VirginiaHB8842026 Regular SessionHouseWALLET

Electric utilities; Percentage of Income Payment Program, eligibility, delayed effective date.

Sponsored By: Charniele L. Herring (Democratic)

Became Law

Summary

Electric utilities; Percentage of Income Payment Program; eligibility. Amends the objectives of the Percentage of Income Payment Program, which provides electric bill payment assistance to eligible customers, to include (i) reducing the energy burden of eligible participants by limiting electric bill payments directly to no more than three percent of the eligible participant's annual household income if the household's heating source is anything other than electricity and to no more than five percent of an eligible participant's annual household income on electricity costs if the household's primary heating source is electricity. The bill also amends the eligibility criteria of the Program beginning January 1, 2027, to include any retail electric customer of Dominion Energy or Appalachian Power with a household income at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. The bill directs the Department of Social Services, in consultation with the Department of Housing and Community Development as needed, to update its rules and guidelines for the implementation of the Program to reflect the eligibility requirements of the bill. The provisions of the bill, other than the provisions directing the Department of Social Services to update its rules and guidelines, have a delayed effective date of January 1, 2027.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

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

Lower electric bills for low-income customers

Starting January 1, 2027, customers of Phase I or Phase II utilities can get income-based help if household income is at or below 200% of the federal poverty guideline. Your yearly electric payments are capped at 3% of income if your main heat is not electric, or 5% if it is. The program also promotes weatherization and energy-saving education.

Funding and limits for income-based bill help

Virginia creates a special fund for this program; all fee money goes into it and can only run the program. Program spending is capped at $25 million each year for any Phase I utility and $100 million for any Phase II utility. The Commission makes rules to move money into the fund and pay utilities on time, and does a first true-up within 60 days of launch, then annual or semiannual true-ups using utility data. The Department of Social Services must publish and update rules by January 1, 2027, and the program must start within one year after those rules are published; utilities must cooperate. Utilities cannot earn a return on costs to run the program; regulators decide which admin costs they can recover.

New fee on electric bills

Beginning January 1, 2027, a non-bypassable universal service fee is added to Phase I and Phase II customers’ bills. The fee is based on kilowatt-hours used. All money goes to the income-based bill program fund (PIPP).

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsor

  • Charniele L. Herring

    Democratic • House

Cosponsors

There are no cosponsors for this bill.

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 245 • No: 116

House vote 3/12/2026

Senate substitute agreed to by House

Yes: 63 • No: 35

Senate vote 3/11/2026

Passed Senate with substitute

Yes: 21 • No: 19

Senate vote 3/11/2026

Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/10/2026

Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading)

Yes: 37 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/10/2026

Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

Yes: 0 • No: 0

Senate vote 3/9/2026

Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute

Yes: 10 • No: 4

Senate vote 3/9/2026

Reported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations

Yes: 9 • No: 6

House vote 2/17/2026

Read third time and passed House

Yes: 63 • No: 34

House vote 2/13/2026

Reported from Appropriations

Yes: 15 • No: 7

House vote 2/13/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting

Yes: 5 • No: 2 • Other: 1

House vote 2/5/2026

Reported from Labor and Commerce with amendment(s) and referred to Appropriations

Yes: 15 • No: 7

House vote 2/3/2026

Subcommittee recommends reporting with amendment(s) and referring to Appropriations

Yes: 7 • No: 2 • Other: 1

Actions Timeline

  1. Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0690)

    4/13/2026Governor
  2. Approved by Governor-Chapter 690 (Effective 1/1/2027)

    4/13/2026Governor
  3. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB884)

    3/31/2026House
  4. Governor's Action Deadline 11:59 p.m., April 13, 2026

    3/31/2026Governor
  5. Enrolled Bill communicated to Governor on March 31, 2026

    3/31/2026House
  6. Signed by Speaker

    3/31/2026House
  7. Bill text as passed House and Senate (HB884ER)

    3/30/2026House
  8. Enrolled

    3/30/2026House
  9. Signed by President

    3/30/2026Senate
  10. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB884)

    3/25/2026House
  11. Senate substitute agreed to by House (63-Y 35-N 0-A)

    3/12/2026House
  12. Passed Senate with substitute (21-Y 19-N 0-A)

    3/11/2026Senate
  13. Finance and Appropriations Substitute agreed to

    3/11/2026Senate
  14. Engrossed by Senate - committee substitute

    3/11/2026Senate
  15. Read third time

    3/11/2026Senate
  16. Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)

    3/10/2026Senate
  17. Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) (37-Y 0-N 0-A)

    3/10/2026Senate
  18. Committee substitute printed 26109545D-S1

    3/10/2026Senate
  19. Rules suspended

    3/10/2026Senate
  20. Reported from Finance and Appropriations with substitute (10-Y 4-N)

    3/9/2026Senate
  21. Reported from Commerce and Labor and rereferred to Finance and Appropriations (9-Y 6-N)

    3/9/2026Senate
  22. Fiscal Impact Statement from Department of Planning and Budget (HB884)

    2/21/2026House
  23. Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor

    2/18/2026Senate
  24. Constitutional reading dispensed (on 1st reading)

    2/18/2026Senate
  25. Read third time and passed House (63-Y 34-N 0-A)

    2/17/2026House

Bill Text

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