Virginia Solar Energy Development Authority; created, report. (SB1099)

Introduced By

Sen. Richard Stuart (R-Westmoreland) with support from co-patron Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria)

Progress

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

Description

Virginia Solar Energy Development Authority. Creates the Virginia Solar Energy Development Authority to facilitate, coordinate, and support the development of the solar energy industry and solar-powered electric energy facilities in the Commonwealth. The Authority is directed to do so by developing programs to increase the availability of financing for solar energy projects, facilitate the increase of solar energy generation systems on public and private sector facilities in the Commonwealth, promote the growth of the Virginia solar industry, and provide a hub for collaboration between entities to partner on solar energy projects. The Authority will be composed of 11 members appointed by the Governor. Members may be representatives of solar businesses, solar customers, renewable energy financiers, state and local government solar customers, and solar research academics. The Authority is charged with, among other tasks, (i) identifying existing state and regulatory or administrative barriers to the development of the solar energy industry, (ii) collaborating with entities such as higher education institutions to increase the training and development of the workforce needed by the solar industry in Virginia, including industry-recognized credentials and certifications, (iii) applying to the U.S. Department of Energy for loan guarantees for such projects, and (iv) performing any other activities as may seem appropriate to increase solar energy generation in Virginia and the associated jobs and economic development and competitiveness benefits. At the recommendation of the Authority, the Director of the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy may utilize nonstate-funded support to carry out any duties assigned to the Director. Funding for nonstate support may be provided by any source, public or private, for the purposes for which the Authority is created. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/13/2015Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/14/15 15103208D
01/13/2015Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
01/20/2015Impact statement from DPB (SB1099)
01/26/2015Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/26/2015Committee substitute printed 15104008D-S1
01/28/2015Constitutional reading dispensed (38-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
01/28/2015Impact statement from DPB (SB1099S1)
01/29/2015Read second time
01/29/2015Reading of substitute waived
01/29/2015Committee substitute agreed to 15104008D-S1
01/29/2015Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB1099S1
01/30/2015Read third time and passed Senate (36-Y 1-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
02/06/2015Placed on Calendar
02/06/2015Read first time
02/06/2015Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/10/2015Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment (18-Y 3-N) (see vote tally)
02/11/2015Read second time
02/12/2015Read third time
02/12/2015Committee amendment agreed to
02/12/2015Engrossed by House as amended
02/12/2015Passed House with amendment (79-Y 17-N 1-A)
02/12/2015VOTE: PASSAGE (79-Y 17-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
02/16/2015House amendment agreed to by Senate (36-Y 1-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
02/18/2015Enrolled
02/18/2015Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1099ER)
02/18/2015Signed by Speaker
02/19/2015Impact statement from DPB (SB1099ER)
02/20/2015Signed by President
02/23/2015G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, Monday, March 30, 2015
02/23/2015Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on 2/23/15
02/23/2015G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, Sunday, March 29, 2015
03/10/2015G Approved by Governor-Chapter 90 (effective 7/1/15)
03/10/2015G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0090)

Video

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

Duplicate Bills

The following bills are identical to this one: HB1725.

Comments

Frederick Costello writes:

I am a solar-energy consultant, having designed over 100 solar-heating and many solar-electric installations. We don't need the government forcing the issue, making bad investments, and distorting the marketplace. We don't need another Solyndra.

Waldo Jaquith writes:

Actually, Frederick, the U.S. Department of Energy's clean energy technology program is profitable for taxpayers. The program was established by Congress in 2005 (when the House and Senate were controlled by the Republican Party, incidentally), and it was designed to lose money, so Congress set aside $10B to cover those losses. Instead, after loaning out $34.2B, only 2.28% of loans have been defaulted on (totaling $0.78B). This program single-handedly brought back domestic manufacturing of solar panels, and funded the new trend of utility-scale clean energy projects. The federal loan program, by any measure, has been an enormous success.

Basically, you couldn't have chosen a worse example to make your point.