# Virginia HB242: Public utilities; budget plan payment increases.

Virginia HB242, Public utilities; budget plan payment increases., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Joshua G. Cole (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0373)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB242-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB242
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Public utilities; budget plan payment increases.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-08
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0373)
- Sponsor: Joshua G. Cole (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 9 (308 yes, 8 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

Public utilities; budget plan payment increases. Prohibits a public utility from, for any residential customer who is enrolled in a budget plan, increasing the amount of such customer's monthly payment more than once within any 12-month period or without notifying the customer in writing at least 60 days before such increase takes effect. The bill defines "budget plan" as a fixed billing option offered by a public utility to a customer whereby the total service for the succeeding 12-month period is estimated in advance and bills are rendered monthly on the basis of one-twelfth of the 12-month estimate. The provisions of the bill do not apply to any public utility engaged in the business of furnishing water or sewerage facilities.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Limits and 60-day notice for utility budget plans: benefit, low. Residential customers on a utility budget plan get steadier bills. A utility can raise your monthly budget‑plan payment only once in any 12 months. It also must send you written notice at least 60 days before the increase starts. A budget plan is a fixed monthly bill based on a 12‑month estimate.
- Water and sewer budget plans excluded: cost, low. These protections do not cover utilities that provide water or sewer service. Water and sewer providers are not bound by the one‑increase‑per‑year limit or the 60‑day written notice rule for budget‑plan payment increases.

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Joshua G. Cole (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-09 | House | Senate amendment agreed to by House | pass | 93 | 4 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | Commerce and Labor Amendment agreed to | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-05 | Senate | Passed Senate with amendment | pass | 37 | 2 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-02 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment | pass | 12 | 1 |   |
| 2026-01-28 | House | Read third time and passed House Block Vote | pass | 97 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-22 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-01-20 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) | pass | 8 | 1 |   |

## Actions (33)

- 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0373) (Governor)
- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor-Chapter 373 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-03-25: Fiscal Impact statement From DPB (3/25/2026 2:39 pm) (House)
- 2026-03-25: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-25: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 25, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-14: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB242ER) (House)
- 2026-03-14: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-14: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-14: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-09: Senate amendment agreed to by House (93-Y 4-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-03-05: Passed Senate with amendment (37-Y 2-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Commerce and Labor Amendment agreed to (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Engrossed by Senate as amended (Senate)
- 2026-03-05: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (39-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Senate committee offered (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Reported from Commerce and Labor with amendment (12-Y 1-N) (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-01-29: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-01-28: Read third time and passed House Block Vote (97-Y 0-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-01-27: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB242) (House)
- 2026-01-27: Engrossed by House as amended (House)
- 2026-01-27: committee amendments agreed to (House)
- 2026-01-27: Read second time (House)
- 2026-01-26: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-22: Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) (22-Y 0-N) (House)
- 2026-01-20: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-20: Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) (8-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2026-01-15: Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3 (House)
- 2026-01-08: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2026-01-08: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103219D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217759.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217758.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-14: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1208784.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1208783.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-03-05: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196684.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-03-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190937.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-03-02: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189328.HTML)
- Engrossed, 2026-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095650.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095649.PDF)
- Amendment, 2026-01-22: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1094642.HTML)
- Amendment, 2026-01-20: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092204.HTML), [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092421.HTML)
- Introduced, 2026-01-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083243.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083242.PDF)

## Related bills

- HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties. (signed)
- HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with rental agreement. (signed)
- HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for certain individuals. (signed)
- HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, termination by landlord. (signed)
- HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil penalty. (signed)

## Sources
- [Chaptered (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217759.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217758.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1208784.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1208783.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1196684.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1190937.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1189328.HTML)
- [Engrossed (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095650.HTML)
- [Engrossed (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1095649.PDF)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1094642.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092204.HTML)
- [Amendment (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1092421.HTML)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083243.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1083242.PDF)

## Related
- [HB5: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB5-2026)
- [SB199: Employment; paid sick leave, civil penalties.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-SB199-2026)
- [HB95: Va. Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; landlord remedies, noncompliance with…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB95-2026)
- [HB1393: Electric utilities; pilot program for energy assistance and weatherization for…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB1393-2026)
- [HB834: Virginia Residential Landlord and Tenant Act; fire or casualty damage, terminat…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB834-2026)
- [HB675: Protection of employees; coercion or threat based on immigration status, civil…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB675-2026)
- [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-HB242-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).