HB 1487 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 on electric utility customers within the locality, issuing a general obligation bond subject to a referendum, or allocating its own funds. The bill extends the Commission's final report deadline for the pilot program from December 1, 2024, to December 1, 2034.

• JJ Singh Democratic · primary

1. Jan 23, 2026 Presented and ordered printed 26105920D · lower
2. Jan 23, 2026 Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce · lower
3. Jan 28, 2026 Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3 · lower
4. Feb 5, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB1487) · lower
5. Feb 5, 2026 House subcommittee offered · lower
6. Feb 5, 2026 Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (7-Y 1-N) · lower
7. Feb 10, 2026 Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (19-Y 3-N) · lower
8. Feb 10, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107094D-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 36-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. Feb 23, 2026 Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (12-Y 3-N) · upper
17. Feb 24, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26108404D-S1 · upper
18. Feb 25, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
19. Feb 25, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
20. Feb 25, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
21. Feb 26, 2026 Read third time · upper
22. Feb 26, 2026 Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to · upper
23. Feb 26, 2026 Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute · upper
24. Feb 26, 2026 Passed Senate with substitute (27-Y 13-N 0-A) · upper
25. Feb 26, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB1487) · lower
26. Mar 2, 2026 Senate substitute rejected by House (7-Y 92-N 0-A) · lower
27. Mar 4, 2026 Senate insisted on amendment (40-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
28. Mar 4, 2026 Senate requested conference committee · upper
29. Mar 5, 2026 House acceded to request · lower
30. Mar 6, 2026 Conferees appointed by Senate · upper
31. Mar 6, 2026 Senate Conferees: Srinivasan, Surovell, Peake · upper
32. Mar 9, 2026 Conferees appointed by House · lower
33. Mar 9, 2026 House Conferees: Singh, Sullivan, O'Quinn · lower
34. Mar 13, 2026 Conference Report released · legislature
35. Mar 14, 2026 Conference report agreed to by House (61-Y 36-N 0-A) · lower
36. Mar 14, 2026 Conference report agreed to by Senate (28-Y 11-N 0-A) · upper
37. Mar 30, 2026 Enrolled · lower
38. Mar 30, 2026 Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1487ER) · lower
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 · lower
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 (HB1487) · lower
44. Apr 13, 2026 Approved by Governor-Chapter 863 (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
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · PDF
• Commerce and Labor Substitute · 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