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HB1073 • 2026

Advanced leak detection technologies; SCC shall establish standards for use by certain facilities.

An Act to direct the State Corporation Commission to promulgate regulations establishing standards for the use of advanced leak detection technologies for intrastate natural gas distribution facilities operated by covered utilities.

Energy Technology
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Rasoul
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Acts of Assembly Chapter
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact date of rule implementation or expiration, leaving these details uncertain.

Advanced Leak Detection for Natural Gas Pipelines

This act requires the State Corporation Commission to create rules for using advanced leak detection technologies in natural gas pipelines within Virginia.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the State Corporation Commission (SCC) to make new rules about how covered utilities use advanced leak detection technology.
  • The SCC must base these rules on a federal rulemaking process focused on pipeline safety.
  • The SCC can create exceptions for small operators and propane systems if applying the rules would be impractical or too costly.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Natural gas utilities that serve at least 25,000 customers in Virginia
  • The State Corporation Commission

Terms To Know

Advanced leak detection
A program using technology to find leaks more accurately and address safety or environmental risks.
Covered utility
Natural gas companies regulated by the State Corporation Commission that serve a large number of customers in Virginia.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The exact date when these rules will take effect is not specified.
  • It's unclear how long it will take for federal rules to be finalized and implemented.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 446 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0446)

  3. 2026-04-06 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB1073)

  4. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  5. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  6. 2026-03-31 House

    Signed by Speaker

  7. 2026-03-31 House

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

  8. 2026-03-31 Governor

    Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

  9. 2026-03-30 Senate

    Signed by President

  10. 2026-03-30 House

    Enrolled

  11. 2026-03-30 House

    Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB1073ER)

  12. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  13. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Read third time

  14. 2026-03-10 Senate

    Passed Senate Block Vote (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  15. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Rules suspended

  16. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  17. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  18. 2026-03-09 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  19. 2026-03-06 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations (15-Y 0-N)

  20. 2026-03-02 Commerce and Labor

    Reported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (14-Y 0-N)

  21. 2026-02-10 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

  22. 2026-02-10 Commerce and Labor

    Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

  23. 2026-02-09 House

    Read third time and passed House Block Vote (98-Y 0-N 0-A)

  24. 2026-02-06 House

    Read second time

  25. 2026-02-06 House

    committee substitute agreed to

  26. 2026-02-06 House

    Engrossed by House - committee substitute

  27. 2026-02-05 House

    Read first time

  28. 2026-02-04 Labor and Commerce

    Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB1073)

  29. 2026-02-03 Labor and Commerce

    Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (22-Y 0-N)

  30. 2026-02-03 Labor and Commerce

    Committee substitute printed 26106544D-H1

  31. 2026-01-29 Subcommittee #3

    Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 0-N)

  32. 2026-01-29 Subcommittee #3

    House subcommittee offered

  33. 2026-01-27 Subcommittee #3

    Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3

  34. 2026-01-27 House

    Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB1073)

  35. 2026-01-14 House

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26102566D

  36. 2026-01-14 Labor and Commerce

    Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce

Official Summary Text

State Corporation Commission; pipeline leak detection and repair standards.
Directs the State Corporation Commission to promulgate regulations establishing standards for the use of pipeline leak detection technologies for intrastate natural gas distribution facilities operated by certain utilities, as informed by a federal rulemaking on gas pipeline safety. The provisions of the bill and any such regulations shall expire upon the effective date of any final rule under the federal rulemaking on gas pipeline safety.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to direct the State Corporation Commission to promulgate regulations establishing standards for the use of advanced leak detection technologies for intrastate natural gas distribution facilities operated by covered utilities.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
§ 1. As used in this act:
"Advanced leak detection" means a program that is designed to allow a natural gas utility to deploy advanced leak detection technologies to more accurately identify active leaks as part of the natural gas utility's leak management program to address leaks that present a risk to safety or the environment.
"Commission" means the State Corporation Commission.
"Covered utility" means a natural gas public service company or other pipeline operator that (i) is subject to the jurisdiction of the Commission for ratemaking or safety regulation, (ii) meets the eligibility criteria established under Chapter 26 (§
56-603
et seq.) of Title 56 of the Code of Virginia, and (iii) serves 25,000 or more natural gas services within the Commonwealth.
The Commission shall promulgate regulations establishing standards for the use of advanced leak detection technologies for intrastate natural gas distribution facilities operated by covered utilities. The purpose of such regulations shall be to establish performance-based standards for the use of advanced leak detection technologies informed by the U. S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA) rulemaking titled "Pipeline Safety: Gas Pipeline Leak Detection and Repair" (Docket No. PHMSA–2021–0039; RIN 2137–AF51).
Such regulations shall include explicit exemptions for (i) small master meter operators, as defined by the Commission by regulation and (ii) liquefied petroleum gas systems, including propane systems, to the extent not otherwise regulated as covered utilities. The Commission may establish additional exemptions, delayed applicability, or alternative compliance pathways for systems with a de minimis footprint or other characteristics demonstrating that application of the regulations would be impracticable or not cost-effective.
The Commission shall initiate a rulemaking within 12 months of the effective date of this act. The regulations adopted pursuant to this act shall become effective on a schedule established by the Commission.
2. That the provisions of this act and any regulations adopted by the State Corporation Commission pursuant to this act shall expire upon the effective date of any final rule under the U. S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's "Pipeline Safety: Gas Pipeline Leak Detection and Repair" rulemaking (Docket No. PHMSA–2021–0039; RIN 2137–AF51) or equivalent federal rule.