Virginia 2020 Regular Session Status: In Committee

HB 77 — Green New Deal Act; fossil fuel projects moratorium, clean energy mandates, civil penalties.

Last action — Left in Appropriations

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  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed House of Delegates
  4. 4
    Passed Senate
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 2020 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Fossil fuel projects moratorium; clean energy mandates; civil penalties; Green New Deal Act. Establishes a moratorium, effective January 1, 2021, on approval by any state agency or political subdivision of any approval required for (i) electric generating facilities that generate fossil fuel energy through the combustion of a fossil fuel resource; (ii) import or export terminals for fossil fuel resources; (iii) certain maintenance activities relating to an import or export terminal for a fossil fuel resource; (iv) gathering lines or pipelines for the transport of any fossil fuel resource that requires the use of eminent domain on private property; (v) certain maintenance activities relating to such gathering lines or pipelines; (vi) refineries of a fossil fuel resource; and (vii) exploration for any type of fossil fuel, unless preempted by applicable federal law. The measure also requires that at least 80 percent of the electricity sold by a retail electric supplier in calendar years 2028 through 2035 be generated from clean energy resources. In calendar year 2036 and every calendar year thereafter, 100 percent of the electricity sold by a retail electric supplier is required to be generated from clean energy resources. The clean energy mandates apply to a public utility or other person that sells not less than 1,000 megawatt hours of electric energy to retail customers or generates not less than 1,000 megawatt hours of electric energy for use by the person. The Director of the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy is authorized to bring actions for injunctions to enforce these requirements. The measure requires the Department to adopt a Climate Action Plan that addresses all aspects of climate change, including mitigation, adaptation, resiliency, and assistance in the transition from current energy sources to clean renewable energy. The measure provides that residents of the Commonwealth and organizations shall have the legal standing to sue to ensure that its provisions and any Climate Action Plan are enforced. The measure requires (a) a 36 percent reduction in electric energy consumption in buildings by 2035, (b) the establishment of job training programs and energy worker protections, (c) transitional assistance for workers in the fossil fuel industry and affected communities, and (d) environmental justice protections. The measure provides that any retail electric supplier that fails to meet any goal or benchmark is liable for a civil penalty equal to twice the cost of the financial investment necessary to meet such goal or mandate that was not achieved, or three times the cost of the financial investment necessary to meet such goal or benchmark that was not achieved if not met in an environmental justice community, defined in the bill.

Bill Text

  • Impact statement from DPB (HB77) View text Current html December 06, 2019

Action History

  1. Left in Appropriations

  2. Referred to Committee on Appropriations

  3. Reported from Labor and Commerce (13-Y 9-N)

  4. Impact statement from DPB (HB77)

  5. Subcommittee recommends referring to Committee on Appropriations

  6. Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 4-N)

  7. Assigned L & C sub: Subcommittee #3

  8. Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce

  9. Prefiled and ordered printed; offered 01/08/20 20102438D

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 13 co-sponsors · 134 not signed on · 9 voted No

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (13)

Not signed on (134)

134 members have not signed on to this bill.

Show all 134 →

"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Votes

Reported from Labor and Commerce (13-Y 9-N)

Passed 13 Yea · 9 Nay
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 13900
Total 13900
% of votes cast 59%41%0%0%
How each member voted (22)
Member Party Vote
Lindsey, Joseph C. — Yea
Alfonso H. Lopez — Yea
Ayala, Hala S. — Yea
Bourne, Jeffrey M. — Yea
Byron, Kathy J. — Nay
Christopher T. Head — Nay
Gooditis, Wendy W. — Yea
Guzman, Elizabeth R. — Yea
Heretick, Steve E. — Yea
Israel D. O'Quinn — Nay
Jeion A. Ward — Yea
Keam, Mark L. — Yea
Kory, Kaye — Yea
Lamont Bagby — Yea
Marshall, Daniel W., III — Nay
Michael J. Webert — Nay
Mullin, Michael P. — Yea
R. Lee Ware — Nay
Ransone, Margaret B. — Nay
Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. — Yea
Terry G. Kilgore — Nay
Tony O. Wilt — Nay

Official roll call →

Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 4-N)

Passed 6 Yea · 4 Nay · 1 Other
Party YeaNayPresentNot Voting
Unaffiliated 6401
Total 6401
% of votes cast 55%36%0%9%
How each member voted (11)
Member Party Vote
Alfonso H. Lopez — Yea
Ayala, Hala S. — Yea
Heretick, Steve E. — Yea
Israel D. O'Quinn — Nay
Jeion A. Ward — Not Voting
Keam, Mark L. — Yea
Lamont Bagby — Yea
Marshall, Daniel W., III — Nay
R. Lee Ware — Nay
Richard C. "Rip" Sullivan, Jr. — Yea
Terry G. Kilgore — Nay

Official roll call →

Subjects

environment labor energy
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Frequently asked questions

What does HB 77 do?
Fossil fuel projects moratorium; clean energy mandates; civil penalties; Green New Deal Act. Establishes a moratorium, effective January 1, 2021, on approval by any state agency or political subdivision of any approval required for (i) electric generating facilities that generate fossil fuel energy through the combustion of a fossil fuel resource; (ii) import or export terminals for fossil fuel resources; (iii) certain maintenance activities relating to an import or export terminal for a fossil fuel resource; (iv) gathering lines or pipelines for the transport of any fossil fuel resource that requires the use of eminent domain on private property; (v) certain maintenance activities relating to such gathering lines or pipelines; (vi) refineries of a fossil fuel resource; and (vii) exploration for any type of fossil fuel, unless preempted by applicable federal law. The measure also requires that at least 80 percent of the electricity sold by a retail electric supplier in calendar years 2028 through 2035 be generated from clean energy resources. In calendar year 2036 and every calendar year thereafter, 100 percent of the electricity sold by a retail electric supplier is required to be generated from clean energy resources. The clean energy mandates apply to a public utility or other person that sells not less than 1,000 megawatt hours of electric energy to retail customers or generates not less than 1,000 megawatt hours of electric energy for use by the person. The Director of the Department of Mines, Minerals and Energy is authorized to bring actions for injunctions to enforce these requirements. The measure requires the Department to adopt a Climate Action Plan that addresses all aspects of climate change, including mitigation, adaptation, resiliency, and assistance in the transition from current energy sources to clean renewable energy. The measure provides that residents of the Commonwealth and organizations shall have the legal standing to sue to ensure that its provisions and any Climate Action Plan are enforced. The measure requires (a) a 36 percent reduction in electric energy consumption in buildings by 2035, (b) the establishment of job training programs and energy worker protections, (c) transitional assistance for workers in the fossil fuel industry and affected communities, and (d) environmental justice protections. The measure provides that any retail electric supplier that fails to meet any goal or benchmark is liable for a civil penalty equal to twice the cost of the financial investment necessary to meet such goal or mandate that was not achieved, or three times the cost of the financial investment necessary to meet such goal or benchmark that was not achieved if not met in an environmental justice community, defined in the bill.
Who sponsors HB 77?
HB 77 is sponsored by Sam Rasoul, Jennifer Carroll Foy, Joshua G. Cole, Patrick A. Hope, Danica A. Roem, Barbara A. Favola, Joseph D. Morrissey, Elizabeth R. Guzman, Samirah, Ibraheem S., Plum, Kenneth R., Kory, Kaye, Keam, Mark L., Jenkins, Clinton L., and Aird, Lashrecse D..
What is the current status of HB 77?
This bill died with 2020 Regular Session. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track HB 77?
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