Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Weatherization topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Subcommittee advances bill to create income‑qualified weatherization task force
Summary
HB3 would direct the Department of Housing and Community Development, with DOE and DSS, to form a task force to coordinate energy efficiency and weatherization programs for income‑qualified households and report recommendations by September 2027; the subcommittee reported it 8‑1 after broad stakeholder support.
The subcommittee voted to report HB3, a bill establishing an income‑qualified energy‑efficiency and weatherization task force housed at the Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD), by a recorded vote of 8 to 1.
Sponsor Delegate Lavere Bolling told members the task force will identify barriers to enrollment in existing programs, coordinate state, federal and utility resources, and make policy recommendations, including estimated budgets and timelines to serve all eligible households by December 2034. "The point of this bill is to bring together the key agencies, the advocates, utilities, housing experts, and Virginians with lived experience to take a comprehensive look," Bolling said.
Advocates including the Virginia Poverty Law Center, Virginia Interfaith Power and Light and environment and housing groups urged quicker timelines and pledged to work with the patron. Dominion and Appalachian Power signaled willingness to participate on the task force. Bolling said DHCD can absorb the administrative costs and that prior fiscal impact statements indicated no additional appropriation would be required to stand up the task force.
The bill reported favorably to the next committee with a clear expectation from members that stakeholders remain involved and that the task force report include budget estimates and implementation timelines.
