Bill Commons

VA HB 591

Status unknown

Data centers; policy of the Commonwealth.

Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · lower

Quick answers

Did VA HB 591 pass?

The current status of VA HB 591 is not known from the official record. Latest recorded action (2026-03-09): Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

What is VA HB 591 about?

Policy of the Commonwealth; data centers. Provides that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to encourage the responsible operation of data centers in the Commonwealth while supporting grid reliability, affordability, and the deployment of renewable resources. The bill provides that in furtherance of this policy, the Commonwealth shall (i) promote coordination between data centers, state agencies, and regional grid operators to share information on energy usage, interconnection timelines, and barriers to rapid deployment of renewable and flexible energy resources; (ii) incentivize data centers to participate in demand response programs, implement energy storage and management systems, and leverage automated technologies to reduce peak demand and support grid stability; (iii) encourage flexible energy practices that allow data centers to adjust energy consumption in real time in alignment with available renewable generation; (iv) ensure large-scale data centers pay their fair share of infrastructure investments, mitigating impacts on residential and small business ratepayers; (v) require data centers to report water and aggregated energy usage, sustainability measures, and participation in grid support programs to appropriate state and federal agencies; and (vi) promote cybersecurity, physical security, and supply chain security measures to protect Virginia data center operations from foreign adversary access or compromise.

Who sponsors VA HB 591?

Shelly A. Simonds is the primary sponsor of VA HB 591, joined by 8 cosponsors.

Description

Policy of the Commonwealth; data centers. Provides that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to encourage the responsible operation of data centers in the Commonwealth while supporting grid reliability, affordability, and the deployment of renewable resources. The bill provides that in furtherance of this policy, the Commonwealth shall (i) promote coordination between data centers, state agencies, and regional grid operators to share information on energy usage, interconnection timelines, and barriers to rapid deployment of renewable and flexible energy resources; (ii) incentivize data centers to participate in demand response programs, implement energy storage and management systems, and leverage automated technologies to reduce peak demand and support grid stability; (iii) encourage flexible energy practices that allow data centers to adjust energy consumption in real time in alignment with available renewable generation; (iv) ensure large-scale data centers pay their fair share of infrastructure investments, mitigating impacts on residential and small business ratepayers; (v) require data centers to report water and aggregated energy usage, sustainability measures, and participation in grid support programs to appropriate state and federal agencies; and (vi) promote cybersecurity, physical security, and supply chain security measures to protect Virginia data center operations from foreign adversary access or compromise.

Introduced
2026-01-13
Latest action
2026-03-09 — Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)
Bill type
bill
Last updated
—

Sponsors

  • Shelly A. Simondsprimary
  • JJ Singhcosponsor
  • David A. Reidcosponsor
  • Elizabeth R. Guzmancosponsor
  • Kathy K.L. Trancosponsor
  • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.cosponsor
  • Irene Shincosponsor
  • Gretchen M. Bulovacosponsor
  • Rae Cousinscosponsor

Committees

Not provided by source.

Action timeline

  1. 2026-01-13

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103960D

    filing,introduction

  2. 2026-01-13

    Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce

    referral-committee

  3. 2026-01-20

    Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3

    referral-committee

  4. 2026-02-03

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB591)

  5. 2026-02-10

    House subcommittee offered

  6. 2026-02-10

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (6-Y 3-N)

  7. 2026-02-12

    Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) (13-Y 7-N)

    committee-passage

  8. 2026-02-15

    Read first time

    reading-1

  9. 2026-02-16

    Read second time

    reading-2

  10. 2026-02-16

    committee amendments agreed to

    amendment-passage

  11. 2026-02-16

    Engrossed by House as amended

  12. 2026-02-17

    Read third time and passed House (62-Y 34-N 0-A)

    passage,reading-3

  13. 2026-02-17

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB591)

  14. 2026-02-18

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  15. 2026-02-18

    Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

    referral-committee

  16. 2026-03-09

    Reported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 4-N)

    committee-passage

  17. 2026-03-09

    Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

Versions

Documents

Votes

  • Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s)

    2026-02-10 · pass · 6-3

    Member-level votes (9)
    • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
    • Irene Shin: yes
    • Michael B. Feggans: yes
    • Nadarius E. Clark: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • May Nivar: yes
    • Terry G. Kilgore: no
    • Tony O. Wilt: no
    • Wren M. Williams: no

  • Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s)

    2026-02-12 · pass · 13-7

    Member-level votes (22)
    • Jeion A. Ward: yes
    • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
    • Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: not voting
    • Dan I. Helmer: yes
    • Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
    • Irene Shin: yes
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • Michael B. Feggans: yes
    • Nadarius E. Clark: not voting
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Laura Jane Cohen: yes
    • JJ Singh: yes
    • May Nivar: yes
    • Terry G. Kilgore: no
    • Israel D. O'Quinn: no
    • Michael J. Webert: no
    • Tony O. Wilt: no
    • Chris S. Runion: no
    • Jason S. Ballard: no
    • Wren M. Williams: no

