Finance Committee re-refers several measures to Appropriations, reports tax-administration and ABC changes
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Summary
The House Finance Committee reported or re-referred multiple bills — including SB224 (informant awards), SB834 (solar grant), SB302 (peanut excise extension), SB788 (ABC e-remittance) — mostly to Appropriations or with substitutes/amendments; most motions passed unanimously or by wide margins.
The House Finance Committee met and moved several measures forward, reporting bills with substitutes or amendments and re-referring others to the Appropriations Committee.
Subcommittee 1 reported Senate Bill 224 (Sen. Suravel), which would authorize the tax commissioner to award monetary compensation to individuals whose information assists the Department of Tax in collecting delinquent state taxes. The substitute adds eligibility thresholds (individual gross income over $100,000; business gross income over $500,000; amounts in question exceeding $50,000) and includes new confidentiality language. Committee counsel explained the change: “any information regarding the individual providing such information ... shall be considered tax information” and that department-created public records must be redacted before disclosure. The committee reported SB224 with the substitute and referred it to Appropriations by a vote recorded as 17–0.
The committee also re-referred Senate Bill 834 (Sen. Jones) — concerning the Virginia solar energy and battery energy storage systems program — to Appropriations after it was changed from a tax credit to a grant (the committee recorded the referral 18–0). The chair noted that making the program a grant converted it into a budgetary matter rather than a tax policy.
Chair used prerogative to move a parity referral for a Senate-filed bill listed in the packet as Senate Bill 96 (patron cited in the transcript as Delegate Rome) so it would be in the same posture as a House bill that had a $500,000 budget impact; the committee re-referred SB96 to Appropriations by a vote of 18–0.
On Senate Bill 302 (Sen. Jordan), which extends the sunset of an excise assessment on peanuts from July 1, 2026 to July 1, 2031, a member asked why a bill with no general-fund impact was being sent to Appropriations; the member said, “since ... this has no general fund impact, I'm wondering why the request to send it to appropriation.” The chair replied that the committee had just received notice requesting referral and the request stood; the bill was referred to Appropriations 18–0.
Other business: Senate Bill 763 (Sen. Williams Graves), a tax-technical measure related to invoice documentation and liability, was continued to 2027 in alignment with its house cognate. Senate Bill 788 (Sen. Perry) was reported with an amendment updating effective/implementation dates for ABC's online remittance requirement and adjusting penalty timing; counsel said the bill will go into effect in due course on 07/01/2026 and ABC must implement an electronic system by 01/01/2027. SB788 was reported with amendment unanimously, 18–0.
Votes at a glance: SB224 reported w/ substitute (referred to Appropriations) — 17–0; SB834 re-referred to Appropriations — 18–0; SB96 re-referred to Appropriations — 18–0; SB302 re-referred to Appropriations — 18–0; SB763 continued to 2027 — voice vote (continued); SB788 reported with amendment — 18–0.
The chair closed the meeting and adjourned.
