VA SB 659
enactedSolar Interconnection Grant Program; established, report, sunset.
Virginia · 2026 Regular Session · upper
Quick answers
Did VA SB 659 pass?
Yes. VA SB 659 has been enacted into law as of 2026-04-13. Latest recorded action (2026-04-13): Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0660)
What is VA SB 659 about?
Solar Interconnection Grant Fund and Program established; report; sunset. Establishes the Solar Interconnection Grant Program for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to public bodies to offset costs associated with the interconnection of solar facilities to the grid. The Program is administered by the Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency of the Department of Energy. The bill requires that priority be given to solar facilities located on previously developed project sites and requires the Division to establish and publish guidelines and criteria for the awarding of grants and general requirements of the Program. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2027, and, as introduced, was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to HB 683.
Who sponsors VA SB 659?
Christie New Craig is the primary sponsor of VA SB 659, joined by 1 cosponsor.
Description
Solar Interconnection Grant Fund and Program established; report; sunset. Establishes the Solar Interconnection Grant Program for the purpose of awarding grants on a competitive basis to public bodies to offset costs associated with the interconnection of solar facilities to the grid. The Program is administered by the Division of Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency of the Department of Energy. The bill requires that priority be given to solar facilities located on previously developed project sites and requires the Division to establish and publish guidelines and criteria for the awarding of grants and general requirements of the Program. The bill has an expiration date of July 1, 2027, and, as introduced, was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to HB 683.
- Introduced
- 2026-01-14
- Latest action
- 2026-04-13 — Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0660)
- Bill type
- bill
- Last updated
- —
Sponsors
- Christie New Craigprimary
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foycosponsor
Committees
Not provided by source.
Action timeline
2026-01-14
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104604D
filing,introduction
2026-01-14
Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
referral-committee
2026-01-30
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB659)
2026-02-08
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB659)
2026-02-09
Reported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (12-Y 3-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-11
Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (12-Y 2-N 1-A)
committee-passage
2026-02-12
Rules suspended
2026-02-12
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)
2026-02-12
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
2026-02-13
Committee substitute printed 26107816D-S1
substitution
2026-02-13
Read second time
reading-2
2026-02-13
Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to
2026-02-13
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)
substitution
2026-02-16
Read third time and passed Senate (30-Y 8-N 1-A)
passage,reading-3
2026-02-18
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB659)
2026-02-20
Placed on Calendar
2026-02-20
Read first time
reading-1
2026-02-20
Referred to Committee on Appropriations
referral-committee
2026-02-25
Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources
referral-committee
2026-02-25
Reported from Appropriations (22-Y 0-N)
committee-passage
2026-02-27
Read second time
reading-2
2026-03-02
Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar
2026-03-02
Read third time
reading-3
2026-03-02
Passed House (84-Y 15-N 0-A)
passage
2026-03-05
Enrolled
enrolled
2026-03-05
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB659ER)
passage
2026-03-05
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB659)
2026-03-05
Signed by Speaker
passage
2026-03-05
Signed by President
passage
2026-03-10
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
enrolled,executive-receipt
2026-03-10
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
executive-receipt
2026-04-13
Approved by Governor-Chapter 660 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive-signature
2026-04-13
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0660)
Versions
Documents
Votes
Reported from Commerce and Labor
2026-02-09 · pass · 12-3
Member-level votes (15)
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Mark D. Obenshain: no
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- William M. Stanley, Jr.: no
- Ryan T. McDougle: no
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- Bryce E. Reeves: yes
- Bill DeSteph: yes
- Jeremy S. McPike: yes
- Mark J. Peake: yes
- Aaron R. Rouse: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute
2026-02-11 · pass · 12-2
Member-level votes (15)
- L. Louise Lucas: yes
- R. Creigh Deeds: yes
- Mamie E. Locke: yes
- David W. Marsden: yes
- Adam P. Ebbin: yes
- Ryan T. McDougle: no
- Mark D. Obenshain: no
- Richard H. Stuart: abstain
- 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
Constitutional reading dispensed R
2026-02-12 · pass · 40-0
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: yes
- 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
2026-02-16 · pass · 30-8
Member-level votes (40)
- Lashrecse D. Aird: yes
- Lamont Bagby: yes
- Jennifer B. Boysko: not voting
- Jennifer D. Carroll Foy: yes
- Luther Cifers, III: no
- 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: no
- T. Travis Hackworth: yes
- Christopher T. Head: no
- Michael J. Jones: yes
- Emily M. Jordan: yes
- 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: 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.: no
- Richard H. Stuart: abstain
- Glen H. Sturtevant, Jr.: no
- David R. Suetterlein: yes
- Scott A. Surovell: yes
- Schuyler T. VanValkenburg: yes
- Angelia Williams Graves: yes
Reported from Appropriations
2026-02-25 · pass · 22-0
Member-level votes (22)
- Luke E. Torian: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- C.E. Cliff Hayes, Jr.: yes
- David A. Reid: yes
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Briana D. Sewell: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Charniele L. Herring: yes
- Marcia S. "Cia" Price: yes
- Kathy K.L. Tran: yes
- Shelly A. Simonds: yes
- Joshua E. Thomas: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
- James W. Morefield: yes
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
- M. Keith Hodges: yes
- Scott A. Wyatt: yes
- Bill Wiley: yes
- Ellen H. McLaughlin: yes
H VOTE:
2026-03-02 · pass · 84-15
Member-level votes (99)
- Jessica L. Anderson: yes
- Bonita G. Anthony: yes
- Alex Q. Askew: yes
- Terry L. Austin: yes
- Jason S. Ballard: no
- Robert S. Bloxom, Jr.: yes
- Gretchen M. Bulova: yes
- Katrina Callsen: yes
- Karen R. "Kacey" Carnegie: yes
- Betsy B. Carr: yes
- Stacey Annie Carroll: yes
- Mike A. Cherry: yes
- Nadarius E. Clark: yes
- Laura Jane Cohen: yes
- Joshua G. Cole: yes
- Nicole Cole: yes
- Kelly K. Convirs-Fowler: yes
- Mitchell Cornett: no
- Rae Cousins: yes
- Will Davis: yes
- Karrie K. Delaney: yes
- Lindsey Dougherty: yes
- Mark C. Downey: yes
- Michael B. Feggans: yes
- Hyland F. "Buddy" Fowler, Jr.: yes
- 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: yes
- Patrick A. Hope: yes
- Hillary Pugh Kent: no
- Karen Keys-Gamarra: yes
- Terry G. Kilgore: yes
- Paul E. Krizek: yes
- Amy J. Laufer: yes
- James A. "Jay" Leftwich: yes
- 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
- Kirk McPike: yes
- Delores L. McQuinn: yes
- Leslie Chambers Mehta: yes
- James W. Morefield: yes
- May Nivar: yes
- Delores Oates: yes
- Israel D. O'Quinn: no
- Justin Pence: yes
- 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.: yes
- Wendell S. Walker: yes
- Jeion A. Ward: yes
- R. Lee Ware: yes
- Vivian E. Watts: yes
- Michael J. Webert: yes
- Madison Whittle: no
- Bill Wiley: yes
- Rodney T. Willett: yes
- Wren M. Williams: yes
- Tony O. Wilt: yes
- 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
Inspect retained evidence for changes recorded after evidence tracking began:
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