Sponsors
The bill strengthens integrity and impartiality in state utility regulation by imposing a two‑year post‑service restriction on former regulators, at the cost of added administrative burden and short‑term economic impacts for utilities, some former officials, and possibly consumers.
State regulatory agencies and the public (consumers and taxpayers) will face reduced conflicts of interest and more impartial utility decisions because former regulators are barred for two years from influencing or accessing nonpublic matters.
State governments retain flexibility to evaluate and adopt or reject the federal standard within set timeframes (1–2 years), allowing adaptation to local procedures.
Utilities and their counsel may face short-term disruption and increased legal/compliance costs to adapt to the new restrictions, which could be passed on to customers.
State regulatory bodies will incur administrative costs and added workload to hold proceedings and adopt or reject the standard within required deadlines.
Former regulators who relied on post-service consulting work may lose income because they cannot be paid for matters before their former authority for two years.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Imposes a two‑year ban on former state regulatory members from lobbying or providing paid services before their former State regulatory authority, and requires States to consider adopting the rule within set deadlines.
Introduced January 22, 2026 by Josh Harder · Last progress January 22, 2026
Creates a new federal standard that bans former members of a State regulatory authority from appearing, lobbying, or providing paid services before that same State authority for two years after their membership ends. It also requires each State regulatory authority to open and complete a proceeding to consider implementing this two‑year post‑service restriction within set deadlines tied to the date the law is enacted, with limited exemptions for States that already acted recently. The bill adds the new restriction into federal utility law, sets a one‑year deadline to begin and a two‑year deadline to complete the state consideration process, and clarifies the effective reference date for the new rule in the U.S. Code.