Virginia Commerce and Labor (S02) Committee Docket — 2024-01-29

Summary

Docket for a Virginia (S02) committee dated 2024-01-29, in the 2024 Regular session, with R. Creigh Deeds (D) as chair and staff Horton, Andrew, Hobie Lehman and Thomas Stevens. It lists Senate bills with patrons and summaries, from SB87 on mental health incentives in health insurance provider panels and SB118 on coverage for doula care services, by Locke. Other items include SB185 on the E-Verify program, SB373 on a paid family and medical leave insurance program, SB374 on collective bargaining by public employees, and SB381 on unemployment compensation. Many bills concern electric utilities, net energy metering and shared solar, and the text ends within an offshore wind bill summary.

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TITLE: Virginia  (S02) Committee Docket — 2024-01-29
DATE: 2024-01-29T00:00:00
SESSION: 2024 Regular (20241)
CHAMBER: Senate

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
  - R. Creigh Deeds (D) Chair

STAFF: Horton, Andrew, Hobie Lehman, Thomas Stevens

DOCKET / AGENDA:

[Senate Bill in Committee]
  999. SB87 - Health insurance provider panels; incentives for mental health services.
       Patron(s): Favola
       Summary: Health insurance provider panels; incentives for mental health services. Allows a provider panel contract between a carrier and a primary care provider to include provisions that promote comprehensive screening using evidence-based tools for mental health needs and appropriate referrals by primary care providers to mental health services that may be provided on-site, via telehealth on site, or through an off-site referral.
  999. SB118 - Health insurance; coverage for doula care services.
       Patron(s): Locke
       Summary: Health insurance; coverage for doula care services. Requires health insurers, corporations providing health care subscription contracts, and health maintenance organizations whose policy, contract, or plan includes coverage for obstetrical services to provide coverage for doula care services provided by a state-certified doula. The bill requires such coverage to include coverage for at least eight visits during the antepartum or postpartum period and support during labor and delivery. The bill provides that health insurance carriers are (i) not required to pay for duplicate services actually r
  999. SB137 - Electric utilities; SCC to ensure energy policy at lowest reasonable cost.
       Patron(s): Carroll Foy
       Summary: Electric utilities; State Corporation Commission; energy policy of the Commonwealth. Requires the State Corporation Commission to ensure that the Commonwealth implements the energy policy of the Commonwealth, as defined by relevant law, at the lowest reasonable cost, taking into account all cost-effective demand-side management options and the security and reliability benefits of the regional transmission entity that each incumbent electric utility has joined. The bill establishes a rebuttable presumption that plans, petitions, or proposals from utilities that do not ensure such implementation
  999. SB143 - Railroad safety; use of train, locomotive, etc., for movement of freight, minimum train crew.
       Patron(s): Carroll Foy
       Summary: Railroad safety; civil penalties. Requires a crew of at least two qualified individuals on all trains, locomotives, or light engines used in connection with moving freight. This bill is identical to HB 385.
  999. SB152 - Electric utilities; retail competition, aggregated competitive purchasers.
       Patron(s): Suetterlein
       Summary: Electric utilities; retail competition; aggregated competitive purchasers. Creates a limited exception to the requirement that the State Corporation Commission must find that a petition for certain competitive purchasers to aggregate their demands to become qualified to purchase retail electric energy is consistent with the public interest in order for the Commission to approve such petition. The bill provides that a customer seeking such approval may remunerate the utility for any adverse effects to the incumbent utility or its remaining utility customers contrary to the public interest as de
  999. SB185 - E-Verify program; every employer to enroll in program by January 1, 2025.
       Patron(s): Sturtevant
       Summary: E-Verify program. Requires every employer to enroll in the E-Verify program by January 1, 2025, and to use the program for each newly hired employee who is to perform work within the Commonwealth. Under current law, only state agencies and certain employers with contracts with state agencies are required to use the program. The bill also requires the Attorney General to request the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, once each calendar quarter, to provide a list of agencies and employers that are enrolled and participate in the E-Verify program and to make such list available on the Attorney
  999. SB230 - Electric utilities; energy efficiency programs, duty to implement the Energy Policy, etc.
       Patron(s): Hashmi
       Summary: Electric utilities; energy efficiency programs; duty to implement the Energy Policy of the Commonwealth; RPS program requirements; competitive procurement. Provides that "in the public interest" for the purpose of assessing energy efficiency programs means that the State Corporation Commission determines that the program is cost-effective and directs the Commission to initiate a proceeding no later than December 31, 2025, to establish a single, consistent cost-effectiveness test for use in evaluating proposed energy efficiency programs. The bill provides (i) that "total electric energy" for pu
  999. SB234 - Parking Lot Solar Development Program; established, report.
       Patron(s): Hashmi
