Department of Energy; Virginia Solar Energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems Program and tax credit; solar energy and battery energy storage projects. Establishes the Virginia Solar Energy and Battery Energy Storage Systems Program, to be administered by the Department of Energy for the purpose of (i) coordinating and supporting the development of solar energy and short duration battery energy storage industries and projects by other public or private entities; (ii) evaluating and approving solar energy and short duration battery energy storage projects as qualified projects for the purposes of the tax credit established by the bill; and (iii) determining which items and services are considered eligible project costs for a given qualified project, as defined in the bill. The bill establishes requirements for what can be considered a qualified solar energy and battery energy storage project based on whether the use of such project is for a residential, commercial and industrial, or utility-scale project. The bill establishes a tax credit for the installation of such residential, commercial and industrial, or utility-scale solar energy and energy storage projects for taxable years beginning on and after January 1, 2027, but before January 1, 2032. Finally, the bill requires the Department to monitor allocation of the tax credit and publish quarterly transparency reports summarizing such information and to establish and maintain a public dashboard displaying certain information on the solar energy and short duration battery energy storage installations by January 1, 2027. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.
Sponsored bills
Admission to bail; pregnant persons or persons who have recently given birth. Requires the judicial officer to consider any evidence a person provides indicating that such person (i) is currently pregnant, (ii) has recently given birth, or (iii) is currently nursing a child when determining whether such person shall be admitted to bail.
Electric utilities; energy storage requirements; Department of Energy and Department of Environmental Quality to develop model ordinances; work groups; reports. Increases the targets for energy storage capacity that Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy Virginia are required to petition the State Corporation Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure and extends the time frame by which such capacity must be met. Under the bill, (i) Appalachian Power shall petition the Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure at least 780 megawatts of short-duration energy storage capacity by 2040 and 520 megawatts of long-duration energy storage capacity by 2045 and (ii) Dominion Energy Virginia shall petition the Commission for approval to construct, acquire, or procure at least 5,220 megawatts of short-duration energy storage capacity by 2045 and 3,480 megawatts of long-duration energy storage capacity by 2045. "Long-duration energy storage" and "short-duration energy storage" are defined in the bill. The bill requires the Commission to conduct a technology demonstration program for long-duration energy storage resources and initiate a proceeding to determine if such technology is viable and that the targets in the bill are reasonably achievable, for which a final order shall be entered no later than March 1, 2030. Certain provisions of the bill are only effective upon such determination by the Commission.The bill requires the Department of Energy, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality and the Department of Fire Programs, to create model ordinances for use by localities in their regulation of energy storage projects and to convene a work group to develop such model ordinances and submit a report by December 1, 2025. The bill directs the Department of Energy and the Department of Environmental Quality to convene a work group to develop recommendations and financial incentives related to the development of long-duration energy storage projects and submit a report by December 1, 2025. The bill also directs the Department of Energy to engage with PJM Interconnection, LLC, in reviewing regional market conditions related to energy storage resources and permits Dominion Energy Virginia to propose a partnership with institutions of higher education to deploy energy storage resources. This bill is identical to SB 1394.
Contraception; right to contraception; applicability; enforcement. Establishes a right to obtain contraceptives and engage in contraception, as such terms are defined in the bill. The bill clarifies that none of its provisions shall be construed to permit or sanction the performance of any sterilization procedure without a patient's voluntary and informed consent. The bill creates a cause of action that may be instituted against anyone who infringes on such right. This bill is identical to SB 1105.
Civil litigation; suspension bonds and irrevocable letters of credit upon appeal. Increases the cap currently in place for suspension bonds and irrevocable letters of credit for appellants during the pendency of an appeal of a civil action from $25 million to $200 million. The bill also requires, beginning April 1, 2028, and at each three-year interval ending on April 1 thereafter, this monetary cap to be adjusted to reflect the change in the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers as published by the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.
Baby Food Protection Act; testing and labeling requirements for toxic heavy metals. Prohibits a person from selling, distributing, or offering for sale a baby food product that contains certain toxic heavy metals that exceed the limits established by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The bill requires a manufacturer of a baby food product to meet certain testing requirements and include certain information related to toxic heavy metals on the manufacturer's website and on the baby food product. The bill requires a consumer to report a baby food product to the Commissioner of Agriculture and Consumer Services if the consumer reasonably believes that the baby food is being sold in the Commonwealth with toxic heavy metals that exceed the limits established by the FDA. The foregoing provisions of the bill have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2026. The bill also directs the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to convene a work group to study and make recommendations on the current enforcement of laws related to the presence of toxic heavy metals in baby food products and any further action needed to address the issue of toxic heavy metals in baby food products. The bill requires the work group to report on its findings and recommendations by the first day of the 2026 Regular Session.
Postpartum Depression Education Act; report. Directs the Department of Health to establish a public awareness campaign, develop and distribute educational materials, and create an online resource hub focused on perinatal and postpartum depression. The bill requires the Department to submit an annual report to the Governor and the General Assembly on the implementation of the bill, with the first annual report due by November 1, 2026.
Virginia military forces; Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Program established. Establishes the Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Program (the Program) within the Department of Military Affairs. The bill also establishes the Sexual Offense Prevention and Response Officer (the Officer) to perform victim advocacy services, including helping victims of certain criminal sexual assault offenses make either a restricted report or an unrestricted report, as those terms are defined in the bill. Restricted and unrestricted reports may be made (i) by a person who is a member of the Virginia military forces, defined in the bill as the Virginia National Guard and the Virginia Defense Force, or (ii) against a member of the Virginia military forces. The bill directs the Adjutant General, in coordination with the Officer, to submit an annual report to the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Delegates, and the chairmen of both the House and Senate Committees for Courts of Justice. The annual report shall include relevant information enumerated in the bill, including implementation and effectiveness of the Program's policies and procedures, as well as statistical information about restricted reports and unrestricted reports.
Health insurance; coverage for contraceptive drugs and devices. Requires health insurance carriers to provide coverage, under any health insurance contract, policy, or plan that includes coverage for prescription drugs on an outpatient basis, for contraceptive drugs and contraceptive devices, as defined in the bill, including those available over-the-counter. The bill prohibits a health insurance carrier from imposing upon any person receiving contraceptive benefits pursuant to the provisions of the bill any copayment, coinsurance payment, or fee, except in certain circumstances. This bill is identical to SB 780.
Department of Medical Assistance Services; state pharmacy benefits manager; independent evaluation. Requires the Department of Medical Assistance Services, by July 1, 2026, to select and contract with a third-party administrator to serve as the state pharmacy benefits manager to administer all pharmacy benefits for Medicaid recipients, including recipients enrolled in a managed care organization. The bill enumerates requirements for the Department's contract with the state pharmacy benefits manager. In addition, the bill directs the Department to engage an independent consultant to evaluate the implementation of a contract with a third-party pharmacy benefits manager pursuant to the bill. This bill incorporates HB 2209 and is identical to SB 875.