Senators debated proposals to require utilities building renewable energy projects to include workforce and local‑hire plans for State Corporation Commission review. Sponsors said the measures would ensure construction and operations create local employment opportunities, advance apprenticeship training and prioritize historically disadvantaged communities and veterans when feasible.

Supporters included building trades councils, construction unions and environmental groups. The Virginia State Building and Construction Trades Council and several unions said the steps would link construction-phase hiring to workforce development and safety, and argued better-trained crews reduce project delays and overall costs.

Opponents — including some utilities and industry representatives — warned the SCC lacks the expertise to adjudicate workforce policy in litigated rate cases and urged a permissive rather than mandatory approach. Committee members exchanged questions about whether the statutes should cover third‑party developers as well as investor‑owned utilities; sponsors said they were open to amendments to level the playfield. After debate the committee recorded a report vote with recorded tallies (e.g., SB 824 reported Ayes 8, Noes 6, 1 abstention on related bills), sending the measures forward for further consideration.

Proponents described the bills as a way to improve local economic benefit from large energy projects and to stabilize construction schedules and costs by prioritizing trained and local labor; opponents said the policy could complicate siting and procurement processes and urged consideration within the ongoing performance‑based regulation study.