       Summary: Parking Lot Solar Development Pilot Grant Program; report. Establishes the Parking Lot Solar Development Pilot Grant Program for the purpose of encouraging development of distributed parking lot solar projects up to one megawatt in size in Chesterfield County and Richmond City through grants. The bill directs the Department of Energy, in consultation with the Department of Environmental Quality, to administer such program, to establish and publish guidelines and criteria for solar projects funded through such program, and to report annually to the General Assembly regarding the administration
  999. SB253 - Shared solar programs; amends existing program provisions to apply to Dominion Energy Virginia.
       Patron(s): Surovell
       Summary: Shared solar programs; Dominion Energy Virginia; minimum bill; capacity. Amends existing shared solar program provisions applicable to Dominion Energy Virginia. The bill provides that a customer's net bill for participation in the shared solar program means the resulting amount a customer must pay the utility after the bill credit, defined in relevant law, is deducted from the customer's monthly gross utility bill. The bill divides the shared solar program into two parts, the first of which has an aggregate capacity of 200 megawatts. The bill provides that upon a determination that at least 90
  999. SB255 - Shared solar programs; SCC to establish by regulation, etc.
       Patron(s): Surovell
       Summary: Shared solar programs; American Electric Power; minimum bill; capacity. Requires the State Corporation Commission to establish by regulation a shared solar program, as defined in the bill, through which customers of American Electric Power may purchase electric power through a subscription in a shared solar facility, as defined in the bill. The bill requires the Commission to establish a minimum bill, which shall include the costs of all utility infrastructure and services used to provide electric service and administrative costs of the shared solar program, taking into account certain conside
  999. SB256 - Motor vehicle insurance; remedies for bad faith for refusal of claims.
       Patron(s): Surovell
       Summary: Motor vehicle insurance claims; bad faith. Provides that if an insurance company licensed in the Commonwealth to write motor vehicle insurance (i) denies, refuses, fails to pay, or fails to make a timely and reasonable settlement offer to its insured under the provisions of any uninsured or underinsured motorist benefits coverage in a policy of motor vehicle insurance applicable to the insured after the insured has become legally entitled to recover or (ii) after all applicable liability policy limits and underlying uninsured and underinsured motorists benefits have been tendered or paid, reje
  999. SB271 - Net energy metering; eligible customer-generators and agricultural customer-generators.
       Patron(s): Subramanyam
       Summary: Net energy metering; eligible customer-generators and eligible agricultural customer-generators. Provides that no contract, lease, or arrangement by which a third party owns, maintains, or operates an electrical generating facility on an eligible customer-generator's property shall constitute the sale of electricity or cause the customer-generator or the third party to be considered an electric utility by virtue of participating in net energy metering. The bill prohibits an eligible customer-generator or eligible agricultural customer-generator from being required to provide proof of liability
  999. SB271 - Net energy metering; eligible customer-generators and agricultural customer-generators.
       Patron(s): Subramanyam
       Summary: Net energy metering; eligible customer-generators and eligible agricultural customer-generators. Provides that no contract, lease, or arrangement by which a third party owns, maintains, or operates an electrical generating facility on an eligible customer-generator's property shall constitute the sale of electricity or cause the customer-generator or the third party to be considered an electric utility by virtue of participating in net energy metering. The bill prohibits an eligible customer-generator or eligible agricultural customer-generator from being required to provide proof of liability
  999. SB274 - Prescription Drug Affordability Board; established, drug cost affordability review, report.
       Patron(s): Deeds
       Summary: Prescription Drug Affordability Board established; drug cost affordability review. Establishes the Prescription Drug Affordability Board for the purpose of protecting the citizens of the Commonwealth and other stakeholders within the health care system from the high costs of prescription drug products. The bill requires the Board to meet in open session at least four times annually, with certain exceptions and requirements enumerated in the bill. Members of the Board are required to disclose any conflicts of interest, as described in the bill. The bill also creates a stakeholder council for th
  999. SB276 - Phase I and Phase II Utilities; SCC to study feasibility of an energy upgrade program.
       Patron(s): Hashmi
       Summary: Energy upgrade programs; Phase I and Phase II Utilities; State Corporation Commission to study feasibility; work group; report. Directs the State Corporation Commission to convene a work group to study the feasibility of the implementation of an energy upgrade program for eligible customers opting to participate by each Phase I and Phase II Utility, which program would permit such utility to (i) install one or more energy projects, as defined in the bill, at a participant's location and (ii) collect a special rate, as defined in the bill, to repay the costs of such installation. The bill requi
  999. SB286 - Electric utilities; underground transmission lines.
       Patron(s): Roem
       Summary: Electric utilities; underground transmission lines. Provides that the construction and reconstruction of any underground, in whole or in part, electrical transmission lines of at least 69 kilovolts and less than 500 kilovolts along a highway right-of-way under the jurisdiction of the Department of Transportation in Planning District 8 where a data center proposal is under construction in an area located within a half mile of a National Battlefield Park and within one mile of a state forest is in the public interest.
