Appropriations subcommittee reports a string of bills on energy, housing and labor; tables VIMS water study

The Committee on Commerce, Agriculture and Natural Resources, sitting with the Appropriations subcommittee, on a regularly scheduled subcommittee meeting reported multiple measures affecting energy, housing and labor policy and tabled one study bill after debate over timing and costs. The panel handled measures that the chairs said had already gone through policy committee hearings, and limited discussion in this session to budget implications and committee priorities.

The most prominent actions addressed energy and housing support programs. House Bill 1616, which directs the Department of Energy to identify training resources for the offshore wind industry and develop a new training program as appropriate, was reported out without a fiscal impact and passed on a roll-call vote of 7-0. House Bill 1934, which would prioritize K–12 public schools in the distributed solar carve‑out of the Virginia Clean Economy Act to encourage on-site school solar installations, was reported 6-1; sponsors described the change as intended to increase access to cost savings and educational benefits for school districts.

Lawmakers also advanced measures targeting appraisal bias, energy efficiency for low-income households and prevailing‑wage rules for renewable projects. House Bill 1932 would create a task force on property appraisal and valuation equity to study racial bias in home appraisals; the Department of Housing and Community Development estimated a minimal fiscal impact of $9,500 that it could absorb. The subcommittee reported HB 1932 on a vote of 5-2. House Bill 1935, as amended, directs the Department of Housing and Community Development, with the Department of Energy and assistance from the Department of Social Services, to form an income‑qualified energy efficiency and weatherization task force to coordinate government and utility resources; the amended bill reported 7-0.

House Bill 2356 would require prevailing wages and a 15% registered‑apprentice share on projects counted under the renewable portfolio standard; the fiscal note described a Department of Labor and Industry cost to determine prevailing wages of roughly $1.3 million and $1.2 million for software upgrades to maintain records, though staff told the subcommittee the agency could implement aspects at a lower cost. The subcommittee reported HB 2356 on a 5-2 vote.

On labor policy, the panel reported House Bill 1767, which would set a uniform maximum potential unemployment insurance benefit duration of 26 weeks for all claimants, on a 5-2 vote after sponsors said the change would simplify claims processing. The panel also reported House Bill 1921, which would allow workers to accrue up to 40 hours of paid sick leave per year (earned at one hour per 30 hours worked) with a delayed effective date added by amendment; that measure reported 5-2 as amended.

The subcommittee tabled one study bill. House Bill 1908, which would have funded a Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) study on cumulative impacts to surface‑water intakes, was laid on the table on a 5-2 vote after members discussed timing and revised fiscal estimates. A separate measure to adjust state employee pay based on dependents (House Bill 2135) was tabled 6-1 so sponsors could seek additional review by the Commission on Unemployment Compensation.

Other bills reported included House Bill 2641 (housing targets; as amended, reported 5-2), House Bill 2469 (clarifying overtime pay definitions to include domestic workers, with a carve‑out for Medicaid personnel; reported as amended 5-2), House Bill 2149 (a zoning for housing production pilot program at the Department of Housing and Community Development; reported 7-0), and House Bill 2426 (clarifying that interconnection facilities may qualify for the permit‑by‑rule process managed by the Department of Environmental Quality; amendment added to allow cost recovery via an MOU with the State Corporation Commission; reported as amended 7-0).

Votes at a glance

- HB 1616 — Offshore wind workforce training: reported 7-0. Sponsor: Delegate Fagan (presented by Ms. McKay, committee staff). Fiscal impact: none (section 1 bill).

- HB 1932 — Appraisal and valuation equity task force: reported 5-2. Sponsor: Delegate LaVera Bowling. Fiscal impact: $9,500 (DHCD stated it can absorb cost).

- HB 1934 — Prioritize schools in distributed solar carve‑out (Virginia Clean Economy Act): reported 6-1. Sponsor: Delegate LaVera Bowling. Fiscal impact: described as nominal.

- HB 1935 (as amended) — Income‑qualified energy efficiency and weatherization task force: reported as amended 7-0. Sponsor: Delegate LaVera Bowling. Agencies: DHCD, DOE, DSS.

- HB 2641 (as amended) — Housing targets (as amended; fiscal impact removed): reported as amended 5-2. Sponsor: Delegate Helmer.

- HB 1767 — Uniform 26‑week maximum potential UI benefit duration: reported 5-2. Sponsor: Delegate Martinez. Recommendation cited: National Employment Law Project.

- HB 1908 — VIMS surface‑water intake cumulative impacts study: laid on the table (tabled) 5-2. Sponsor: Delegate Kent. Sponsor reported a revised fiscal estimate that reduced the prior amount by roughly $200,000.

- HB 2135 — State employee dependent‑based pay study: tabled 6-1. Sponsor: Delegate Keys Gamara (requested referral for further review by the Commission on Unemployment Compensation).

- HB 1921 (as amended) — Earned paid sick leave (up to 40 hours/year; delayed effective date to remove biennium cost): reported as amended 5-2. Sponsor: Delegate Ward.

- HB 2149 — Zoning for housing production pilot program (DHCD pilot): reported 7-0. Sponsor: Delegate Carr.

- HB 2356 — Prevailing wage and 15% apprenticeship requirement for renewable portfolio projects: reported 5-2. Sponsor: (presented by staff; patron name recorded in transcript). Fiscal note: $1.3M (prevailing wage determination) + $1.2M (software upgrades) per published estimate; staff said department could accommodate provisions at a lower cost.

- HB 2469 (as amended) — Adds domestic workers to existing overtime provisions; carved out Medicaid personnel to avoid fiscal impact: reported as amended 5-2. Sponsor: presented in committee; amendment delayed enactment and clarified definitions.

- HB 2426 (as amended) — Clarifies interconnection facilities are included in DEQ’s permit‑by‑rule process; amendment allows DEQ to enter an MOU with the State Corporation Commission to recover costs: reported as amended 7-0. Sponsor: Delegate Carlson.

Committee process and context

Committee staff and the chair repeatedly noted that the measures before the subcommittee had completed policy hearings and that this session focused on appropriations impacts. Where fiscal notes indicated additional staff or software costs (notably HB 2356 and the DEQ interconnection provisions initially), staff described options to reduce or recover those costs through agency staffing decisions or MOUs. Several bills were amended on the floor of the subcommittee to remove or delay fiscal impacts prior to a final roll call.

The subcommittee adjourned after reporting the measures and closing formal business for the day.