Utility Hikes Transparency Act
- Bill Number
- H.R. 8947
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Energy
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-05-20: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- Last Updated
- 2026-06-23T13:11:58Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose This legislation aims to increase transparency regarding changes in utility rates by requiring the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to create a centralized, public database tracking approved and effective rate adjustments for gas and electric utilities.
Key Provisions
- Establishes the National Utility Rate Change Tracker as an online, searchable database within one year of enactment.
- Requires the database to include specific data points for each rate change, such as the utility's name, services provided, applicable state, dollar and percentage impact on average residential bills, effect on total utility revenue, number of customers affected, approval and effective dates, link to the relevant regulatory docket, and primary reasons for the change.
- Mandates quarterly updates to the database.
- Directs the Commission to use publicly available information and enter into data-sharing agreements with state regulatory authorities where feasible.
- Requires the database to be searchable by ZIP Code, address, state, and city.
- Requires publication of a plain-language methodology document explaining data collection, standardization, and handling of gaps or conflicts.
- Defines "covered utility" as gas utilities under the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 or electric utilities selling energy to consumers under the same Act, and assigns responsibility to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
Significant Changes to Existing Law The bill introduces a new federal requirement for a national-level tracking system, expanding the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission's responsibilities beyond its current regulatory oversight to include ongoing maintenance of this public database. It does not repeal or amend existing rate-setting authorities but adds a layer of federal coordination and public disclosure on top of state-level processes.
Potential Impacts
- On government agencies: Increases workload for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in data collection and maintenance, while requiring coordination with state regulators.
- On citizens: Provides easier access to information on rate changes, potentially enabling better-informed decisions about energy costs.
- On international relations: No direct effects identified.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (primary implementer).
- State regulatory authorities (data-sharing partners).
- Gas and electric utilities (subject to tracking and public reporting).
- Residential and other utility customers (end users of the information).
- Congress (as the body directing the new requirement).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications The legislation operates within Congress's authority to direct federal agencies and promote public access to information, without apparent conflicts with existing constitutional limits on federal power over intrastate utilities. It emphasizes transparency in regulated industries but leaves rate approval processes unchanged at the state and federal levels.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Rep. Vindman, Eugene Simon [D-VA-7]
Recent Actions
- 2026-05-20: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
- 2026-05-20: Introduced in House
- 2026-05-20: Introduced in House
Bill Versions
- Utility Hikes Transparency Act — issued 2026-05-20 — PDF (4 pages)