  999. SB313 - Contractors, Board for; required regulations and disclosures.
       Patron(s): VanValkenburg
       Summary: Board for Contractors; required regulations and disclosures. Board for Contractors; required regulations and disclosures. Requires the Board for Contractors to adopt regulations requiring all Class A, B, and C residential contractors, excluding subcontractors to the contracting parties and those who engage in routine maintenance or service contracts, to use legible written contracts that include certain terms and conditions. The bill directs the Board to require a statement of protections be provided by the contractor to the homeowner, consumer, or buyer in transactions involving door-to-door
  999. SB346 - Net energy metering; solar interconnection, cost recovery.
       Patron(s): Subramanyam
       Summary: Net energy metering; solar interconnection; cost recovery. Provides that an electric distribution company shall pay $1 per kilowatt per day for the costs of lost electricity production for any and all delays beyond the regulatory notice period required by State Corporation Commission related to net energy metering. The bill requires that, for the purposes of net energy metering, an eligible customer-generator shall bear all reasonable costs of equipment required at the eligible customer-generator's side of the meter for the interconnection to the supplier's electric distribution system, includ
  999. SB361 - Consumer Data Protection Act; protections for children.
       Patron(s): VanValkenburg
       Summary: Consumer Data Protection Act; protections for children. Prohibits, subject to a parental consent requirement, a data controller from processing personal data of a known child (i) for the purposes of targeted advertising, the sale of such personal data, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects concerning a consumer; (ii) unless such processing is reasonably necessary to provide the online service, product, or feature; (iii) for any processing purpose other than the processing purpose that the controller disclosed at the time such controller co
  999. SB373 - Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements, civil action.
       Patron(s): Boysko
       Summary: Paid family and medical leave insurance program; notice requirements; civil action. Requires the Virginia Employment Commission to establish and administer a paid family and medical leave insurance program with benefits beginning January 1, 2027. Under the program, benefits are paid to covered individuals, as defined in the bill, for family and medical leave. The bill specifies that covered individuals shall not include state employees, constitutional and other local officers, and employees of local school divisions and that funding for the program is provided through premiums assessed to empl
  999. SB374 - Collective bargaining by public employees; labor organization representation.
       Patron(s): Boysko
       Summary: Collective bargaining by public employees; labor organization representation. Repeals the existing prohibition on collective bargaining by public employees. The bill creates the Public Employee Relations Board, which shall determine appropriate bargaining units and provide for certification and decertification elections for exclusive bargaining representatives of state employees and local government employees. The bill requires public employers and employee organizations that are exclusive bargaining representatives to meet at reasonable times to negotiate in good faith with respect to wages,
  999. SB381 - Unemployment compensation; employer's failure to respond to requests for information, etc.
       Patron(s): Ebbin
       Summary: Unemployment compensation; employer failure to respond to requests for information; claim determination; notice requirements. Provides that an employer's account shall not be relieved of charges relating to an erroneous payment if the Virginia Employment Commission determines that (i) the employer has failed to respond timely or adequately to a written request for information related to the claim and (ii) the employer has established a pattern of failing to respond timely or adequately to such requests, as described in the bill. The bill requires the Commission to provide written notice for ea
  999. SB409 - Energy efficiency and climate standards; more stringent energy efficiency and climate requirements.
       Patron(s): Boysko
       Summary: Energy efficiency and climate standards; more stringent energy efficiency and climate requirements. Allows a locality by ordinance to adopt and require compliance with stretch codes, as defined in the bill, for the construction or rehabilitation of buildings within the locality that are in addition to or more stringent than those in the Uniform Statewide Building Code, and use them as an alternative means of compliance with a locality's building requirements. The bill requires periodic review of the codes and allows the locality to make amendments.
  999. SB450 - Towing fees; State Corporation Commission shall examine existing regulation of fees.
       Patron(s): Marsden
       Summary: Regulation of towing fees; State Corporation Commission; report. Directs the State Corporation Commission to examine the existing regulation of fees charged for the removal of vehicles and identify policy options for the Commission to assume all or part of such regulation. The bill requires the Commission to report its findings to the General Assembly by November 30, 2024.
  999. SB454 - Electric utilities; recovery of development costs associated with small modular reactor.
       Patron(s): Marsden
       Summary: Electric utilities; recovery of development costs associated with small modular reactor. Permits Dominion Energy Virginia to petition the State Corporation Commission at any time for the approval of a rate adjustment clause for the recovery of small modular reactor project development costs for up to one small modular reactor facility. The bill also permits the utility to petition the Commission for project development cost recovery along separate development phases. The bill has an expiration date of December 31, 2029.
