# Virginia HB770: Public utilities; water and sewerage companies, discounted rates for low-income customers.

Virginia HB770, Public utilities; water and sewerage companies, discounted rates for low-income customers., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Charniele L. Herring (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-06 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0217)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB770-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB770
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Public utilities; water and sewerage companies, discounted rates for low-income customers.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-06, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0217)
- Sponsor: Charniele L. Herring (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 7 (161 yes, 62 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 5

## Summary

Public utilities; water and sewerage companies; discounted rates for low-income customers. Provides that a public utility engaged in the business of furnishing water or sewerage facilities may propose and the State Corporation Commission may approve rates and tariff provisions that provide discounted service to customers with an annual household income equal to or less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The bill permits the utility to recover the costs of providing such discounted service through its rates for commercial and industrial customers. The bill has a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027, and is identical to SB 650.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Guardrails on small water rates: benefit, medium. Starting January 1, 2027, small water and sewer companies (under 10,000 customer accounts) must file a class cost-of-service study when they split revenue needs among customer classes. The Commission cannot charge a class more than its cost-based share unless there is strong evidence or to support…
- Lower water bills for low-income: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, water and sewer utilities can offer discounted rates to households with income at or below 200% of the federal poverty level, as determined by the Department of Social Services. Discounts can be in tiers and must be approved by the State Corporation Commission. Utilities…
- Faster, safer utility rate trials: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, the Commission can approve voluntary rate or rate design tests after notice and a hearing if needed for the public interest. If an experimental service is approved, the price must be the lowest applicable filed rate. For investor‑owned electric utilities, the Commission m…
- New option for very large power users: mixed, medium. Starting January 1, 2027, an electric utility under Chapter 9.1 can meet its service duty by letting an affiliate sell power directly, outside rate regulation, to a customer in a cooperative’s service territory when the contract demand is expected to exceed 90 megawatts. This applies only to very l…
- Phone service: options and limits: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, a phone company does not have to extend lines if other wireline or terrestrial wireless providers already offer service at prevailing market rates (similar to rates in competitive areas). Phone companies can use wireline or terrestrial wireless to serve you, but if restor…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Charniele L. Herring (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-02-26 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 24 | 16 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 40 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-25 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-23 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor | pass | 10 | 5 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 64 | 33 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute | pass | 15 | 7 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 8 | 1 |   |

## Actions (31)

- 2026-04-06: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0217) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Approved by Governor - Chapter 217 (effective 1/1/2027) (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026 (Governor)
- 2026-03-10: Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 10, 2026 (House)
- 2026-03-05: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB770) (House)
- 2026-03-03: Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB770ER) (House)
- 2026-03-03: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-03: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Signed by Speaker (House)
- 2026-02-26: Passed Senate (24-Y 16-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-26: Read third time (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (40-Y 0-N 0-A) (Senate)
- 2026-02-25: Rules suspended (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Reported from Commerce and Labor (10-Y 5-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-19: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB770) (House)
- 2026-02-12: Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor (Senate)
- 2026-02-12: Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading) (Senate)
- 2026-02-11: Read third time and passed House (64-Y 33-N 0-A) (House)
- 2026-02-10: Engrossed by House - committee substitute (House)
- 2026-02-10: committee substitute agreed to (House)
- 2026-02-10: Read second time (House)
- 2026-02-09: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-06: Committee substitute printed 26106979D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-05: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (15-Y 7-N) (House)
- 2026-02-03: House subcommittee offered (House)
- 2026-02-03: Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute (8-Y 1-N) (House)
- 2026-01-25: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB770) (House)
- 2026-01-22: Assigned HCL sub: Subcommittee #3 (House)
- 2026-01-13: Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce (House)
- 2026-01-13: Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-14-2026 26103508D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216862.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216861.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187075.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187074.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132075.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132074.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116023.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116022.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115591.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115590.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085817.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085816.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/1216862.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1216861.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187075.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1187074.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132075.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132074.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116023.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116022.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115591.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115590.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085817.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1085816.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)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB770-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).