoury (Amazon Web Services) argued the bill provides essential predictability and certainty for energy investment.

+ 3 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“It's not primarily about solar. It's about railroading through the process. Major new transmission lines. In our county alone, Dominion has eight new transmission lines planned and many more in your districts. They would cost billions of dollars and accelerate ratepayer costs. One project is $4.8 billion. It's an anti affordability bill. Please vote. No.”

Ms. Burbank (Protect Fauquier [UNCLEAR]) — Ms. Burbank, representing 1,700 members of Protect Fauquier [UNCLEAR], opposed HB 466, which would impose a 180-day deadline on SCC review of transmission line applications.

+ 3 more quotes

Votes

Motion to report HB 466 as amended (180-day transmission line permitting timeline)Passed
No (1)Delegate Wilt
Motion to lay HB 766 on the table (solar capacity factor reporting)Passed
Motion to lay HB 617 on the table (Appalachian Power virtual power plant pilot)Passed
Motion to report HB 422 with substitute as amended including reenactment clause (water utility rate increase limitation)Passed
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TranscriptPreview
Ladies and gentlemen, let's get started. If we could please. Welcome to sub 3 at 5:07pm Everyone knows the ground rules. We will move with alacrity. If there are big long lines, we will put a clock on you. But brevity is enjoined at all times. Let's start with. Well, okay, some housekeeping. I'm sorry. We will be taking by for the day the following bills. HB 369, 596, 17, 634, 770. We're taking by to February 3rd and 884 and 898. Also to February 3rd and bill 1002 buy for the day. You're welcome. And we just saved you all an hour. At least. I can't promise you you won't give it back to me in two weeks. This highlights. Of course, I've said this before. I'll just say it to all the stakeholders, all the people who are working on bills, all the members who are working on bills. And please tell all your friends who are working on bills, we are not going to be in a position to be taking bills by for the day. We are going to end up with a big pile of bills in the last couple of meetings of this subcommittee…
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