Electric transmission lines; locality may request an electric utility to install underground, etc. (HB1729)

Introduced By

Del. Mark Cole (R-Fredericksburg) with support from co-patrons Del. Clay Athey (R-Front Royal), Del. Tim Hugo (R-Centreville), and Del. Scott Lingamfelter (R-Woodbridge)

Progress

Introduced
Passed Committee
Passed House
Passed Senate
Signed by Governor
Became Law

Description

Undergrounding electric transmission lines. Authorizes the governing body of any locality to request an electric utility to enter into an agreement whereby a proposed overhead electric transmission line in a residential neighborhood will be installed underground and the utility's additional costs of constructing, operating, and maintaining proposed high-voltage transmission lines underground will be collected through an additional charge to be included in the utility bills of customers located in a special rate district. If a locality requests such an agreement, the electric utility shall not be permitted to use the streets, alleys, or public grounds of the locality for or in connection with the construction, operation, or maintenance of the proposed electric transmission line until such an agreement is entered into and is approved by the State Corporation Commission, unless the governing body subsequently withdraws its request or otherwise consents to the construction, operation, and maintenance of the proposed overhead electric transmission line. Currently, the Counties of Fauquier, Loudoun, and Stafford and the Towns of Hamilton, Leesburg, and Purcellville are authorized to enter into agreements with an electric utility that provide that the locality will impose an assessment on customers in a special rate district to cover the utility's additional costs of constructing, operating, and maintaining the proposed line as an underground rather than an overhead line. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/06/2009Committee
01/06/2009Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/14/09 090097468
01/06/2009Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
01/26/2009Assigned C & L sub: 3 Energy
02/04/2009Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)
02/05/2009Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (20-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
02/05/2009Committee substitute printed 090207468-H1
02/08/2009Read first time
02/09/2009Read second time
02/09/2009Committee substitute agreed to 090207468-H1
02/09/2009Engrossed by House - committee substitute HB1729H1
02/10/2009Read third time and passed House (97-Y 1-N)
02/10/2009VOTE: --- PASSAGE (97-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
02/11/2009Constitutional reading dispensed
02/11/2009Referred to Committee on Local Government
02/17/2009Reported from Local Government (14-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
02/19/2009Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/20/2009Passed by for the day
02/23/2009Passed by for the day
02/24/2009Read third time
02/24/2009Passed by temporarily
02/24/2009Passed Senate (37-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
02/28/2009Enrolled
02/28/2009Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1729ER)
02/28/2009Signed by Speaker
02/28/2009Signed by President
03/27/2009G Approved by Governor-Chapter 335 (effective 7/1/09)
03/27/2009G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0335)

Video

This bill was discussed on the floor of the General Assembly. Below is all of the video that we have of that discussion, 1 clip in all, totaling 2 minutes.