HB 1491 VA

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Became Law

Electric utilities; construction of certain electrical transmission lines; siting requirements. Requires the State Corporation Commission, in order to approve the construction of an electrical transmission line of 138 kilovolts or more, to determine that the corridor or route chosen for the line will avoid or reasonably minimize adverse impact to the greatest extent reasonably practicable on dwelling houses. For overhead transmission lines of 500 kilovolts or more constructed by Dominion Energy Virginia, the bill directs the Commission to prioritize approving corridors or routes for construction for which the center is located farther than 150 feet from any dwelling house, public or private school building, day care, or place of worship unless no other practicable alternative exists.

• JJ Singh Democratic · primary

1. Jan 23, 2026 Presented and ordered printed 26104454D · lower
2. Jan 23, 2026 Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce · lower
3. Jan 28, 2026 Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3 · lower
4. Jan 29, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB1491) · lower
5. Feb 5, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
6. Feb 5, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (6-Y 2-N) · lower
7. Feb 10, 2026 Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (17-Y 5-N) · lower
8. Feb 10, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107224D-H1 · lower
9. Feb 12, 2026 Read first time · lower
10. Feb 13, 2026 Read second time · lower
11. Feb 13, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
12. Feb 13, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
13. Feb 16, 2026 Read third time and passed House (62-Y 35-N 0-A) · lower
14. Feb 17, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) · upper
15. Feb 17, 2026 Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor · upper
16. Mar 9, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB1491) · lower
17. Mar 9, 2026 Reported from Commerce and Labor (15-Y 0-N) · upper
18. Mar 10, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
19. Mar 10, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
20. Mar 10, 2026 Passed by for the day (Voice Vote) · upper
21. Mar 11, 2026 Read third time · upper
22. Mar 11, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
23. Mar 12, 2026 Passed Senate (39-Y 1-N 0-A) · upper
24. Mar 12, 2026 Read third time · upper
25. Mar 30, 2026 Enrolled · lower
26. Mar 30, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1491ER) · lower
27. Mar 30, 2026 Signed by President · upper
28. Mar 31, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
29. Mar 31, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 · lower
30. Mar 31, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
31. Apr 6, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB1491) · lower
32. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 866 (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
• Labor and Commerce Substitute · PDF
• Labor and Commerce Substitute · HTML
• Labor and Commerce Substitute · PDF
• Labor and Commerce Substitute · HTML
• Subcommittee #3 Subcommittee Substitute · PDF
• Subcommittee #3 Subcommittee Substitute · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML