Sen. Travis Hackworth

Maddy summarySB 458 permits Appalachian Power and Dominion Energy Virginia to join a regional energy market, which coordinates electricity generation and distribution across multiple states. This bill directly affects these two major Virginia utility companies by allowing them to participate in a shared grid system for buying and selling power. The key provision is granting formal permission for their participation, enabling them to access broader energy markets and potentially reduce costs. This is a procedural change focused on utility company operations, not a new policy affecting consumers or the environment.

Electric utilities; construction and development of renewable energy facilities; powers of State Air Pollution Control Board; powers of State Corporation Commission. Repeals provisions (i) requiring the State Air Pollution Control Board to adopt regulations to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from any electricity generating unit in the Commonwealth and authorizing the Board to establish an auction program for energy allowances; (ii) prohibiting the State Corporation Commission from approving any new utility-owned generation facilities that emit carbon dioxide as a by-product of energy generation under certain circumstances; (iii) declaring that statutory allowances for energy derived from sunlight, onshore wind, offshore wind, and storage facilities are in the public interest; and (iv) relating to the development of solar and wind generation and energy storage capacity, development of offshore wind capacity, and generation of electricity from renewable and zero-carbon sources. The bill provides that planning and development activities for new nuclear generation facilities are in the public interest.

Utility Facilities Act; definition of public utility. Provides that for the purposes of the Utility Facilities Act, the term "public utility" does not include any company that owns or operates one or more facilities for the generation, distribution, or storage of electric energy exclusively for consumption by one or more customers located on the site of such facilities or on adjoining property, provided that such facilities are connected on the customer's side of the electric meter and electricity is delivered without the use of a public utility's distribution or transmission system. The bill also provides that after such a facility operates within the certificated service territory of an electric utility for a duration of five years, such company is required to submit to such public utility a written offer for the sale of such facility.

Insurance; Fire Programs Fund; fees for vehicles; Virginia At Risk Fire Grant Program established; Firefighter Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Fund established. Increases the fire insurance assessment from one percent of total direct gross premium income for such insurance to (i) 1.5 percent on and after July 1, 2026, but before July 1, 2027, and (ii) two percent on and after July 1, 2027. The bill also increases the vehicle registration fee used to provide support for emergency medical services from $4.25 to $6.25 for each pickup or panel truck and each motor vehicle. The bill also establishes (a) the Virginia At Risk Fire Grant Program, to be funded by 0.25 percent of the assessments on insurance companies, for the purposes of providing grants to localities with fire departments that are determined to be most at risk of being unable to provide fire suppression or rescue activities or maintain compliance with relevant laws and regulations and (b) the Firefighter Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Fund, for the purpose of purchasing breathing apparatus equipment and other non-vehicular equipment necessary for the protection of firefighters responding to a fire.

Line of Duty Act; transitional coverage. Requires the Department of Human Resource Management to acquire and provide temporary transitional health insurance coverage to disabled persons, eligible spouses, and eligible dependents during the period of transition into the LODA (Line of Duty Act) Health Benefits Plans. Current law authorizes but does not require the Department to acquire and provide such temporary transitional health insurance coverage to disabled persons, eligible spouses, and eligible dependents during such period.

Virginia Fire Personnel and Equipment Grant Program established; report. Establishes the Virginia Fire Personnel and Equipment Grant Program (the Program) for the purpose of awarding grants to localities to hire additional firefighters and to improve their firefighting and emergency medical services. The bill specifies that the Department of Fire Programs (the Department) shall administer the Program and two types of grants shall be made from the Program. The first shall provide grants to localities to increase the number of firefighters. Such grants shall be made for up to three years and shall be used by localities for programs to (i) hire new, additional full-time firefighters; (ii) convert part-time or volunteer firefighters to full-time firefighters; or (iii) recruit and retain volunteer firefighters. The second shall award grants to localities for improving firefighting and emergency medical services, including by acquiring firefighting and emergency medical services vehicles and equipment and modifying facilities. For both grants, the bill provides that funds shall not be used to supplant any funds currently provided by the Commonwealth or by the locality and shall be used to increase the total amount of funds available for the provision of firefighting or emergency medical services. The bill requires the Department to submit a report annually, beginning November 1, 2027, to the Governor and the General Assembly containing a list of grants, the amount of each approved grant, information on the performance assessment system that the bill directs the Department to create, an evaluation of each grant based on such system, and any other criteria deemed relevant by the Department.

Maddy summarySJ 81 is a ceremonial resolution commending the Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association for its work in healthcare. It does not create new laws or policies; it simply expresses legislative appreciation for the association's contributions. The bill passed both the Senate and House via voice vote in February 2026 and was signed into law. This type of resolution affects only the named organization, offering no direct benefit or obligation to others.

Coal Surface Mining Reclamation Fund; surface mining pool bond fees. Amends various provisions under the Coal Surface Mining Reclamation Fund, including a requirement for the Director of the Department of Energy to assess market conditions no less than biannually to set the rate of reclamation tax based on the (i) most recent price per ton of metallurgical coal exports as reported by the U.S. Energy Information Administration or (ii) local market conditions provided by the industry representatives currently serving on the Coal Surface Mine Reclamation Fund Advisory Board. The bill also changes the entrance fee for coal surface mining operators participating in the pool fund.

Additional local sales and use tax to support schools; referendum. Authorizes all counties and cities to impose an additional local sales and use tax at a rate not to exceed one percent with the revenue used only for public school capital projects, defined in the bill, if such levy is approved in a voter referendum. The bill removes the requirement that such a tax must have an expiration date on either (i) the date of the repayment of any bonds or loans used for such capital projects or (ii) a date chosen by the governing body. Under current law, only Charlotte, Gloucester, Halifax, Henry, Mecklenburg, Northampton, Patrick, and Pittsylvania Counties and the City of Danville are authorized to impose such a tax. This bill is a recommendation of the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission.

State Forester; bicentennial farm program established. Directs the State Forester to establish and administer a bicentennial farm program to honor farm families in the Commonwealth whose property has been in the same family for 200 years or more. In order to be eligible for recognition under the program, a farm shall (i) have been owned by the same family for at least 200 consecutive years; (ii) be lived on, or actually farmed, by a descendant of the original owners; and (iii) gross more than $2,500 annually from the sale of farm products. The bill also repeals a provision of law to reflect the transfer of the Century Farm Program from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to the Department of Forestry's Office of Farmland Preservation as a result of the passage of HB 892 and SB 616 in the 2024 Regular Session of the General Assembly.