Here are some of the highlights from Friday’s General Assembly session:
Bill allowing state to approve large renewable energy projects is set aside until next year
The Senate Commerce and Labor committee on Friday unanimously voted to carry over for a year a bill that would give state regulators more authority to approve large renewable energy projects over the objections of local governments.
SB 567, sponsored by Sen. Creigh Deeds, D-Charlottesville, would allow developers of large solar, wind and battery storage projects to seek siting approval from the State Corporation Commission instead of local governments under certain circumstances, including if the projects meet state requirements described in the bill but are nonetheless denied by a locality.
The proposed legislation would apply to new solar energy projects of at least 50 megawatts, wind energy projects of at least 100 megawatts, and battery storage projects of at least 50 megawatts. Projects approved by the SCC would not need to obtain local land-use approval or other local permits.
Deeds has previously said that his goal with the bill is to think about renewable energy from a statewide perspective rather than as a strictly local issue. But opponents of the legislation have said local government review is necessary to ensure that renewable energy projects meet local land-use goals and guidelines.
Deeds said Friday he introduced the bill because he’s concerned about the state meeting its goals under the Virginia Clean Economy Act — which mandates Dominion and Appalachian Power have carbon-free energy portfolios by 2045 and 2050, respectively — but said “the bill is probably not ready for prime time.”
A similar bill, HB 636 from Del. Rip Sullivan Jr., D-Fairfax County, was carried over for a year Tuesday by a subcommittee of the House Labor and Commerce Committee.
— Matt Busse
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House committee passes bill for Alexandria arena
The House Appropriations Committee, with no debate, passed the bill, HB 1514, that would set the legal stage for a proposed sports arena in Alexandria by a vote of 16-3. The measure now moves to the full House. The Senate version of the legislation, SB 718, has yet to come up in committee.
Gov. Glenn Youngkin has pushed for creation of the Virginia Sports and Entertainment Authority that would be in charge of the Potomac Yard development in Alexandria, where the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals hope to move. Proponents say the development will spur development in the region, producing more state tax revenue — and that the bonds for the project can be repaid with revenue generated from the arena district. Opponents question whether there will be enough revenue to pay off those bonds, and that the development will require additional expenditures to improve transportation in the neighborhood.
The version of the bill that was approved includes a re-enactment clause, meaning that the bill would not become effective unless approved again in next year’s session. The new version of the bill also requires the arena to host at least three college games each year, with each one involving at least one team from Virginia or Washington, D.C. It also specifies that the arena “shall promote Virginia tourism, products made by Virginia-based companies, and Virginia cuisine.”
Legislators from Southwest and Southside on the committee were split. Most voted in favor of the bill — Del. Terry Austin, R-Botetourt County; Del. Danny Marshall, R-Danville; Del. Will Morefield, R-Tazewell County. Voting against was Del. Sam Rasoul, D-Roanoke. The other western member of the panel, Del. Ellen Campbell, R-Rockbridge County, was absent.
— Cardinal Staff
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‘Sore loser’ bill inspired by Roanoke County election advances in House and Senate
The House Privileges and Elections Committee on Friday reported a bill that would ban candidates from the general election ballot if they previously ran in that year’s primary but dropped out before the vote. HB 90, from Del. Joe McNamara, R-Roanoke County, is now headed to the full House after it was reported 18-3 by the committee.
The Senate companion, SB 109, introduced by Sen. David Suetterlein, R-Roanoke County, has passed the full Senate by a 30-10 vote.
First enacted in 1932, Virginia’s “sore loser” law states that candidates who appear on the primary ballot and lose can’t then run on the general election ballot. These bills aim to stop a primary candidate who drops out in time to not be on the ballot but then decides to run in November anyway.
Suetterlein presented the bill to the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections last month and said it comes from a situation in Roanoke County last summer. when former school board member Tom McCracken challenged incumbent Supervisor Martha Hooker for the Republican nomination in the Catawba District. McCracken dropped out of the primary —which Hooker went on to win with 88% of the vote — and instead ran as an independent during the fall. He later dropped out before ballots were printed and Hooker held the seat with 96% of the vote.
— Zane Turner
