SB 827 VA

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Pilot program for underground transmission lines; qualifying projects; levy; report. Authorizes the State Corporation Commission, in reviewing any application submitted by a public utility for a certificate of public convenience and necessity for the construction of an electrical transmission line of 500 kilovolts filed between January 1, 2025, and July 1, 2033, to approve up to four applications for qualifying projects to be constructed in whole or in part underground as part of the pilot program for underground transmission lines and to provide an expedited review of any such application. The bill removes certain provisions related to the existing pilot program.Under the bill, a project shall be qualified if (i) the Commission finds that an engineering analysis demonstrates that it is technically feasible to place the proposed line in whole or in part underground, (ii) the application contains certain information regarding projections of project costs, (iii) the application contains evidence that the governing body of each locality in which at least a portion of the proposed line will be placed underground supports the project's inclusion in the program and agrees to meet its related funding obligations, and (iv) the Commission finds the overall cost of the project reasonable and consistent with the public interest. The bill permits the Commission to deny an application for a project that otherwise meets the criteria to qualify, provided that the Commission publicly shares its rationale for doing so.The bill requires at least 50 percent of the marginal costs, as defined in the bill, of the portion of a qualifying project chosen to be placed underground within a locality pursuant to its provisions to be paid by such locality. The bill permits such a locality to meet such requirement through imposing a levy that meets certain requirements on electric utility customers within the locality, issuing a general obligation bond subject to a referendum, allocating its own funds, or any combination of such methods. The bill extends the Commission's final report deadline for the pilot program from December 1, 2024, to December 1, 2034. This bill is identical to HB 1487.

• Kannan Srinivasan Democratic · primary

1. Jan 23, 2026 Presented and ordered printed 26106042D · upper
2. Jan 23, 2026 Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor · upper
3. Feb 5, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB827) · upper
4. Feb 9, 2026 Senate committee offered · upper
5. Feb 9, 2026 Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (11-Y 4-N) · upper
6. Feb 10, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107558D-S1 · upper
7. Feb 11, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
8. Feb 11, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
9. Feb 11, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
10. Feb 12, 2026 Read second time · upper
11. Feb 12, 2026 Committee substitute agreed to (Voice Vote) · upper
12. Feb 12, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote) · upper
13. Feb 13, 2026 Read third time and passed Senate (26-Y 12-N 0-A) · upper
14. Feb 24, 2026 Placed on Calendar · lower
15. Feb 24, 2026 Read first time · lower
16. Feb 24, 2026 Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce · lower
17. Feb 26, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB827) · upper
18. Mar 3, 2026 Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (15-Y 7-N) · lower
19. Mar 3, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26109087D-H1 · lower
20. Mar 5, 2026 Read second time · lower
21. Mar 6, 2026 Read third time · lower
22. Mar 6, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
23. Mar 6, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
24. Mar 6, 2026 Passed House with substitute (62-Y 36-N 0-A) · lower
25. Mar 10, 2026 House substitute rejected by Senate (0-Y 40-N 0-A) · upper
26. Mar 11, 2026 House insisted on substitute · lower
27. Mar 11, 2026 House requested conference committee · lower
28. Mar 12, 2026 Senate acceded to request Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
29. Mar 12, 2026 Conferees appointed by Senate · upper
30. Mar 12, 2026 Senate Conferees: Srinivasan, Surovell, Stanley · upper
31. Mar 12, 2026 Conferees appointed by House · lower
32. Mar 12, 2026 House Conferees: Singh, Sullivan, O'Quinn · lower
33. Mar 13, 2026 Conference Report released · legislature
34. Mar 14, 2026 Conference report agreed to by House (62-Y 34-N 0-A) · lower
35. Mar 14, 2026 Conference report agreed to by Senate (28-Y 11-N 0-A) · upper
36. Mar 24, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB827) · upper
37. Mar 30, 2026 Enrolled · upper
38. Mar 30, 2026 Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB827ER) · upper
39. Mar 30, 2026 Signed by President · upper
40. Mar 31, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
41. Mar 31, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 · upper
42. Mar 31, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
43. Apr 6, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB827) · upper
44. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 864 (effective 7/1/2026) · executive

The published texts of this bill as it moves through the legislature. Each links to the official document on the state legislature site. Data from OpenStates.

• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Conference Report · HTML
• Conference Report Substitute · PDF
• Conference Report Substitute · HTML
• Labor and Commerce Substitute · PDF
• Labor and Commerce Substitute · HTML
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · PDF
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · HTML
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · PDF
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML