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119-s-3839119th CongressWALLET

Ratepayer Affordability and Transparency in Energy Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Senator Cotton, Tom [R-AR]

Introduced

Summary

Federal preemption of State climate mandates is the bill's central goal. It would stop states from requiring specific percentages or amounts of renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free electricity to protect grid reliability, planning, and costs.

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  • States and local regulators: Would be barred from creating or enforcing any law, rule, or program that mandates a set share or quantity of renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free electricity. States could still own or operate renewable or carbon-free generation.
  • Utilities and market participants: Would not be allowed to condition retail or wholesale market participation, cost recovery, or utility regulation on meeting state renewable or zero-emission mandates.
  • Households and ratepayers: The bill frames these changes as aimed at preventing state rules the bill says can inflate electricity costs or imperil grid reliability.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

1 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Stops state clean-energy mandates

This bill would stop states and local regulators from requiring utilities to supply a set percentage or amount of electricity from renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free sources. It would also bar conditioning market participation, cost recovery, or utility regulation on complying with those mandates. The bill would define who counts as a "State" and what counts as "State law" for this ban. It would still let states and local governments own or run renewable or zero-emission power plants.

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Cotton, Tom [R-AR]

AR • R

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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