# West Virginia SB 420: West Virginia First Energy Act

West Virginia SB 420, West Virginia First Energy Act, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Brian Helton (Republican); status failed, last action 2026-03-10 (Markup Discussion) (as of 2026-11-04).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/WV-SB420-2026rs
- As of: 2026-11-04
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: West Virginia SB 420
- State: West Virginia
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: West Virginia First Energy Act
- Status: failed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-15
- Last action: 2026-03-10, Markup Discussion
- Sponsor: Brian Helton (Republican)
- Cosponsors: 4
- Subjects: §24-9-1, §24-9-2, §24-9-3, §24-9-4, §24-9-5, §24-9-6, §24-9-7, §24-9-8, §24-9-9, §24-9-10, House Energy and Public Works
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (53 yes, 13 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 6

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Utility rate hikes require fuel compliance: benefit, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Public Service Commission cannot consider or approve rate increases without 12 months of full compliance. Utilities must meet the 69% coal-utilization rule, 30-day coal inventory rule, and related fuel-supply requirements. Intentionally missing the utilization minimum fo…
- Coal and gas plants face fuel rules: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, covered West Virginia coal plants must maintain at least 69% utilization on a rolling 12-month average. They must report monthly to the Public Service Commission; falling below 69% is noncompliance. Coal plants must keep 30 days of on-site coal, based on their prior 12-month…
- Grid fund supports plants, not closures: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Electric Grid Stabilization and Security Fund supports generation-cost stability and longer plant life. Allowed uses also include fuel-security infrastructure and measures to balance power supply and demand. Projects using West Virginia-produced gas qualify for dependabl…
- State power-market oversight protects utility customers: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, the commission oversees PJM market participation and planning, reviewing every capacity auction to benefit ratepayers and limit market swings. Where PJM rules allow, West Virginia units with PJM-listed capacity factors above 80% on enactment receive an essential-reliability…
- Utilities face limits on plant closures: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, utilities need commission approval to retire, deactivate, or reduce the capacity of coal or gas plants. The commission must find no increase in retail rates or exposure to wholesale-market swings, and no loss of reliable, adequate power. An equal-or-larger replacement must a…
- Utilities face new wind and solar limits: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, new wind and solar capital spending cannot enter the utility investment base used to set rates. Utilities cannot earn a regulated return on that spending or recover those capital costs through rates. Utilities failing coal-use or fuel-security rules cannot sign power-buying…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Brian Helton (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mike Azinger (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: T. Kevan Bartlett (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Craig A. Hart (Republican), Senate
- Cosponsor: Jay Taylor (Republican), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 324) | pass | 31 | 2 |   |
| 2026-03-04 | Senate | Passed Senate (Roll No. 323) | pass | 22 | 11 |   |

## Actions (21)

- 2026-03-10: Markup Discussion (House)
- 2026-03-05: House received Senate message (House)
- 2026-03-05: Introduced in House (House)
- 2026-03-05: To Energy and Public Works then Finance (House)
- 2026-03-05: To House Energy and Public Works (House)
- 2026-03-04: On 3rd reading (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Read 3rd time (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Passed Senate (Roll No. 323) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Effective July 1, 2026 (Roll No. 324) (Senate)
- 2026-03-04: Ordered to House (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: On 2nd reading (Senate)
- 2026-03-03: Read 2nd time (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Reported do pass (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Immediate consideration (Senate)
- 2026-03-02: Read 1st time (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: Committee substitute reported, but first to Finance (Senate)
- 2026-02-24: To Finance (Senate)
- 2026-01-15: Filed for introduction (Senate)
- 2026-01-15: To Energy, Industry, and Mining then Finance (Senate)
- 2026-01-15: Introduced in Senate (Senate)
- 2026-01-15: To Energy, Industry, and Mining (Senate)

## Bill text

- Committee Substitute: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb420 sub1.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb420 sub1.pdf)
- Introduced Version: [HTML](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb420 intr.htm), [PDF](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb420 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/sb420 sub1.htm)
- [Committee Substitute (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb420 sub1.pdf)
- [Introduced Version (HTML)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb420 intr.htm)
- [Introduced Version (PDF)](https://www.wvlegislature.gov/Bill_Text_HTML/2026_SESSIONS/RS/bills/sb420 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-SB420-2026rs (as of 2026-11-04).