A bill filed by State Del. Luke E. Torian seeks to promote the manufacturing of power transformers through a new grant fund, the Virginia State House reports.
The measure, formally designated as HB799 and introduced Jan. 14, 2026, in the 2026 regular session, is officially titled: “Power Transformer Manufacturing Grant Fund; created.”
The breakdown below summarizes key aspects based on the official bill language and clarifies selected provisions.
Under this proposal, a Power Transformer Manufacturing Grant Fund would be formed to offer up to $29.4 million in performance-based grants for a firm producing power transformers in Halifax County. The bill outlines necessary levels for capital investment, new full-time positions and facility qualifications. To qualify, a company is required to invest at least $457.2 million and create and maintain no fewer than 825 new full-time roles in addition to retaining 1,178 current jobs. Grant awards, capped at $4.6 million annually, are projected to be distributed over 10 years starting with the fiscal year that opens July 1, 2026. Payments are contingent on appropriation by the General Assembly and the terms of a memorandum of understanding.
Rep. Luke E. Torian (Democrat-24th District) is listed as the sole bill sponsor.
Since the session opened, Torian has proposed four additional pieces of legislation.
Torian received a bachelor’s degree from Winston-Salem State University in 1980.
Torian, a Democrat, won election to represent Virginia’s 24th House district in 2024, succeeding Ellen Campbell.
In Virginia, the legislative process starts with a measure being introduced in either the House of Delegates or Senate. It is assigned to one or more committees for discussion and potential revision. After clearing committee review, the proposal faces debate and votes in both legislative chambers. If approved by both, the bill proceeds to the governor, who may sign, veto, or allow it to become law without a signature. Each year, the Virginia General Assembly convenes for a regular session on the second Monday of January. Legislators introduce hundreds of bills per session, but only a select number are enacted.
| Legislative Session | Patron(s) | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Luke E. Torian | HB799 | 01/14/2026 | Power Transformer Manufacturing Grant Fund; created. |
| 2026 | Luke E. Torian | HB29 | 01/14/2026 | Budget Bill. |
| 2026 | Luke E. Torian | HB30 | 01/14/2026 | Budget Bill. |
| 2026 | Luke E. Torian | HB176 | 01/14/2026 | State-facilitated IRA savings program; various changes to the program. |
| 2026 | Luke E. Torian and Virgil Thornton | HB800 | 01/14/2026 | Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient Manufacturing Grant Fund; established. |
| 2025 | Luke E. Torian | HB1600 | 01/08/2025 | Budget Bill. |
| 2025 | Luke E. Torian and Michelle Lopes Maldonado | HB2358 | 01/08/2025 | Current and Mature Semiconductor Technology Grant Fund; established. |
| 2025 | Luke E. Torian | HB2359 | 01/08/2025 | Commonwealth of Virginia Higher Educational Institutions Bond Act of 2025; created. |
Information in this story was sourced from the Virginia State House. The underlying data is available here.