  999. SB480 - Public utilities; municipal utilities, disconnection of service, consumer protections.
       Patron(s): Aird
       Summary: Public utilities; municipal utilities; disconnection of service; limitations; report; consumer protections. Suspends electric, gas, water, and wastewater utilities subject to the regulation of the State Corporation Commission from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees during a state of emergency declared by the Governor and provides that such suspension lasts for 30 days after such declaration of the state of emergency. The bill suspends such electric and gas utilities from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees
  999. SB480 - Public utilities; municipal utilities, disconnection of service, consumer protections.
       Patron(s): Aird
       Summary: Public utilities; municipal utilities; disconnection of service; limitations; consumer protections. Suspends electric, gas, water, and wastewater utilities subject to the regulation of the State Corporation Commission from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees during a state of emergency declared by the Governor and provides that such suspension lasts for 30 days after such declaration of the state of emergency. The bill suspends such electric and gas utilities from disconnecting service to a residential customer for nonpayment of bills or fees when th
  999. SB494 - Live-in domestic workers; overtime pay for certain employees.
       Patron(s): Aird
       Summary: Overtime for certain employees; live-in domestic workers. Adds individuals who are employed in domestic service in a household and reside in such household to provisions related to overtime pay.
  999. SB495 - RPS eligible sources; falling water generation facilities.
       Patron(s): Carroll Foy
       Summary: RPS eligible sources; falling water generation facilities. Provides that, notwithstanding contrary provisions of law, any falling water generation facility, as defined in the bill, located in the Commonwealth and commencing commercial operations prior to July 1, 2024, shall be considered a renewable energy portfolio standard eligible source.
  999. SB500 - Electric utilities; integrated resource plans, grid-enhancing technologies and advanced conductors.
       Patron(s): Carroll Foy
       Summary: Electric utilities; integrated resource plans; grid-enhancing technologies and advanced conductors. Requires an electric utility to include in an integrated resource plan a comprehensive assessment of the application of grid-enhancing technologies and advanced conductors, as those terms are defined in the bill, and, if applicable, to include in such plan a detailed explanation of why such technologies or conductors are not included in such plan.
  999. SB543 - Health insurance; patient access to emergency services, mobile crisis response services.
       Patron(s): Bagby
       Summary: Health insurance; emergency services; mobile crisis response services. Provides that emergency services, with respect to an emergency medical condition, include, as it relates to any mental health services or substance abuse services rendered at a behavioral health crisis service provider, (i) a behavioral health assessment that is within the capability of a behavioral health crisis service provider, including ancillary services routinely available to evaluate such emergency medical condition, and (ii) such further examination and treatment, to the extent that they are within the capabilities
  999. SB565 - Energy efficiency programs; definitions, incremental annual savings.
       Patron(s): Deeds
       Summary: Energy efficiency programs; incremental annual savings. Provides that for the 2029 program year and all subsequent years, "in the public interest" for the purpose of assessing energy efficiency programs means that the State Corporation Commission determines that the program is cost-effective. The bill directs the Commission to promulgate regulations no later than September 30, 2025, establishing a single, consistent cost-effectiveness test for use in evaluating proposed energy efficiency programs. The bill requires Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power Company to track, quantify, and
  999. SB565 - Energy efficiency programs; definitions, incremental annual savings.
       Patron(s): Deeds
       Summary: Energy efficiency programs; incremental annual savings. Provides that for the 2029 program year and all subsequent years, "in the public interest" for the purpose of assessing energy efficiency programs means that the State Corporation Commission determines that the program is cost-effective. The bill directs the Commission to promulgate regulations no later than September 30, 2025, establishing a single, consistent cost-effectiveness test for use in evaluating proposed energy efficiency programs. The bill requires Dominion Energy Virginia and Appalachian Power Company to track, quantify, and
  999. SB578 - Electric utilities; offshore wind generation facilities, competitive procurement process.
       Patron(s): Deeds
       Summary: Electric utilities; offshore wind generation facilities; competitive procurement process; Department of Energy. Provides that the purchase by a public utility of energy, capacity, and environmental attributes from offshore wind generation facilities owned by persons other than a public utility and located off the Commonwealth's Atlantic shoreline or in federal waters and interconnected directly into the Commonwealth is in the public interest. The bill states that, except for the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind Project, the purchase or development of offshore wind facilities or the purchase by a

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