# Virginia HB898: Electric utilities, certain; SCC to determine maximum amount of fees for disconnection, etc.

Virginia HB898, Electric utilities, certain; SCC to determine maximum amount of fees for disconnection, etc., is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Charniele L. Herring (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-13 (Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0697)); PRIA reads it as touching household money (as of 2026-10-12).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/VA-HB898-2026
- As of: 2026-10-12
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Virginia HB898
- State: Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Electric utilities, certain; SCC to determine maximum amount of fees for disconnection, etc.
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-01-13
- Last action: 2026-04-13, Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0697)
- Sponsor: Charniele L. Herring (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 0
- Touches household money: yes
- Roll calls: 7 (202 yes, 18 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 1

## Summary

State Corporation Commission to determine maximum fees for disconnection of utility service for nonpayment. Directs the State Corporation Commission (the Commission) to determine, in the next relevant cost recovery proceeding for certain utilities, the maximum allowable amount of fees for disconnection and reconnection such utilities may charge to residential customers disconnected from service due to nonpayment of bills or fees. The bill defines "utility" as an electric company, natural gas supplier, or water supplier or wastewater service provider subject to the Commission's regulation.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Limits utility shut-off and reconnection fees: benefit, low. The State Corporation Commission sets the maximum fees utilities can charge to disconnect or reconnect residential service for nonpayment. This applies to regulated electric, natural gas, water, and wastewater providers. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Commission makes this decision in each utility’s n…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

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

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-11 | Senate | Passed Senate | pass | 39 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote) | pass | 0 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-10 | Senate | Constitutional reading dispensed Block Vote (on 2nd reading) | pass | 37 | 0 |   |
| 2026-03-09 | Senate | Reported from Commerce and Labor | pass | 12 | 3 |   |
| 2026-02-11 | House | Read third time and passed House | pass | 84 | 14 |   |
| 2026-02-05 | House | Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute | pass | 22 | 0 |   |
| 2026-02-03 | House | Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute | pass | 8 | 1 |   |

## Actions (32)

- 2026-04-13: Acts of Assembly Chapter text (CHAP0697) (Governor)
- 2026-04-13: Approved by Governor-Chapter 697 (effective 7/1/2026) (Governor)
- 2026-04-06: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB898) (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 (HB898ER) (House)
- 2026-03-30: Enrolled (House)
- 2026-03-30: Signed by President (Senate)
- 2026-03-11: Passed Senate (39-Y 0-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 (12-Y 3-N) (Senate)
- 2026-02-16: Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB898) (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 (84-Y 14-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)
- 2026-02-10: Moved from Uncontested Calendar to Regular Calendar (House)
- 2026-02-09: Read first time (House)
- 2026-02-06: Committee substitute printed 26106813D-H1 (House)
- 2026-02-05: Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (22-Y 0-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 (HB898) (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 26104191D (House)

## Bill text

- Chaptered, 2026-04-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222247.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222246.PDF)
- Enrolled, 2026-03-30: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212432.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212431.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-06: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132090.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132089.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-04: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116050.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116049.PDF)
- Substitute, 2026-02-03: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115602.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115601.PDF)
- Introduced, 2026-01-13: [HTML](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086350.HTML), [PDF](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086349.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/1222247.HTML)
- [Chaptered (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1222246.PDF)
- [Enrolled (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212432.HTML)
- [Enrolled (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1212431.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132090.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1132089.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116050.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1116049.PDF)
- [Substitute (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115602.HTML)
- [Substitute (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1115601.PDF)
- [Introduced (HTML)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086350.HTML)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1086349.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-HB898-2026 (as of 2026-10-12).