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Ratepayer Affordability and Transparency in Energy Act of 2026

USA119th CongressS-3839| Senate 
| Updated: 2/11/2026
Tom Cotton

Tom Cotton

Republican Senator

Arkansas

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted
This legislation seeks to protect the reliability of the electric grid by preempting State climate mandates that could obstruct energy infrastructure planning or inflate electricity costs. Its primary purpose is to prevent States, political subdivisions, or regulatory authorities from establishing or enforcing requirements for electricity generation, retail sales, or procurement to include a specified percentage or quantity of electricity from renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free energy resources . The bill also prohibits conditioning participation in electricity markets, cost recovery, or utility regulation on compliance with such mandates. Any State law or requirement found to be inconsistent with these provisions is explicitly preempted and shall have no force or effect . However, the legislation includes a savings provision, clarifying that it does not prohibit a State from owning or operating generation facilities that utilize renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free energy resources.
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Timeline
Feb 11, 2026
Introduced in Senate
Feb 11, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  • February 11, 2026
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 11, 2026
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Energy

Ratepayer Affordability and Transparency in Energy Act of 2026

USA119th CongressS-3839| Senate 
| Updated: 2/11/2026
This legislation seeks to protect the reliability of the electric grid by preempting State climate mandates that could obstruct energy infrastructure planning or inflate electricity costs. Its primary purpose is to prevent States, political subdivisions, or regulatory authorities from establishing or enforcing requirements for electricity generation, retail sales, or procurement to include a specified percentage or quantity of electricity from renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free energy resources . The bill also prohibits conditioning participation in electricity markets, cost recovery, or utility regulation on compliance with such mandates. Any State law or requirement found to be inconsistent with these provisions is explicitly preempted and shall have no force or effect . However, the legislation includes a savings provision, clarifying that it does not prohibit a State from owning or operating generation facilities that utilize renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free energy resources.
View Full Text

Suggested Questions

Get AI-generated questions to help you understand this bill better

Timeline
Feb 11, 2026
Introduced in Senate
Feb 11, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
  • February 11, 2026
    Introduced in Senate


  • February 11, 2026
    Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.
Tom Cotton

Tom Cotton

Republican Senator

Arkansas

Energy and Natural Resources Committee

Energy

  • Introduced
  • In Committee
  • On Floor
  • Passed Chamber
  • Enacted