Sponsor
Marcia Carolyn Kaptur
Representative · D-OH
Representative · D-OH
Official title: To establish the Ratepayer Justice Fund and a Federal process to reimburse ratepayers and communities harmed by utility and utility executive misconduct, including corruption, and to hold accountable those responsible for such misconduct, and for other purposes.
Introduced July 15, 2026 by Marcia Carolyn Kaptur · Last progress July 15, 2026
The bill trades stronger accountability, direct restitution for harmed utility customers, and community infrastructure grants against increased administrative enforcement power, privacy risks, potential cost‑shifts to ratepayers/taxpayers, and broader liability and federal authority that may spur litigation and implementation delays.
Harmed utility customers (renters, homeowners, low- and middle-income households) will receive direct restitution and reimbursements when utilities engaged in misconduct, enabling recovery of overcharges and speeding payments through Treasury claims or refundable credits.
Low-income and residential customers are prioritized for payments and targeted relief from the Ratepayer Justice Fund, increasing the likelihood that households (especially the most vulnerable) get paid before non‑residential claimants.
Communities harmed by utility misconduct (including rural, urban, and tribal areas) can receive grants and technical assistance for grid upgrades, broadband, clean energy, and local infrastructure projects, supporting resilience and economic development.
Many Americans (ratepayers and taxpayers) could ultimately bear higher costs because administration, enforcement, and collection mechanisms — or fees/surcharges used to fund the program — may be passed through to consumers or increase federal spending.
For-profit utilities, parent companies, and executives face expanded liability (including a 20‑year lookback), reviving old claims and creating prolonged legal and financial uncertainty that could raise costs or reduce investment.
Sharing utility billing records and publishing program/grant details raises privacy and data‑security risks for customers and small communities unless safeguards are strict and well‑implemented.
Based on analysis of 14 sections of legislative text.
Creates a Ratepayer Justice Fund financed by assessments on utilities, executives, and lobbyists for misconduct, pays direct relief to eligible ratepayers, reimburses state consumer advocates, and funds community restoration grants.
Creates a federal program to identify misconduct by investor‑owned utilities (including commercial nuclear operators), assess financial penalties on utilities, C‑suite executives, and lobbyists, and use collected amounts to pay direct relief to eligible ratepayers and to fund community restoration projects. It sets up processes for federal‑state coordination, an intergovernmental working group, public reporting, and a claims system administered by Treasury for ratepayer restitution. Requires a Department of Energy assessment of affected nuclear plants and GAO review, establishes a Ratepayer Justice Fund to hold collections and disbursements without further appropriation, authorizes grants for impacted communities, reimburses state consumer advocates for successful litigation, and authorizes strong civil enforcement and criminal penalties for public officials, executives, and lobbyists convicted in relation to covered misconduct.