VA SB 443
vetoedSiting of battery energy storage projects; commercial solar photovoltaic generation facilities.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · upper
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Quick answers
Did VA SB 443 pass?
No. VA SB 443 passed the legislature but was vetoed. Latest recorded action (2026-04-12): Governor's recommendation received by Senate
What is VA SB 443 about?
Siting of battery energy storage projects; commercial solar photovoltaic generation facilities; permitted accessory use. Deems battery energy storage projects as a permitted accessory use in all zoning districts on any parcel of land that is subject to an approved special exception, as defined in the bill, for a commercial solar photovoltaic generation facility, if such battery energy storage project is located within the boundaries of the parcel covered by the existing special exception and complies with any applicable federal, state, and local safety or fire codes and environmental regulations. The bill prohibits a host locality from requiring a special exception or any other local land use approval on such battery energy storage project. The bill clarifies that nothing in the provisions of the bill shall be construed to (i) limit the authority of a host locality to enforce compliance with applicable codes or ensure the safe operation of the battery energy storage project or (ii) preclude the developer of a battery energy storage project from negotiating a siting agreement with the host locality. The bill also clarifies that any battery energy storage project for which an initial interconnection request has been filed with an electric utility or a regional transmission organization prior to July 1, 2030, and is constructed in accordance with the provisions of the bill shall be subject to the applicable local ordinance and regulation in effect on July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 891.
Who sponsors VA SB 443?
Jeremy S. McPike is the primary sponsor of VA SB 443, joined by 1 cosponsor.
Description
Siting of battery energy storage projects; commercial solar photovoltaic generation facilities; permitted accessory use. Deems battery energy storage projects as a permitted accessory use in all zoning districts on any parcel of land that is subject to an approved special exception, as defined in the bill, for a commercial solar photovoltaic generation facility, if such battery energy storage project is located within the boundaries of the parcel covered by the existing special exception and complies with any applicable federal, state, and local safety or fire codes and environmental regulations. The bill prohibits a host locality from requiring a special exception or any other local land use approval on such battery energy storage project. The bill clarifies that nothing in the provisions of the bill shall be construed to (i) limit the authority of a host locality to enforce compliance with applicable codes or ensure the safe operation of the battery energy storage project or (ii) preclude the developer of a battery energy storage project from negotiating a siting agreement with the host locality. The bill also clarifies that any battery energy storage project for which an initial interconnection request has been filed with an electric utility or a regional transmission organization prior to July 1, 2030, and is constructed in accordance with the provisions of the bill shall be subject to the applicable local ordinance and regulation in effect on July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 891.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-13
- Latest action
- 2026-04-12 — Governor's recommendation received by Senate
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Jeremy S. McPikeprimary
- Angelia Williams Gravescosponsor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
Newest first
2026-04-12
Governor's recommendation received by Senate
executive-veto-line-item
2026-03-10
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
executive-receipt
2026-03-10
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
enrolled,executive-receipt
2026-02-18
Signed by President
passage
2026-02-18
Signed by Speaker
passage
2026-02-18
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB443ER)
passage
2026-02-18
Enrolled
enrolled
2026-02-16
Passed House (68-Y 30-N 0-A)
passage
2026-02-16
Read third time
reading-3
2026-02-15
Read second time
reading-2
2026-02-13
Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns (18-Y 3-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-04
Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns
referral-committee
2026-02-04
Read first time
reading-1
2026-02-04
Placed on Calendar
2026-01-29
Read third time and passed Senate (26-Y 13-N 0-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-01-28
Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)
2026-01-28
Read second time
reading-2
2026-01-27
Passed by for the day
2026-01-27
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-01-27
Rules suspended
2026-01-27
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-01-27
Read first time
reading-1
2026-01-26
Fiscal Impact statement From CLG (1/26/2026 11:53 am)
2026-01-26
Reported from Local Government (11-Y 3-N)
committee-passage
2026-01-13
Introduced bill reprinted 26103172D
2026-01-13
Introduced bill reprinted 26103172D
2026-01-13
Referred to Committee on Local Government
referral-committee
2026-01-13
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103172D
filing,introduction
Versions
Documents
Votes
Reported from Local Government
2026-01-26 · pass · 11-3
Member-level votes (15)
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: no
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
- Tara A. Durant: not voting
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: no
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
Constitutional reading dispensed R
2026-01-27 · pass · 39-0
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: yes
- Christie New Craig: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: yes
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: yes
- T. Travis Hackworth: not voting
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: yes
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: yes
- Richard H. Stuart: yes
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: yes
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Passage R
2026-01-29 · pass · 26-13
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: yes
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: no
- Christie New Craig: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Bill DeSteph: no
- J.D. "Danny" Diggs: yes
- Tara A. Durant: yes
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Barbara A. Favola: yes
- Timmy French: no
- T. Travis Hackworth: yes
- Christopher T. Head: yes
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: no
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: no
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Tammy Brankley Mulchi: no
- Mark D. Obenshain: no
- Mark J. Peake: no
- Stella G. Pekarsky: yes
- Russet Perry: yes
- Todd E. Pillion: not voting
- Bryce E. Reeves: no
- Danica A. Roem: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Saddam Azlan Salim: yes
- Kannan Srinivasan: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: no
- Richard H. Stuart: no
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
- David R. Suetterlein: no
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns
2026-02-13 · pass · 18-3
Member-level votes (22)
- Dan I. Helmer: yes
- Briana D. Sewell: yes
- Irene Shin: yes
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Laura Jane Cohen: yes
- Marty Martinez: yes
- Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
- Mark C. Downey: yes
- May Nivar: yes
- Virgil Thornton: yes
- Jessica L. Anderson: yes
- Nicole Cole: yes
- Margaret A. Franklin: yes
- Garrett McGuire: yes
- Barry D. Knight: not voting
- James W. Morefield: yes
- M. Keith Hodges: no
- Joseph P. McNamara: yes
- Scott A. Wyatt: no
- Anne Ferrell Tata: no
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes
H VOTE:
2026-02-16 · pass · 68-30
Member-level votes (100)
- Jessica L. Anderson: yes
- Bonita G. Anthony: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
- Jason S. Ballard: no
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker: yes
- 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: yes
- 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: yes
- Adele Y. McClure: yes
- Garrett McGuire: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes
- Joseph P. McNamara: yes
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- James W. Morefield: yes
- 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: yes
- 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: no
- 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
Related bills
No related bills recorded for this bill.
Official source
Attribution
Data from openstates_bulk_csv, retrieved 2026-07-24T05:35:59.552682Z
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