Virginia bills · 2026 Regular Session
Virginia HB 590
Smart Solar Permitting Platform; established, residential solar energy systems.
- Introduced
- In committee
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became law
Sponsors
- Phil M. Hernandez (Democratic)
Cosponsors (6)
- Atoosa R. Reaser (Democratic)
- Michael B. Feggans (Democratic)
- Laura Jane Cohen (Democratic)
- Betsy B. Carr (Democratic)
- Elizabeth B. Bennett-Parker (Democratic)
- Destiny LeVere Bolling (Democratic)
Summary
Official abstract published by the Virginia legislature· SUMMARY AS PASSED
Smart Solar Permitting Platform established; residential solar energy systems; work group; report. Creates the Smart Solar Permitting Platform (the Platform) to serve as a tool for (i) contractors to obtain permits for the construction of streamline-eligible residential solar energy systems and (ii) localities to process applications for such permits. The bill requires the Department of Energy to establish, launch, and administer the Platform by July 1, 2027, as an internet-based platform that automates plan review and instantly releases a permit or a permit revision to construct certain residential solar energy systems that comply with any applicable building codes and state laws. The bill requires localities to allow contractors to submit an application to construct a residential solar energy system through the Platform or through an alternative automated solar permitting platform by July 1, 2028. The bill requires any locality that chooses to use an alternative automated solar permitting platform to submit an annual report to the Department no later than March 1 of each year. The bill directs the Director of the Department to convene a work group to determine the appropriateness of adding a surcharge to local government permitting fees to defray state costs for the Platform and to report its findings to the General Assembly on or before November 1, 2026. This bill is identical to SB 382.
Text versions
- Introduced
- Subcommittee #3 Subcommittee Substitute
- Labor and Commerce Substitute
- Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee Substitute
- Appropriations Substitute
- Commerce and Labor Substitute
- Conference Report Substitute
- Conference Report
- Enrolled
- Chaptered
Roll-call votes
State vote data last updated Oct 15, 2026, 12:03 AM.
| Date | Vote | Result | Your legislators |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 14, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 13, 2026 Senate | Adopt Conference Committee Report R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 12, 2026 Senate | Insist & Request R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 11, 2026 House | H VOTE: | fail | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 10, 2026 Senate | Passage R | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 9, 2026 Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed (on 2nd reading) | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 6, 2026 Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Mar 2, 2026 Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 17, 2026 House | H VOTE: | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 11, 2026 House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 11, 2026 House | Reported from Appropriations with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Feb 3, 2026 House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
| Jan 29, 2026 House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | Set your home in Virginia to see |
Actions
- Apr 13, 2026
Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0633) - Apr 13, 2026
Approved by Governor-Chapter 633 (effective 7/1/2026) - Apr 1, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB590) - Mar 31, 2026
Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 - Mar 31, 2026 · House
Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 - Mar 31, 2026 · House
Signed by Speaker - Mar 30, 2026 · Senate
Signed by President - Mar 30, 2026 · House
Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB590ER) - Mar 30, 2026 · House
Enrolled - Mar 20, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB590) - Mar 14, 2026 · House
Conference report agreed to by House (64-Y 33-N 0-A) - Mar 13, 2026 · Senate
Conference report agreed to by Senate (22-Y 17-N 0-A) - Mar 13, 2026 · Legislature
Conference Report released - Mar 12, 2026 · Senate
Senate Conferees: Surovell, Boysko, Peake - Mar 12, 2026 · Senate
Conferees appointed by Senate - Mar 12, 2026 · House
House Conferees: Hernandez, Nivar, Runion - Mar 12, 2026 · House
Conferees appointed by House - Mar 12, 2026 · House
House acceded to request - Mar 12, 2026 · Senate
Senate requested conference committee - Mar 12, 2026 · Senate
Senate insisted on substitute Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A) - Mar 11, 2026 · House
Senate substitute rejected by House (0-Y 98-N 0-A) - Mar 10, 2026 · Senate
Passed Senate with substitute (23-Y 17-N 0-A) - Mar 10, 2026 · Senate
Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute - Mar 10, 2026 · Senate
Commerce and Labor Substitute agreed to - Mar 10, 2026 · Senate
Read third time - Mar 9, 2026 · Senate
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) - Mar 9, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) - Mar 9, 2026 · Senate
Rules suspended - Mar 6, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB590) - Mar 6, 2026 · Senate
Reported from Finance and Appropriations (10-Y 4-N) - Mar 3, 2026 · Senate
Committee substitute printed 26108986D-S1 - Mar 2, 2026 · Senate
Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (8-Y 6-N) - Feb 19, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB590) - Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor - Feb 18, 2026 · Senate
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) - Feb 17, 2026 · House
Read third time and passed House (61-Y 34-N 0-A) - Feb 16, 2026 · House
Engrossed by House - committee substitute - Feb 16, 2026 · House
committee substitute agreed to - Feb 16, 2026 · House
committee substitute rejected - Feb 16, 2026 · House
Read second time - Feb 13, 2026 · House
Read first time - Feb 11, 2026 · House
Committee substitute printed 26107463D-H2 - Feb 11, 2026 · House
Reported from Appropriations with substitute (15-Y 7-N) - Feb 11, 2026 · House
House subcommittee offered - Feb 11, 2026 · House
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (5-Y 2-N) - Feb 11, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB590) - Feb 6, 2026 · House
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB590) - Feb 3, 2026 · House
Committee substitute printed 26106636D-H1 - Feb 3, 2026 · House
Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources - Feb 3, 2026 · House
Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute and referred to Appropriations (15-Y 7-N) - Jan 29, 2026 · House
Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referring to Appropriations (8-Y 1-N) - Jan 29, 2026 · House
House subcommittee offered - Jan 20, 2026 · House
Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3 - Jan 13, 2026 · House
Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce - Jan 13, 2026 · House
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102512D