SB 516 Virginia Senate · 2026 Regular Session

Electric utilities; disconnection reports, State Corporation Commission database, annual summary.

Summary
Electric utilities; disconnection reports; State Corporation Commission database; annual summary. Requires each investor-owned utility and electric cooperative operating in the Commonwealth to provide a monthly report on residential account disconnections to the State Corporation Commission. The monthly report is required to include specific information outlined in the bill, including the number of residential accounts involuntarily disconnected due to nonpayment, the amount of time in which such accounts were reconnected to service, the amounts of arrearages attributable to such disconnected accounts and other residential accounts, and information related to how many of the disconnected accounts participate in a payment assistance program or have a serious medical condition certification form on file with the electric utility. The bill requires the Commission to publish the information from such monthly reports in a comprehensive and easily accessible online database. The bill also requires the Commission to submit an annual executive summary to the Governor and the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation on trends in electric utility disconnections based on the reports submitted by electric utilities, the first of which is due by September 1, 2027. The bill has a delayed effective date of July 1, 2027. As introduced, this bill was a recommendation of the Commission on Electric Utility Regulation. This bill is identical to HB 828.
Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Jan 2026
Committee Review
Mar 2026
Senate Passage
Mar 2026
House of Delegates Passage
Mar 2026
Signed into Law
Apr 2026
Introduced Jan 13, 2026 Signed Apr 13, 2026
Maddy AI version diff · 4 comparisons

What changed between versions

Labor and Commerce Substitute Chaptered · 4 edits
MODERATE
The bill was finalized into law, changing the terminology from 'customers' to 'accounts' throughout the text. It also added a requirement for utilities to submit a narrative explanation alongside the data and updated the annual summary to include disconnection rates and utility-specific differences.
Scope change
The scope of reporting expanded to require a narrative explanation from each utility and to include disconnection rates in the annual summary.
REQUIREMENT

Changed the term 'residential customers' to 'residential accounts' throughout the statute to align with industry terminology.

Added a new requirement for utilities to submit a narrative by August 1, 2027, explaining the trends in their disconnection data.

Updated the annual executive summary to include disconnection rates and notable differences between utilities.

TECHNICAL

Added formatting headers and chapter information indicating the bill was approved and enacted as Chapter 677.

Floor votes · Senate Feb 11, 2026 · House of Delegates Feb 27, 2026

How they voted

390
Passed
Total votes 39
Feb 11, 2026
D Democratic20
20 Yea
100% Yea
R Republican19
19 Yea
100% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
45
Key actions
13
Committee
9
Apr 13, 2026
Signed into law
Approved by Governor-Chapter 677 (effective 7/1/2026)
executive
Mar 31, 2026
Lower · Passed
Signed by Speaker
lower
Mar 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Signed by President
upper
Mar 30, 2026
Upper · Passed
Bill text as passed Senate and House (SB516ER)
upper
Mar 13, 2026
Lower · Passed
Conference report agreed to by House (95-Y 0-N 0-A)
lower
Mar 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Conference report agreed to by Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Mar 12, 2026
Legislature · Passed
Conference Report released
legislature
Mar 4, 2026
Committee
House requested conference committee
lower
Feb 27, 2026
Lower · Passed
Passed House with substitute (96-Y 0-N 0-A)
lower
Feb 24, 2026
Lower · Passed
Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute (21-Y 0-N)
lower
Feb 19, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce
lower
Feb 13, 2026
Upper · Passed
Read third time and passed Senate (39-Y 0-N 0-A)
upper
Feb 11, 2026
Upper · Passed
Passed by for the day Block Vote (Voice Vote)
upper
Feb 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Reported from Commerce and Labor with substitute (14-Y 0-N)
upper
Feb 9, 2026
Upper · Passed
Senate committee offered
upper
Jan 13, 2026
Committee
Referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor
upper
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of Creigh Deeds
Creigh Deeds
DDemocratic
VA
11