RICHMOND, Va. — Today, two pieces of Freedom Virginia’s priority legislative agenda to make a Virginia You Can Afford went into effect: solar siting standards, SB347, patroned by Senator Schuyler VanValkenburg (D-Henrico) and HB711, patroned by House Majority Leader Charniele Herring (D-Alexandria); and Click to Cancel, SB493, patroned by Senator Stella Pekarsky (D-Fairfax) and HB1022, patroned by Delegate Atoosa Reaser (D-Sterling).
The solar siting standards legislation will “ban the bans” and establish standards for local siting and zoning approvals of solar projects, so localities cannot blanket-ban the most affordable form of electric generation, and are supported by consistent standards for developers. This is a first step towards ensuring lower energy costs across Virginia by increasing the amount of in-state solar, the world’s cheapest and fastest form of energy generation to build and operate.
Click to Cancel will ensure that Virginia consumers have easy, accessible ways to end certain services, memberships and subscriptions. Click to Cancel will protect Virginia consumers from subscription traps and allow them to keep more of what they earn by canceling when and how they want. This innovative state policy is modeled off Federal Trade Commission regulations enacted during the Biden administration that were overturned last year when a federal court agreed with corporate opponents, and now puts Virginia at the forefront of state and national consumer protection.
Freedom Virginia Co-Executive Director Rhena Hicks and Ryan O’Toole released the following statement:
“These pieces of legislation, as different as they may be, will both work to ensure Virginia is a place hardworking people can afford. There is no denying that we’re facing an affordability crisis on everything from gas to groceries, and more than ever, hardworking families need relief. Click to Cancel will bring immediate cost savings for Virginians on unnecessary subscription traps, while the solar siting standards lay the groundwork for much-needed energy savings down the line by getting more cheap, clean energy on Virginia’s grid to meet surging demand and lower costs. We’re grateful to the patrons of these bills, their colleagues in the General Assembly, and Governor Spanberger for getting them across the finish line and for continually working to create a more affordable Virginia.”
