Support HB 433 -- Real Estate Appraiser Board; continuing education.(Tata) / & Companion SB507

(SUPPORT) Real Estate Appraiser Board; continuing education.  Requires the Real Estate Appraiser Board to establish requirements for continuing education as a prerequisite to renewal of a license. The bill further provides for the Board to require evidence of knowledge of the use of the income method to calculate values of energy efficiency and renewable energy in the appraisal of residential property as a prerequisite to renewal of any license.

(Passed House and Senate)

Oppose HB710 Coal mining; any coal remaining and any void left remain property of owner of mineral estate. (Kilgore)

(OPPOSE) Use of mine voids.  Provides that any coal remaining and any void left by the removal of coal remain the property of the owner or lessee of the mineral estate.

(Passed House: Senate Floor) View Talking Points

Support SB 382- - Renewable portfolio standard program; reporting to State Corporation Commission. (McEachin)

(SUPPORT) Renewable portfolio standard program; reporting.  Requires each utility participating in the renewable portfolio standard program to identify, in its annual report to the State Corporation Commission, the states where the renewable energy was generated, the decades in which the renewable energy generating units were placed in service, and the fuel types used to generate the renewable energy.

(Passed House and Senate)

Oppose SB 413- - Renewable energy portfolio standard program; credits for investments. (Norment)

(OPPOSE) Renewable energy portfolio standard program; credits for investments.  Allows any investor-owned electric utility that participates in the renewable energy portfolio standard program to meet up to 20 percent of an RPS Goal through certificates evidencing the utility's expenses in conducting research and development activities related to renewable or alternative energy sources. To qualify, such expenses shall either (i) be designed to enhance the participating utility's understanding of emerging energy technologies and their potential impact on and value to the utility's system and customers within the Commonwealth; (ii) promote economic development within the Commonwealth; (iii) supplement customer-driven alternative energy or energy efficiency initiatives; (iv) supplement alternative energy and energy efficiency initiatives at state or local governmental facilities in the Commonwealth; or (v) be designed to mitigate the environmental impacts of renewable energy projects. The State Corporation Commission shall issue certificates to utilities making qualified investments based on the prices for renewable energy certificates in the interconnection region of the regional transmission entity of which the utility is a member. Qualified investments are stated to be reasonable and prudent operating expenses of a participating utility. A participating utility is not authorized to recover the costs associated with qualified investments through rate adjustment clauses and is not authorized to earn a return on its qualified investments.

(Passed House and Senate; Conference Committee)

Oppose SB 492 - - Renewable energy; expands definition to include landfill gas. (Watkins)

(OPPOSE) Renewable energy.  Expands the definition of renewable energy to include landfill gas. The measure also provides that the RPS Goals under the renewable energy portfolio standard program may be composed of renewable thermal energy equivalents. A renewable thermal energy equivalent is the thermal energy output from a renewable-fueled combined heat and power generation facility that is (i) constructed, or renovated and improved, after January 1, 2012, (ii) located in the Commonwealth, and (iii) utilized in industrial processes other than the combined heat and power generation facility, where thermal energy is expressed as an equivalent number of megawatt hours.

(Passed House and Senate)

Support SB 493 - - Electric and natural gas utilities; energy efficiency programs. (Watkins)

(SUPPORT) Utility energy efficiency programs.  Provides that an energy efficiency program proposed by an electric utility is in the public interest if the net present value of the benefits exceeds the net present value of the costs as determined by any three of four benefit cost tests. The four tests to be considered are the Total Resource Cost Test, the Utility Cost Test (also referred to as the Program Administrator Test), the Participant Test, and the Ratepayer Impact Measure Test. An electric utility's energy efficiency program may be deemed to be in the public interest if it provides measurable and verifiable energy savings to low-income customers or elderly customers. The current standard for what constitutes a cost-effective conservation and energy efficiency program conducted by a natural gas utility is revised to conform to these new provisions for electric utilities. Finally, the measure expands the definition of "energy efficiency program" with regard to electric utilities to include customer engagement programs that result in measurable and verifiable energy savings that lead to efficient use patterns and practices.

(Passed House and Senate)

Oppose SB 609 Coalfield employment enhancement tax credit; extends sunset date to January 1, 2017. (Carrico)

(OPPOSE) Coalfield employment enhancement tax credit.  Extends the sunset on the coalfield employment enhancement tax credit to January 1, 2017.  The bill also requires the Department of Taxation to report on the credit by November 15, 2016.  

(Passed Senate and House)

View other legislation that VCN is tracking in 2012

2012 Energy Bills with a VCN position that were defeated:

• Oppose HB645 Cosgrove Renewable energy.
  01/19/12 H: Stricken from docket by Commerce and Labor
• Oppose SB616 Puckett Coalfield employment enhancement tax credit; eliminates sunset date.
  02/01/12 Senate: Incorporated by Finance (SB609-Carrico) (14-Y 0-N)
• Oppose HB27 Marshall, R.G. Residential energy efficiency standards; exempts certain homes from federal cap & trade legislation.
  02/16/12 Senate: Failed to report (defeated) in Agriculture, Conservation and Natural Resources (7-Y 7-N)
• Support HB1028 Englin Approval of electrical utility facilities.
  01/26/12 House: Subcommittee recommends passing by indefinitely by voice vote
• Support HB312 Ware Utility energy efficiency programs.
  01/19/12 H: Stricken from docket by Commerce and Labor
• Support HB446 Toscano Termination of certain coal tax credits
  01/25/12 House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table by voice vote
• Support HB448 Toscano Net energy metering program; standby charges.
  02/14/12 H: Left in Commerce and Labor (0-Y 0-N)
• Support HB657 Rust Electric utilities; renewable energy portfolio standard program
  01/26/12 House: Subcommittee recommends striking from docket by voice vote
• Support HB789 Lopez Electrical utility facilities; consideration of stability of fuel prices.
  01/26/12 House: Subcommittee recommends laying on the table by voice vote
• Support SB381 McEachin Electric utilities; integrated resource plans
  01/30/12 S: Passed by indefinitely in Commerce and Labor (13-Y 2-N 1-A)

Commenting on Legislation

The most appropriate way to express your opinion about these bills, or any other legislation, is through your local delegate and/or senator. For more information about your legislators and how to contact them, please visit the Virginia General Assembly website. You may also contact the Virginia General Assembly's Constituent Viewpoint Comment line toll-free at 1-800-889-0229 (698-1990 in Richmond).

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