HB591Introduced in the House of Delegates
Data centers; policy of the Commonwealth.
Introduced by Shelly Simonds, District 70
What does this bill do?
Plain-English breakdown
Writing a plain-English summary of this bill… this can take a few seconds the first time.
Official description
Policy of the Commonwealth; data centers. Provides that it is the policy of the Commonwealth to encourage the responsible operation of data centers in the Commonwealth while supporting grid reliability, affordability, and the deployment of renewable resources. The bill provides that in furtherance of this policy, the Commonwealth shall (i) promote coordination between data centers, state agencies, and regional grid operators to share information on energy usage, interconnection timelines, and barriers to rapid deployment of renewable and flexible energy resources; (ii) incentivize data centers to participate in demand response programs, implement energy storage and management systems, and leverage automated technologies to reduce peak demand and support grid stability; (iii) encourage flexible energy practices that allow data centers to adjust energy consumption in real time in alignment with available renewable generation; (iv) ensure large-scale data centers pay their fair share of infrastructure investments, mitigating impacts on residential and small business ratepayers; (v) require data centers to report water and aggregated energy usage, sustainability measures, and participation in grid support programs to appropriate state and federal agencies; and (vi) promote cybersecurity, physical security, and supply chain security measures to protect Virginia data center operations from foreign adversary access or compromise.
Where it stands
Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)
March 9, 2026
How did lawmakers vote?
House of Delegates votes
3 recorded votes · each counted separately
Senate votes
2 recorded votes · each counted separately
SenateStage: Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N) · March 9, 2026
14
Yes
0
No
1
Absent or Not Voting
15 senators recorded in this Senate vote. Colors show vote categories only, not whether a vote was good or bad.
What do people think?
Citizen Voice
How would you vote on this bill?
An unofficial public opinion poll. It does not affect the bill or the official vote.
One response per device. Location is self-reported and not verified. Results are informal and not a scientific survey.
See how each senator voted
| Senator | District | Vote |
|---|---|---|
| Mark Obenshain | 2 | Yes |
| Todd Pillion | 6 | Yes |
| Creigh Deeds | 11 | Yes |
| Lashrecse Aird | 13 | Yes |
| Lamont Bagby | 14 | Yes |
| Louise Lucas | 18 | Yes |
| Aaron Rouse | 22 | Yes |
| Mamie Locke | 23 | Yes |
| Richard Stuart | 25 | Absent |
| Ryan McDougle | 26 | Yes |
Bill history
Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103960D
Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce
Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB591)
House subcommittee offered
Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (6-Y 3-N)
Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) (13-Y 7-N)
Read first time
Read second time
committee amendments agreed to
Engrossed by House as amended
Read third time and passed House (62-Y 34-N 0-A)
Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB591)
Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)
Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
Reported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (11-Y 4-N)
Continued to next session in Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)
Verify the information
Our commitment to neutrality
We provide factual information only. We never tell you which politicians or bills to support, and we do not rank, score, or endorse anyone.