# West Virginia HB 4012: Relating to reducing the regulatory burden on utility companies when constructing and maintaining electric power generation and transmission facilities within this state West Virginia HB 4012, Relating to reducing the regulatory burden on utility companies when constructing and maintaining electric power generation and transmission facilities within this state, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Linville; status failed, last action 2026-03-14 (House received Senate message) (as of 2026-11-05). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4012-2026rs - As of: 2026-11-05 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: West Virginia HB 4012 - State: West Virginia - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Relating to reducing the regulatory burden on utility companies when constructing and maintaining electric power generation and transmission facilities within this state - Status: failed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-15 - Last action: 2026-03-14, House received Senate message - Sponsor: Linville - Cosponsors: 10 - Subjects: §24-2-11, §24-2-11A, §24-2-11C - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 4 (230 yes, 30 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 7 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Cost safeguards for West Virginia ratepayers: benefit, medium. Applicants for transmission lines of 200 kilovolts or more must give clear and convincing proof that allocated costs roughly match ratepayer benefits. This test covers costs assigned to West Virginia utilities serving customers, including otherwise unrecoverable costs charged to them. Applicants mu… - Public can enforce power plant conditions: benefit, low. The Public Service Commission can enforce key siting conditions through applicable civil or criminal penalties, court orders, or injunctions. Before construction of a facility or major change is complete, it can also suspend or revoke the certificate. Any person can ask a circuit court to compel co… - Faster approvals for power project developers: benefit, low. The Public Service Commission must decide covered generating-facility siting applications, including major changes, within 270 days, down from 300. If it misses that deadline, it must issue the certificate as requested. Electric project applicants can also seek or obtain local and other government… - Faster decisions for utility project applicants: benefit, low. The Public Service Commission must decide covered utility certificate applications within 240 days of filing, down from 270. Water and sewer projects costing under $10 million have a 190-day deadline, down from 225. The longer review schedule now applies only above $100 million, rather than above $… - Fewer approvals for large public utilities: benefit, low. Qualifying West Virginia local-government water or sewer providers are exempt from the utility certificate requirement and its related 30-day notice. Providers must have at least 4,500 customers and at least $3 million in annual combined gross revenue. The exemption does not specify a change to hou… - Possible application fees for power developers: cost, low. The Public Service Commission can set fees by rule for siting applications and changes to existing certificates. The law sets no fee amount and specifies no direct household charge. Any fees collected go into the state treasury's fund for the Commission. - Utilities need approval for transmission repairs: cost, low. Utilities and other covered parties must get a state utility certificate before maintaining or repairing existing transmission facilities, conductors, or structures. The Public Service Commission can waive this requirement. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Linville - Cosponsor: Ray Canterbury (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Wayne Clark (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Marty Gearheart (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Michael Hornby (Republican), House - Cosponsor: John Paul Hott (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Tristan Leavitt (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Phil Mallow (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mickey Petitto (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Jimmy Willis (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Mark Zatezalo (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-03-14 | House | Motion for previous question adopted (Roll No. 595) | pass | 72 | 24 | | | 2026-03-13 | Senate | Effective from passage (Roll No. 526) | pass | 33 | 0 | | | 2026-03-13 | Senate | Passed Senate with amended title (Roll No. 525) | pass | 29 | 5 | | | 2026-02-11 | House | Passed House (Roll No. 72) | pass | 96 | 1 | | ## Actions (46) - 2026-03-14: House received Senate message (House) - 2026-03-14: Motion for previous question adopted (Roll No. 595) (House) - 2026-03-14: House refused to concur; requested Senate to recede (Voice) (House) - 2026-03-14: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2026-03-13: On 3rd reading with right to amend (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Read 3rd time (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Committee amendment withdrawn by unanimous consent (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Floor amendment adopted (Voice vote) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Passed Senate with amended title (Roll No. 525) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Effective from passage (Roll No. 526) (Senate) - 2026-03-13: Senate requests House to concur (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Reported do pass, with amendment and title amendment (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Immediate consideration (Senate) - 2026-03-12: Read 2nd time (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Without recommendation, but first rereferred to Energy, Industry, and Mining (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Immediate consideration (Senate) - 2026-03-11: Read 1st time (Senate) - 2026-03-11: On 2nd reading, rereferred to Energy, Industry, and Mining (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Introduced in Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-12: To Energy, Industry, and Mining (Senate) - 2026-02-12: To Energy, Industry, and Mining (Senate) - 2026-02-11: On 3rd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-11: Read 3rd time (House) - 2026-02-11: Passed House (Roll No. 72) (House) - 2026-02-11: Title amendment adopted (Voice vote) (House) - 2026-02-11: Communicated to Senate (House) - 2026-02-10: Read 2nd time (House) - 2026-02-10: Amendment reported by the Clerk (House) - 2026-02-10: Amendment adopted (Voice vote) (House) - 2026-02-10: Amendment reported by the Clerk (House) - 2026-02-10: Amendment adopted (Voice vote) (House) - 2026-02-09: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-09: Postponed on 2nd reading, Special Calendar, until 2/10/2026 (House) - 2026-02-06: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-06: Read 2nd time (House) - 2026-02-06: Postponed on 2nd reading, Special Calendar, until 2/9/26 (House) - 2026-02-05: On 2nd reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-05: Postponed on 2nd reading, Special Calendar, until February 6, 2026 (House) - 2026-02-04: On 1st reading, Special Calendar (House) - 2026-02-04: Read 1st time (House) - 2026-02-03: By substitute, do pass (House) - 2026-01-27: Markup Discussion (House) - 2026-01-15: Filed for introduction (House) - 2026-01-15: To Energy and Public Works (House) - 2026-01-15: Introduced in House (House) - 2026-01-15: To House Energy and Public Works (House) ## Bill text - Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4012 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4012 sub1.pdf) - Engrossed: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4012 sub1 eng.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4012 sub1 eng.pdf) - Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4012 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4012 intr.pdf) ## Related bills - HB 5694: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Education, fund 0313. (signed) - HB 5353: To bring virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licensure and create disclosure requirements and daily transaction limitations for ne… (signed) - HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations (signed) - HB 4390: Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to that of a foster parent (signed) - HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance (signed) - HB 4191: Relating to providing child care generally (became law) ## Sources - [Committee Substitute (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4012 sub1.htm) - [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4012 sub1.pdf) - [Engrossed (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4012 sub1 eng.htm) - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4012 sub1 eng.pdf) - [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4012 intr.htm) - [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/hb4012 intr.pdf) ## Related - [HB 5694: Supplemental appropriation to Department of Education, fund 0313.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB5694-2026rs) - [HB 5353: To bring virtual currency kiosks within the purview of money transmission licen…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB5353-2026rs) - [HB 4452: To remove Mortmain restrictions on religious organizations](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4452-2026rs) - [HB 4390: Relating to the temporary payment to a kinship parent of a subsidy equal to tha…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4390-2026rs) - [HB 4354: Relating to necessity allowance](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4354-2026rs) - [HB 4191: Relating to providing child care generally](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4191-2026rs) - [West Virginia bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/west-virginia/bills) - [West Virginia state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/west-virginia) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-HB4012-2026rs (as of 2026-11-05).