# Virginia HB422: Water utilities; prohibition of multiple rate increases within 3-year period for water utilities.

Virginia HB422, Water utilities; prohibition of multiple rate increases within 3-year period for water utilities., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Nicole Cole (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-08 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0390)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB422-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB422
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Water utilities; prohibition of multiple rate increases within 3-year period for water utilities.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-12
- Last action: 2026-04-08, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0390)
- Sponsor: Nicole Cole (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 7 (169 yes, 50 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

Water utilities; prohibition of multiple rate increases within three-year period for water utilities. Prohibits a public utility authorized to furnish water or water and sewer service from filing an application for a rate increase more frequently than once in any three-year period. The bill provides exceptions to such prohibition for the utility to file an application (i) for a decrease in rates; (ii) limited to a rate adjustment clause, rider, or surcharge; (iii) for a temporary emergency increase in rates; or (iv) for an increase upon a finding by the State Corporation Commission that extraordinary circumstances exist. The provisions of the bill do not become effective unless reenacted by the 2027 Session of the General Assembly.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Water utilities face three-year filing limit: benefit, low. The law requires reenactment by Virginia’s 2027 General Assembly before its provisions take effect. It sets a three-year limit on general base-rate increase applications by water and water-and-sewer utilities. The clock starts on the filing date of the utility’s last general rate application. Rate…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Nicole Cole (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 28 | 12 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 37 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor | pass | 14 | 1 |   |
| 2026-02-04 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 69 | 29 |   |
| 2026-01-29 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute | pass | 15 | 7 |   |
| 2026-01-27 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 6 | 1 |   |

## Actions (31)

- 2026-04-08: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0390) (Governor)
- 2026-04-08: Approved by Governor - Chapter 390 (effective - see bill) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB422) (House)
- 2026-03-31: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-31: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-31: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-03-30: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB422ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Passed Senate (28-Y 12-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-03-10: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-03-09: Reported from Commerce and Labor (14-Y 1-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-02-05: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-04: Read third time and passed House (69-Y 29-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-03: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-03: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-03: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-02: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB422) (House)
- 2026-02-02: Read first time (House)
- 2026-01-29: Committee substitute printed 26106002D-H1 (House)
- 2026-01-29: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (15-Y 7-N) (House)
- 2026-01-27: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-01-27: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (6-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB422) (House)
- 2026-01-19: Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3 (House)
- 2026-01-12: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2026-01-12: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103989D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-08: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217799.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217798.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212248.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212247.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-29: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103534.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103533.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-28: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098980.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098979.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-01-27: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098616.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098615.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-12: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084366.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084364.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/1217799.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1217798.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212248.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212247.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103534.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1103533.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098980.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098979.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098616.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1098615.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084366.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1084364.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-HB422-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).