Shared solar programs; electric utility regulation, etc. (SB629)

Introduced By

Sen. Scott Surovell (D-Mount Vernon) with support from co-patrons Sen. Jennifer Boysko (D-Herndon), Sen. Jennifer McClellan (D-Richmond), and Sen. Joe Morrissey (D-Richmond)

Progress

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

Description

Shared solar programs. Requires the State Corporation Commission to establish by regulation a shared solar program that allows customers of Dominion Virginia to purchase electric power through a subscription in a shared solar facility, which is defined in the bill as a facility that, among other criteria, generates electricity by means of a solar photovoltaic device with a nameplate capacity rating that does not exceed 5,000 kilowatts. Under the program, a subscriber receives a bill credit for the proportional output of a share solar facility attributable to that subscriber. Subscribers are required to pay a minimum bill, established by the Commission, that includes the costs of infrastructure and related services. The bill provides that the Commission shall approve a shared solar program of 150 megawatts with a minimum requirement of 30 percent of low-income customers and that the Commission will approve an additional 50 megawatts upon determining that at least 45 megawatts of the shared solar capacity have been subscribed to by low-income customers. This bill is identical to HB 1634. Read the Bill »

Outcome

Bill Has Passed

History

DateAction
01/07/2020Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/20 20101887D
01/07/2020Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
01/15/2020Impact statement from SCC (SB629)
01/23/2020Assigned C&L sub: Energy
02/03/2020Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (15-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/03/2020Committee substitute printed 20107477D-S1
02/05/2020Constitutional reading dispensed (40-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/06/2020Passed by for the day
02/07/2020Read second time
02/07/2020Reading of substitute waived
02/07/2020Committee substitute agreed to 20107477D-S1
02/07/2020Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute SB629S1
02/07/2020Constitutional reading dispensed (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/07/2020Passed Senate (39-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/10/2020Impact statement from SCC (SB629S1)
02/13/2020Placed on Calendar
02/13/2020Read first time
02/13/2020Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce
02/27/2020Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (22-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
02/27/2020Committee substitute printed 20109355D-H1
03/02/2020Read second time
03/03/2020Impact statement from SCC (SB629H1)
03/03/2020Read third time
03/03/2020Committee substitute agreed to 20109355D-H1
03/03/2020Engrossed by House - committee substitute SB629H1
03/03/2020Passed House with substitute BLOCK VOTE (97-Y 0-N)
03/03/2020VOTE: Block Vote Passage (97-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/04/2020House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N) (see vote tally)
03/05/2020House insisted on substitute
03/05/2020House requested conference committee
03/05/2020Senate acceded to request (37-Y 0-N) (see vote tally)
03/05/2020Conferees appointed by Senate
03/05/2020Senators: Surovell, Spruill, Obenshain
03/05/2020Conferees appointed by House
03/05/2020Delegates: Levine, Lopez, Head
03/07/2020C Amended by conference committee
03/07/2020Conference substitute printed 20109815D-S2
03/07/2020Conference report agreed to by Senate (34-Y 5-N) (see vote tally)
03/08/2020Passed by temporarily
03/08/2020Conference report agreed to by House (75-Y 16-N 1-A)
03/08/2020VOTE: Adoption (75-Y 16-N 1-A) (see vote tally)
03/11/2020Impact statement from SCC (SB629S2)
03/18/2020Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB629ER)
03/18/2020Enrolled
03/18/2020Signed by President
03/19/2020Signed by Speaker
03/20/2020Impact statement from SCC (SB629ER)
03/20/2020Enrolled Bill Communicated to Governor on March 20, 2020
03/20/2020G Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 11, 2020
04/11/2020Governor's recommendation received by Senate
04/22/2020Senate concurred in Governor's recommendation (39-Y 1-N) (see vote tally)
04/22/2020House concurred in Governor's recommendation (57-Y 35-N)
04/22/2020VOTE: (57-Y 35-N)
04/22/2020G Governor's recommendation adopted
04/22/2020Reenrolled
04/22/2020Reenrolled bill text (SB629ER2)
04/22/2020Signed by President as reenrolled
04/22/2020Signed by Speaker as reenrolled
04/22/2020Enacted, Chapter 1264 (effective 7/1/20)
04/22/2020G Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP1264)
05/01/2020VOTE: (57-Y 35-N)

Comments

GRID Alternatives, tracking this bill in Photosynthesis, notes:

Could do more to advance equitable community solar benefiting low-income households