Signed by Governor Ralph Northam

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote on a conference report to pass a bill that rescinds the sunset on a pilot program allowing a locality that has adopted the urban county executive form of government to request an electric utility to place underground electric distribution lines as part of a transportation infrastructure improvement project and changes a number of provisions in the program.

Highlights:

• Defines "electric utility" as any cooperative operating within the locality (Sec. 1.F).

• Authorizes the governing body of any locality operating under the urban county executive form of government to request an electric utility, telecommunications provider, cable provider, or other utility to enter into a written agreement with the locality to place underground electric distribution facilities, telecommunications facilities, cable facilities, or other utility facilities as part of a transportation infrastructure improvement project or roads serving such project that the Commonwealth Transportation Board to reduce congestion and improve mobility while encouraging higher density development (Sec. 1.A).

• Specifies if the parties agree to proceed, the locality operating under the urban county executive form of government enter into an agreement with an electric utility, telecommunications provider, cable provider, or other utility that provides that (Sec. 1.B):

• The locality will pay the utility or provider its agreed-upon costs of relocating and converting that portion of the line or facility located in the locality underground rather than overhead that is not recoverable under applicable rates, minus the net of relocation credits;

• The utility or provider shall convert, operate, and maintain the agreed-upon portion of the line or facility underground in cooperation with any other utility or provider with lines or facilities placed underground there;

• The agreement is contingent upon the adoption of the levy; and 

• Other terms and conditions on which the parties may agree will be included in the agreement. No agreement will require any telecommunications provider or cable provider to share conduit.

• Requires the locality to fix the amount of an additional levy, which will not be imposed at a rate in excess of 6.67 percent of the monthly amount charged to consumers of the utility service and will not be applicable to any amount so charged in excess of $15 per month for residential customers, provided that the initial proceeds of such levy shall be dedicated to a project incorporating bus rapid transit on a road in the National Highway System serving a Metrorail station and an anticipated extension of Metrorail in a designated revitalization area in such locality (Sec. 1.C).

• Establishes the locality is responsible for securing the necessary easements and permits for the utility or provider for the conversion of the existing distribution of telecommunications, cables, or other utility facilities (Sec.1.D).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote on a conference report to pass a bill that rescinds the sunset on a pilot program allowing a locality that has adopted the urban county executive form of government to request an electric utility to place underground electric distribution lines as part of a transportation infrastructure improvement project and changes a number of provisions in the program.

Highlights:

• Defines "electric utility" as any cooperative operating within the locality (Sec. 1.F).

• Authorizes the governing body of any locality operating under the urban county executive form of government to request an electric utility, telecommunications provider, cable provider, or other utility to enter into a written agreement with the locality to place underground electric distribution facilities, telecommunications facilities, cable facilities, or other utility facilities as part of a transportation infrastructure improvement project or roads serving such project that the Commonwealth Transportation Board to reduce congestion and improve mobility while encouraging higher density development (Sec. 1.A).

• Specifies if the parties agree to proceed, the locality operating under the urban county executive form of government enter into an agreement with an electric utility, telecommunications provider, cable provider, or other utility that provides that (Sec. 1.B):

• The locality will pay the utility or provider its agreed-upon costs of relocating and converting that portion of the line or facility located in the locality underground rather than overhead that is not recoverable under applicable rates, minus the net of relocation credits;

• The utility or provider shall convert, operate, and maintain the agreed-upon portion of the line or facility underground in cooperation with any other utility or provider with lines or facilities placed underground there;

• The agreement is contingent upon the adoption of the levy; and 

• Other terms and conditions on which the parties may agree will be included in the agreement. No agreement will require any telecommunications provider or cable provider to share conduit.

• Requires the locality to fix the amount of an additional levy, which will not be imposed at a rate in excess of 6.67 percent of the monthly amount charged to consumers of the utility service and will not be applicable to any amount so charged in excess of $15 per month for residential customers, provided that the initial proceeds of such levy shall be dedicated to a project incorporating bus rapid transit on a road in the National Highway System serving a Metrorail station and an anticipated extension of Metrorail in a designated revitalization area in such locality (Sec. 1.C).

• Establishes the locality is responsible for securing the necessary easements and permits for the utility or provider for the conversion of the existing distribution of telecommunications, cables, or other utility facilities (Sec.1.D).

Full Bill Text