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Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

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SB25 • 2026

Offshore wind industry; workforce development.

An Act to direct the Director of the Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources to advance workforce development in the offshore wind industry.

Budget Education Energy Labor
Enacted

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

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

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not specify exact details about funding or the effectiveness of the training programs.

Training for Offshore Wind Jobs

This law directs the Director of the Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources to advance workforce development in the offshore wind industry.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Director of the Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources to advance workforce development in the offshore wind industry.
  • Includes training on safety and skills needed for different types of workers, such as manufacturing trades and maritime workers.
  • Prioritizes training for veterans, local workers, and people from communities that have faced economic challenges.
  • Works with schools, colleges, and apprenticeship programs to develop these training resources.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Department of Energy
  • People looking for jobs in the offshore wind industry
  • Schools and colleges involved in workforce development

Terms To Know

offshore wind industry
The business of making electricity from wind turbines placed far out at sea.
veterans
People who have served in the military.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify how much money will be used for training programs.
  • The effectiveness of the training programs is yet to be seen.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

SB25AH1

2026-02-27 • Committee

Appropriations Amendment

Plain English: The amendment removes funding allocation language from the bill.

  • Removes the phrase 'from such funds as may be appropriated' which was part of the original bill's text.
  • It is unclear what specific impact this removal will have on the bill's implementation or funding without additional context.
SB25EDOC

2026-03-04 • House

House Amendment

Plain English: The amendment removes the requirement for funding to come from specific appropriations for workforce development in the offshore wind industry.

  • Removes the language that directs funding for workforce development programs to come from 'such funds as may be appropriated'.
  • It is unclear what alternative source of funding will be used if this requirement is removed.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Approved by Governor-Chapter 362 (effective 7/1/2026)

  2. 2026-04-08 Governor

    Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0362)

  3. 2026-03-14 Senate

    Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 14, 2026

  4. 2026-03-14 Governor

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

  5. 2026-03-12 House

    Signed by Speaker

  6. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Signed by President

  7. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Enrolled

  8. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB25ER)

  9. 2026-03-12 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB25)

  10. 2026-03-06 Senate

    House Amendment agreed to by Senate (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

  11. 2026-03-04 House

    Read third time

  12. 2026-03-04 House

    committee amendment agreed to

  13. 2026-03-04 House

    Engrossed by House as amended

  14. 2026-03-04 House

    Passed House with amendment (86-Y 13-N 0-A)

  15. 2026-03-03 House

    Read second time

  16. 2026-02-27 Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources

    Assigned HAPP sub: Commerce Agriculture & Natural Resources

  17. 2026-02-27 Appropriations

    Reported from Appropriations with amendment(s) (21-Y 0-N)

  18. 2026-02-26 Labor and Commerce

    Reconsidered by Labor and Commerce (Voice Vote)

  19. 2026-02-26 Labor and Commerce

    Reported from Labor and Commerce and referred to Appropriations (20-Y 1-N)

  20. 2026-02-24 Labor and Commerce

    Reported from Labor and Commerce (20-Y 1-N)

  21. 2026-02-19 House

    Placed on Calendar

  22. 2026-02-19 House

    Read first time

  23. 2026-02-19 Labor and Commerce

    Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce

  24. 2026-02-18 Finance and Appropriations

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB25)

  25. 2026-02-16 Senate

    Read third time and passed Senate (20-Y 19-N 0-A)

  26. 2026-02-13 Finance and Appropriations

    Committee substitute printed 26107814D-S1

  27. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Read second time

  28. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute (Voice Vote)

  29. 2026-02-13 Finance and Appropriations

    Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

  30. 2026-02-13 Senate

    Engrossed by Senate (Voice Vote)

  31. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Rules suspended

  32. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Passed by for the day

  33. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 1st reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A)

  34. 2026-02-12 Senate

    Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

  35. 2026-02-11 Finance and Appropriations

    Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (13-Y 2-N)

  36. 2026-02-09 Commerce and Labor

    Reported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)

  37. 2026-01-27 Senate

    Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (SB25)

  38. 2025-11-17 Senate

    Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26100557D

  39. 2025-11-17 Commerce and Labor

    Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

Official Summary Text

Department of Energy; workforce development in offshore wind industry.
Directs the Director of the Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources to advance workforce development in the offshore wind industry in the Commonwealth. This bill is identical to HB 67.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
An Act to direct the Director of the Department of Energy to identify and develop training resources to advance workforce development in the offshore wind industry.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:
1.
§ 1. That the Director of the Department of Energy (the Director) shall identify and develop training resources to advance the offshore wind industry in the Commonwealth, including the development of offshore wind careers and training curriculum, such as pre-hire soft skills training and technical skills training, for manufacturing trades, providers of offshore wind products and services, maritime workers, and other skilled trades. As part of such curriculum, the Director shall assess the availability of offshore wind developers, original equipment manufacturers, and supply chain firms that operate within the Commonwealth and, following such assessment, consider establishing a Global Wind Organisation training program to meet minimum safety requirements including training on fire awareness, first aid, sea survival, working at height, and manual hauling for offshore wind industry workers. Training resources for veterans, local workers, and workers from historically economically disadvantaged communities, as defined in §
56-576
of the Code of Virginia, shall be prioritized. In developing such training resources, the Director shall consult with public and private institutions of higher education in the Commonwealth, vocational-technical institutions, apprenticeship programs, and at least one historically black college or university, as defined in §
2.2-1604
of the Code of Virginia. Funding for developing such training resources may include existing sources of local, state, or federal funding and grant resources for the purposes of identifying and developing skills required to support workforce development in the offshore wind industry and expand the offshore wind industry in the Commonwealth. Any training resources developed pursuant to this act shall be developed in coordination with the Transmission Siting and Economic Development Program as awarded to the Department of Energy, including awards granted to the Hampton Roads Workforce Council.