Electric utilities; recovery of costs of undergrounding distribution lines. (SB1473)

Introduced By

Sen. Dick Saslaw (D-Springfield)

Progress

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

Description

Electric utilities; undergrounding distribution lines. Declares that the replacement of any subset of an investor-owned electric utility's existing overhead distribution tap lines that have, in the aggregate, a history of nine or more total unplanned outage events-per-mile over a preceding 10-year period with new underground facilities in order to improve electric service reliability is in the public interest. The measure also directs the State Corporation Commission, in a cost-recovery proceeding, to presume that (i) the conversion of such facilities will provide local and system-wide benefits, (ii) the new underground facilities are cost beneficial, and (iii) the costs associated with the new underground facilities are reasonably and prudently incurred. An enactment clause provides that the measure shall apply to any applications pending with the Commission regarding new underground facilities on or after January 1, 2017. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/17/2017Presented and ordered printed 17103391D
01/17/2017Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
01/24/2017Impact statement from SCC (SB1473)
01/30/2017Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendments (14-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/01/2017Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/02/2017Read second time
02/02/2017Reading of amendments waived
02/02/2017Committee amendments agreed to
02/02/2017Engrossed by Senate as amended SB1473E
02/02/2017Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/02/2017Passed Senate (37-Y 3-N) (see vote tally)
02/02/2017Printed as engrossed 17103391D-E
02/06/2017Placed on Calendar
02/06/2017Read first time
02/06/2017Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
02/09/2017Impact statement from SCC (SB1473E)
02/14/2017Reported from Commerce and Labor (21-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/16/2017Read second time
02/17/2017Read third time
02/17/2017Passed House (92-Y 4-N 2-A)
02/17/2017VOTE: PASSAGE (92-Y 4-N 2-A) (see vote tally)
02/22/2017Enrolled
02/22/2017Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB1473ER)
02/22/2017Signed by President
02/22/2017Signed by Speaker
02/23/2017Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on 2/23/17
02/23/2017G Governor's Action Deadline Midnight, March 27, 2017
02/23/2017Impact statement from SCC (SB1473ER)
03/16/2017G Approved by Governor-Chapter 583 (effective 7/1/17)
03/16/2017G Approved by Governor-Chapter 583 (effective 1/1/17)
03/16/2017G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0583)

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 7 minutes.

Transcript

This is a transcript of the video clips in which this bill is discussed.

THE JUNIOR SENATOR FROM RICHMOND CITY, SENATOR MCCLELLAN. MR. PRESIDENT, COULD SENATE BILL 1427 COME OUT OF THE BLOCK.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): WITHOUT OBJECTION, SENATE BILL 1427 WILL COME OUT OF THE BLOCK.

[Unknown]: SENATE BILL 1444. SENATE BILL 1459. SENATE BILL 1473. MR. PRESIDENT. THE SENATOR FROM ROANOKE COUNTY. CAN SENATE BILL 1473 COME OUT OF THE BLOCK?

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): WITHOUT OBJECTION, SENATE BILL 1473 WILL COME OUT OF THE BLOCK.

[Unknown]: SENATE BILL 1479. SENATE BILL 1483.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THANK YOU, MADAM CLERK. THE QUESTION IS, SHALL THE BILLS IN THE BLOCK PASS, ALL BILLS EXCEPT FOR SENATE BILL 8982, 1551, 13 LUN, 1418, 1427, AND 1473. ALL IN FAVOR OF PASSAGE OF THE BILLS WILL RECORD THEIR VOTES AYE. THOSE OPPOSED, NO. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.v?

[Unknown]: AYES 40, NOS 0.1yñ?ñ RETURNING TO PAGE 8 OF THE CALENDAR, SENATE BILL 1551, THE SENATOR FROM BEDFORD, SENATOR NEWMAN.

Sen. Steve Newman (R-Forest): MR. PRESIDENT, I MOVE THAT THE BILL PASS, AND SPEAKING TO THAT MOTION.

[Unknown]: SENATOR HAS THE FLOOR.

Sen. Steve Newman (R-Forest): MR. PRESIDENT, AS AMENDED AND BY THE SUBSTITUTE IN FINANCE, THE BILL SIMPLY ALLOWS THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE A REVIEW OVER THE SENATORS.

[Unknown]: THANK YOU, SENATOR.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THE QUESTION IS, SHALL SENATE BILL 1551 PASS. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILL RECORD THEIR VOTES AYE; THOSE OPPOSED, NO. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CHANGE THEIR VOTE? THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.

[Unknown]: AYES 39, NOS 1. AYES 39, NOS 1. THE BILL PASSES. MOVING FORWARD TO PAGE 13, -- SO PAGE 10, SENATE BILL 1982. THE SENATOR FROM FRANKLIN COUNTY, SENATOR STANLEY.

Sen. Bill Stanley (R-Moneta): COULD AFTERNOON, MR. PRESIDENT. I MOVE THAT SENATE BILL 982 PASS, AND SPEAKING TO THAT MOTION.

[Unknown]: THE SENATOR HAS THE FLOOR.

Sen. Bill Stanley (R-Moneta): THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT, MEMBERS OF THE SENATE. SENATE BILL 982 SIMPLY DOES THIS: RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTION TAX CREDIT, AND THAT GOES UNTIL 2019. THE AMOUNT OF THAT TAX CREDIT IS 6.5 MILLION. IT CHANGES THE SUNSET DATE FROM 2019 TO 2022. THIS HAS BEEN A VERY IMPORTANT TAX CREDIT TO BRING NOT ONLY MOTION PICTURE PRODUCTIONS HERE TO THE COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA BUT ALSO TV SHOWS. ONE SUCH TV SHOW IS MERCY STREET. THE OTHER ONE TURN. JUST BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, FROM THE PILOT SEASON OF SEASON 4, THE WASHINGTON SPICE SERIES THERE ON AMC HAD 142 MILLION-DOLLAR BUDGET, SPENT IN VIRGINIA $128 MILLION, VIRGINIA PAROLE OF $31 MILLION AND HIRED 1804 VIRGINIANS. THIS IS ONE OF THOSE TAX CREDITS THAT NOT ONLY IS WORTHY, IT MAKES BACK MUCH MORE THAN WHAT WE GIVE OUT. SO BASED ON THOSE REASONS, I RENEW MY MOTION THAT SENATE BILL 982 PASS.

