SB 347 VA

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To Executive

Local regulation of solar facilities; special exceptions. Provides that a ground-mounted solar energy generation facility to be located on property zoned agricultural, commercial, industrial, or institutional shall be considered pursuant to various criteria to be included in a local ordinance, such as specifications for setbacks, fencing, solar panel height, visual impacts, grading, and a decommissioning plan for solar energy equipment and facilities, unless otherwise permitted by right. The bill requires localities to furnish the State Corporation Commission with a record of special exception decisions reached pursuant to these provisions that includes (i) the reason for any adverse decision, (ii) any finding of nonconformity with the local comprehensive plan, and (iii) the date of the last revision to the comprehensive plan. The bill further requires the State Corporation Commission to compile and maintain on the Commission's public website a searchable database of all solar special exception decisions and the reasons for any adverse decisions made over a period of not less than five years. Finally, the bill states that its provisions shall apply to any ground-mounted solar facility with a generating capacity of one megawatt or more for which an application for local approval is filed on or after July 1, 2026, and any such project shall not be governed by any local ordinances inconsistent with the bill; however, any application for a solar energy facility that has been received and accepted by the relevant authority prior to July 1, 2026, shall be subject to any applicable local ordinances in place at the time the initial application was filed. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to HB 711.

• Schuyler T. VanValkenburg Democratic · primary

1. Jan 13, 2026 Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26104614D · upper
2. Jan 13, 2026 Referred to Committee on Local Government · upper
3. Jan 26, 2026 Senate committee offered · upper
4. Jan 26, 2026 Senate committee offered · upper
5. Jan 26, 2026 Reported from Local Government with amendments (8-Y 5-N 1-A) · upper
6. Jan 27, 2026 Read first time · upper
7. Jan 27, 2026 Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) · upper
8. Jan 27, 2026 Rules suspended · upper
9. Jan 27, 2026 Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) · upper
10. Jan 27, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
11. Jan 28, 2026 Read second time · upper
12. Jan 28, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
13. Jan 29, 2026 Read second time · upper
14. Jan 29, 2026 Local Government Amendments agreed to · upper
15. Jan 29, 2026 Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote) · upper
16. Jan 29, 2026 Engrossed by Senate as amended · upper
17. Jan 30, 2026 Read third time and passed Senate (21-Y 17-N 0-A) · upper
18. Feb 4, 2026 Placed on Calendar · lower
19. Feb 4, 2026 Read first time · lower
20. Feb 4, 2026 Referred to Committee on Counties, Cities and Towns · lower
21. Feb 9, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB347) · upper
22. Feb 13, 2026 House committee offered · lower
23. Feb 13, 2026 Reported from Counties, Cities and Towns with substitute (15-Y 6-N) · lower
24. Feb 13, 2026 Committee substitute printed 26107959D-H1 · lower
25. Feb 15, 2026 Read second time · lower
26. Feb 16, 2026 Read third time · lower
27. Feb 16, 2026 committee substitute agreed to · lower
28. Feb 16, 2026 Engrossed by House - committee substitute · lower
29. Feb 16, 2026 Passed House with substitute (63-Y 35-N 0-A) · lower
30. Feb 18, 2026 Passed by for the day · upper
31. Feb 19, 2026 House substitute agreed to by Senate · upper
32. Feb 23, 2026 Enrolled · upper
33. Feb 23, 2026 Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB347ER) · upper
34. Feb 23, 2026 Signed by Speaker · lower
35. Feb 23, 2026 Signed by President · upper
36. Mar 2, 2026 Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (SB347) · upper
37. Mar 10, 2026 Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 · upper
38. Mar 10, 2026 Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 · executive
39. Apr 13, 2026 Governor's recommendation received by Senate · 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.

• Governor's Recommendation · HTML
• Enrolled · PDF
• Enrolled · HTML
• Counties, Cities and Towns Substitute · PDF
• Counties, Cities and Towns Substitute · HTML
• Counties, Cities and Towns Substitute · PDF
• Counties, Cities and Towns Substitute · HTML
• Engrossed · PDF
• Engrossed · HTML
• Local Government Amendment · HTML
• Local Government Amendment · HTML
• Introduced · PDF
• Introduced · HTML