  • H VOTE:

    2026-02-17 · pass · 61-34

    Member-level votes (99)
    • Jessica L. Anderson: yes
    • Bonita G. Anthony: yes
    • Alex Q. Askew: yes
    • Terry L. Austin: no
    • Jason S. Ballard: no
    • Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: no
    • Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
    • Katrina Callsen: yes
    • Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
    • Betsy B. Carr: yes
    • Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
    • Mike A. Cherry: no
    • Nadarius E. Clark: not voting
    • Laura Jane Cohen: yes
    • Joshua G. Cole: yes
    • Nicole Cole: yes
    • Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
    • Mitchell Cornett: no
    • Rae Cousins: yes
    • Will Davis: no
    • Karrie K. Delaney: yes
    • Lindsey Dougherty: yes
    • Mark C. Downey: yes
    • Michael B. Feggans: yes
    • Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: no
    • Lily V. Franklin: yes
    • Margaret A. Franklin: yes
    • Debra D. Gardner: yes
    • Thomas A. Garrett, Jr.: no
    • Jackie H. Glass: yes
    • Timothy P. Griffin: no
    • Elizabeth R. Guzman: yes
    • Karen Hamilton: no
    • C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
    • Dan I. Helmer: yes
    • Rozia A. Henson, Jr.: yes
    • Phil M. Hernandez: yes
    • Charniele L. Herring: yes
    • M. Keith Hodges: no
    • Patrick A. Hope: yes
    • Hillary Pugh Kent: no
    • Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
    • Terry G. Kilgore: no
    • Barry D. Knight: not voting
    • Paul E. Krizek: yes
    • Amy J. Laufer: yes
    • James A. "Jay" Leftwich: no
    • Destiny LeVere Bolling: yes
    • Alfonso H. Lopez: yes
    • Michelle Lopes Maldonado: yes
    • Marty Martinez: yes
    • John Chilton McAuliff: not voting
    • Adele Y. McClure: yes
    • Garrett McGuire: yes
    • Ellen H. McLaughlin: no
    • Joseph P. McNamara: no
    • Delores L. McQuinn: yes
    • Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
    • James W. Morefield: no
    • May Nivar: yes
    • Delores Oates: no
    • Israel D. O'Quinn: no
    • Justin Pence: no
    • Eric Phillips: no
    • Kimberly Pope Adams: yes
    • Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
    • Sam Rasoul: yes
    • Atoosa R. Reaser: yes
    • David A. Reid: yes
    • Chris S. Runion: no
    • Charlie Schmidt: yes
    • Don Scott: yes
    • Phillip A. Scott: no
    • Holly M. Seibold: yes
    • Briana D. Sewell: yes
    • Irene Shin: yes
    • Marcus B. Simon: yes
    • Shelly A. Simonds: yes
    • JJ Singh: yes
    • Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr.: yes
    • Anne Ferrell Tata: no
    • Joshua E. Thomas: yes
    • Virgil Thornton: yes
    • Luke E. Torian: not voting
    • Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
    • H. Otto Wachsmann, Jr.: no
    • Wendell S. Walker: no
    • Jeion A. Ward: yes
    • R. Lee Ware: no
    • Vivian E. Watts: yes
    • Michael J. Webert: yes
    • Madison Whittle: no
    • Bill Wiley: no
    • Rodney T. Willett: yes
    • Wren M. Williams: no
    • Tony O. Wilt: no
    • Thomas C. Wright, Jr.: no
    • Scott A. Wyatt: no
    • Eric R. Zehr: no

  • Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations

    2026-03-09 · pass · 14-0

    Member-level votes (15)
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • Ryan T. McDougle: yes
    • Mark D. Obenshain: yes
    • Richard H. Stuart: not voting
    • Bryce E. Reeves: yes
    • Barbara A. Favola: yes
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
    • Todd E. Pillion: yes
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Lashrecse D. Aird: yes

  • Reported from Commerce and Labor

    2026-03-09 · pass · 11-4

    Member-level votes (15)
    • R. Creigh Deeds: yes
    • Mark D. Obenshain: no
    • L. Louise Lucas: yes
    • David W. Marsden: yes
    • Scott A. Surovell: yes
    • William M. Stanley, Jr.: no
    • Ryan T. McDougle: no
    • Mamie E. Locke: yes
    • Bill DeSteph: no
    • Jeremy S. McPike: yes
    • Mark J. Peake: yes
    • Aaron R. Rouse: yes
    • Lamont Bagby: yes
    • Richard H. Stuart: yes
    • Jennifer B. Boysko: yes

Related bills

No related bills recorded for this bill.

Official source

https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20261/HB591

Attribution

Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z

Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:

Source and document changesStatus and relationship changes

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  • Committee referrals are not yet captured.

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