# Virginia HB2136: Public Utility Ombudsman,Office of the; established, effective date. Virginia HB2136, Public Utility Ombudsman,Office of the; established, effective date., is a 2025 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Karen Keys-Gamarra (Democratic); status to governor, last action 2025-04-02 (House sustained Governor's veto) (as of 2026-10-17). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2136-2025 - As of: 2026-10-17 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Virginia HB2136 - State: Virginia - Session: 2025 Regular Session - Title: Public Utility Ombudsman,Office of the; established, effective date. - Status: to governor - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-01-07 - Last action: 2025-04-02, House sustained Governor's veto - Sponsor: Karen Keys-Gamarra (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 0 - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 10 (234 yes, 132 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 0 ## Summary Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman; established. Requires the State Corporation Commission to establish the Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman to protect the interests of residential customers of public utilities. The Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman shall serve (i) residential customers of public utilities that are jurisdictional or of limited jurisdiction and (ii) residential customers who cannot be assisted by other Commission staff due to a potential conflict of interest. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2026. ## Bill overview No economic impacts identified for this bill. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Karen Keys-Gamarra (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2025-02-20 | House | Senate Amendments agreed to by House | pass | 56 | 42 | | | 2025-02-19 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendments | pass | 23 | 17 | | | 2025-02-17 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 | | | 2025-02-14 | Senate | Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendment | pass | 10 | 4 | | | 2025-02-10 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations | pass | 9 | 6 | | | 2025-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 56 | 43 | | | 2025-01-29 | House | Reported from Appropriations | pass | 17 | 4 | | | 2025-01-27 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting | pass | 6 | 2 | 1 | | 2025-01-23 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute and referred to Appropriations | pass | 12 | 10 | | | 2025-01-21 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referred to Appropriations | pass | 6 | 4 | | ## Actions (40) - 2025-04-02: House sustained Governor's veto (House) - 2025-03-24: Vetoed by Governor (Governor) - 2025-03-24: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB2136) (House) - 2025-03-11: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., March 24, 2025 (Governor) - 2025-03-11: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 11, 2025 (House) - 2025-03-10: Signed by President (Senate) - 2025-03-07: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB2136ER) (House) - 2025-03-07: Enrolled (House) - 2025-03-07: Signed by Speaker (House) - 2025-02-20: Senate Amendments agreed to by House (56-Y 42-N) (House) - 2025-02-19: Passed Senate with amendments (23-Y 17-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Finance and Appropriations Amendment agreed to (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Commerce and Labor Amendment agreed to (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Read third time (Senate) - 2025-02-19: Reading of amendment waived (Senate) - 2025-02-18: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Passed by for the day (Senate) - 2025-02-17: Rules suspended (Senate) - 2025-02-14: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB2136) (House) - 2025-02-14: Reported from Finance and Appropriations with amendment (10-Y 4-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-10: Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N) (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate) - 2025-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate) - 2025-02-04: Read third time and passed House (56-Y 43-N) (House) - 2025-02-03: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House) - 2025-02-03: Labor and Commerce Substitute agreed to (House) - 2025-02-03: Read second time (House) - 2025-01-31: Read first time (House) - 2025-01-29: Reported from Appropriations (17-Y 4-N) (House) - 2025-01-27: Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N) (House) - 2025-01-24: Assigned Approps sub: General Government and Capital Outlay (House) - 2025-01-23: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute and referred to Appropriations (12-Y 10-N) (House) - 2025-01-23: Committee substitute printed 25105412D-H1 (House) - 2025-01-21: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referred to Appropriations (6-Y 4-N) (House) - 2025-01-21: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB2136) (House) - 2025-01-16: Assigned L & C sub: Subcommittee #3 (House) - 2025-01-07: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House) - 2025-01-07: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25104624D (House) ## Bill text - Veto Explanation, 2025-03-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073237.HTML) - Enrolled, 2025-03-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067033.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067032.PDF) - Amendment, 2025-02-19: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1062592.HTML) - Amendment, 2025-02-17: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054550.HTML) - Amendment, 2025-02-11: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046336.HTML) - Substitute, 2025-01-24: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1025369.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1025368.PDF) - Introduced, 2025-01-07: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015239.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015238.PDF) ## Related bills - HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care. (adopted) - SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty. (failed) - HB1746: Public safety officer; definition. (failed) - HB1600: Budget Bill. (failed) - SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility. (failed) - HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for infertility treatment. (to governor) ## Sources - [Veto Explanation (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1073237.HTML) - [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067033.HTML) - [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1067032.PDF) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1062592.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1054550.HTML) - [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1046336.HTML) - [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1025369.HTML) - [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1025368.PDF) - [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015239.HTML) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1015238.PDF) ## Related - [HR671: Commending JR's Auto Care.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HR671-2025) - [SB941: Robbery; use of air or gas operated weapon, etc., penalty.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB941-2025) - [HB1746: Public safety officer; definition.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1746-2025) - [HB1600: Budget Bill.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1600-2025) - [SB1449: Data centers; site assessment for high energy use facility.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB1449-2025) - [HB1609: Essential health benefits benchmark plan; Commission to consider coverage for i…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1609-2025) - [Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia/bills) - [Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB2136-2025 (as of 2026-10-17).