[Unknown]: THE SENATOR FROM ALEXANDRIA, SENATOR EBBIN.

Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria): THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. SPEAKING BRIEFLY AGAINST THE BILL.

[Unknown]: THE SENATOR HAS THE FLOOR.

Sen. Adam Ebbin (D-Alexandria): I WOULD JUST SAY, WHILE I WANT A HEALTHY FILM INDUSTRY TO COME TO VIRGINIA, I'M NOT SURE THAT THIS BILL IS A COST EFFECTIVE WAY TO DO THAT. THERE HAVE BEEN STUDIES THAT SHOW FOR EVERY DOLLAR GRANTED IN CREDITS, STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS RECEIVED ONLY ABOUT 10 CENTS IN TAX REVENUE IN RETURN. THIS IS IN ANOTHER STATE, MARYLAND, BUT WE WANT PERMANENT LASTING EMPLOYMENT, RATHER THAN TEMPORARY JOBS, AND OFTEN THESE SUBSIDIES WERE AWARDED TO COMPANIES FOR PRODUCTIONS THEY MIGHT HAVE DONE ANYWAY. IN VIRGINIA, THE BEST JOBS GO TO NONRESIDENTS, AND THE SUBSIDIES, AS I SAID, ARE NOT PROVEN TO PAY FOR THEMSELVES. I THINK THAT WE COULD PERHAPS USE TAX CREDITS TO COVER INDUSTRIES THAT WE KNOW WILL CREATE BETTER AND LONG LASTING PERMANENT JOBS. WITH THAT, I ASK THAT WE VOTE AGAINST THE BILL.

[Unknown]: THANK YOU, SENATOR. THE SENATOR FROM PETERSBURG, SENATOR DANCE. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. SPEAKING TO THE BILL. SENATOR HAS THE FLOOR. MR. PRESIDENT, EVEN THOUGH MERCY STREET SAYS IT'S FROM ALEXANDRIA, WHERE MY COLLEAGUE IS COMING FROM, IS ACTUALLY FILMED IN PETERSBURG, AS WELL AS TURNING, AND MR. PRESIDENT, FOR A CITY THAT IS NOT AS ECONOMICALLY SOUND AS THAT OTHER CITY, IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE. IT DOES BRING RECOGNITION. IT DOES BRING PEOPLE TO THE COMMUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHERS THAT COULD SAY THE SAME, BUT I CAN PERSONALLY SAY FOR THOSE FOR TURNING AND MERCY STREET FILMED IN PETERSBURG, RICHMOND, SURROUNDING AREAS, IT DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE, AND I THINK IT'S WORTHWHILE.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THANK YOU, SENATOR. THANK YOU. THE QUESTION IS SHALL SENATE BILL 982 PASS. ALL IN FAVOR OF THE MOTION WILL RECORD THEIR VOTES AYE; THOSE OPPOSED, NO. ARE THE SENATORS READY TO VOTE? HAVE ALL THE SENATORS VOTED? THEIR VOTE? DO ANY SENATORS DESIRE TO CHANGE THE CLERK WILL CLOSE THE ROLL.

[Unknown]: CLERK: AYES 32, NO, SIR 8. NOS 8. AYES 32, NOS 8. THE BILL PASSES. PAGE 13, SENATE BILL 1300. THE SENATOR FROM FAUQUIER COUNTY, SENATOR VOGEL. THANK YOU, MR. PRESIDENT. I MOVE PASSAGE OF THE BILL AND SPEAKING TO THAT MEASURE. THE SENATOR HAS THE FLOOR. MR. PRESIDENT, THIS IS A COMPANION TO THIS BILL THAT REPORTED OUT OF THIS BODY THAT DEALT WITH EFFORTS TO PROTECT
PUBLIC ENTITY USE THE LAND AND SOMEONE SLIPPED AND FELL AND THEY SUED THE LAND OWNER. MOVE THAT WE PASS THE BILL.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THE GENTLEMAN FROM FAIRFAX, MR. SICKLES.

Del. Mark Sickles (D-Alexandria): I RISE FOR A REQUEST.

[Unknown]: YOU MAY STATE IT.

Del. Mark Sickles (D-Alexandria): ON THE ADVICE OF MY COUNSEL, THE GENTLEMAN FROM SALEM I WOULD LIKE TO ASK THAT THE BILL GO BYE FOR THE DAY SO THAT OUR LAWYERS CAN LOOK AT THIS. I THINK THIS MIGHT PROVIDE IMMUNITY FOR GROSS AND WILLFUL NEGLIGENCE.

[Unknown]: PARLIAMENTARY INQUIRY.

Del. Bill Howell (R-Fredericksburg): THE GENTLEMAN MAY STATE IT.

[Unknown]: I TRYING TO FIGURE OUT IF COURTS WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE BILL. IF WE TOOK IT BYE FOR THE DAY WOULD WE HAVE TIME TO REREFER TO COURTS ON MONDAY TO BE HEARD ON MONDAY OR REREFER TO TODAY TO BE HEARD ON MONDAY? RE-REFER IT TODAY? SO YOU MOVE THAT IS BE