SB 26: Land development; definitions, solar canopies in surface parking areas, delayed effective date.

Official summary

Abstract published by the legislature (via Open States). Text as published by the legislature; reproduced verbatim.

Land development; solar canopies in parking areas. Provides that any locality may include in its land development ordinances a provision that requires that an applicant must install a solar canopy over designated surface parking areas. Such provisions shall apply only to nonresidential parking areas with 100 or more new off-street contiguous parking spaces and may require coverage of up to 50 percent of the surface parking area. The bill provides that an ordinance adopted pursuant to this bill shall be subject to various additional requirements and shall allow for deviations, in whole or in part, from the requirements of the ordinance when its strict application would prevent the development of uses and densities otherwise allowed by the locality's zoning or development ordinance or when a property owner shows that the solar canopy, if installed as otherwise required under the ordinance, will generate less than 75 percent of the electricity that would be expected, given the nameplate capacity of the solar modules installed on such canopy, if the canopy were to be installed at another location in the locality without surrounding impediments to insolation such as buildings or shading vegetation. Finally, the bill provides that the applicant or owner may use the electric energy generated from such solar canopy to offset the consumption of the parking lot or adjoining building served under the same account. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. This bill is identical to HB 1234.

Sponsors

Sponsors by party (alphabetical): Democratic 1

“Support” is shown only as formal sponsorship recorded by the legislature. Roll-call votes are available on the official bill page.

Recent official actions

1. April 13, 2026Approved by Governor-Chapter 758 (effective 7/1/2026)
2. March 10, 2026Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026
3. March 10, 2026Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026
4. March 4, 2026Signed by President
5. March 4, 2026Signed by Speaker
6. March 4, 2026Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB26ER)
7. March 4, 2026Enrolled
8. February 27, 2026House amendments agreed to by Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A)
9. February 25, 2026Passed House with amendments (75-Y 21-N 0-A)
10. February 25, 2026Engrossed by House as amended
11. February 25, 2026Delegate Sewell Floor amendments agreed to
12. February 25, 2026Read third time

Showing 12 most recent of 33 actions. Full history