HB 3179 West Virginia House of Delegates · 2025 Regular Session

Funding for failing public utilities

HB 3179 limits West Virginia's Public Service Commission's authority to order the acquisition of distressed or failing water and wastewater utilities. It requires the Commission to first evaluate alternatives like utility reorganization, management contracts, or mergers before ordering an acquisition, and prohibits forced acquisitions if the cost of necessary upgrades exceeds standard rates plus available grant funds. The bill also mandates annual reporting of distressed/failing utilities to the Legislature, Water Development Authority, and Infrastructure Council. This aims to prevent acquiring utilities from facing financial hardship due to costly acquisitions.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Apr 2025

House of Delegates Passage

Mar 2025

Senate Passage

Apr 2025

Signed into Law

Jul 2025

Introduced Mar 6, 2025 Signed Jul 31, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

Committee Substitute → Engrossed Committee Substitute · 4 edits · Apr 10, 2025

MODERATE

The bill was updated from a 'Committee Substitute' to an 'Engrossed Version', incorporating final amendments before becoming law. The most significant policy change clarifies the financial thresholds for when the state commission can force a utility to acquire a failing one, explicitly listing specific funding sources and combinations thereof that would cause financial hardship.

Scope change

The scope of the bill's applicability remains focused on utility acquisitions, but the specific criteria for determining 'financial hardship' for acquiring utilities have been expanded and clarified.

ELIGIBILITY

Updated the text to clarify that the commission cannot order an acquisition if the cost exceeds specific funding limits, including extension of mains rules, Water Development Authority grants, or other grants, or any combination of these.

REQUIREMENT

Added a colon after the introductory clause in Section (d) to properly introduce the list of financial thresholds.

TECHNICAL

Removed explanatory notes regarding bill status and formatting instructions that were part of the committee draft but not needed in the final version.

TIMELINE

Updated the header to reflect the bill's progression from a committee substitute to an enrolled, final version.

Floor votes · Senate Apr 10, 2025 · House of Delegates Mar 31, 2025

How they voted

33–0

Passed

Total votes 33

Apr 10, 2025

D Democratic2

2 Yea

100% Yea

R Republican31

31 Yea

100% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Apr 29, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by Governor 4/29/2025

lower

Apr 12, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by Governor 4/29/2025 - House Journal

lower

Apr 12, 2025

Signed into law

Approved by Governor 4/29/2025 - Senate Journal

upper

Apr 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

Passed Senate (Roll No. 441)

upper

Apr 7, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported do pass

upper

Apr 1, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in Senate

upper

Mar 31, 2025

Lower · Passed

Passed House (Roll No. 282)

lower

Mar 26, 2025

Lower · Passed

By substitute, do pass

lower

Mar 19, 2025

Committee

To House Energy and Public Works

lower

Mar 9, 2025

Committee

To House Enviroment, Infrastructure, and Technology

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Committee

To House Energy and Public Works

lower

Mar 6, 2025

Introduced

Introduced in House

lower

1 primary · 2 co-sponsors