Virginia House Bill 2136

---

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: Introduced on January 7 2025 - 25% progression
Action: 2025-01-31 - Read first time
Text: Latest bill text (Comm Sub) [HTML]

Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman; established. Requires the State Corporation Commission to establish the Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman to protect the interests of residential customers of public utilities. The bill requires the Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman to (i) receive, review, and attempt to resolve any complaints from residential customers regarding public utilities; (ii) assist residential customers in understanding their rights and responsibilities under the terms of any agreement with a public utility; (iii) assist residential customers who are facing a cessation of service due to the dissolution of a public utility; (iv) assist residential customers who are facing a potential enforcement action initiated by the Commission or Commission staff; (v) in conjunction with complaint and inquiry data maintained by the Commission or by a public utility, maintain data on inquiries received, the types of assistance requested, any actions taken, and the disposition of each such matter; (vi) assist residential customers in using the procedures and processes available to them through their public utility or the Commission; (vii) ensure that residential customers have access to the services provided through the Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman and that the residential customers receive timely responses from the representatives of the Office of the Public Utility Ombudsman to the inquiries; and (viii) carry out activities as the Commission determines to be appropriate.

Public Utility Ombudsman,Office of the; established.

Del. Karen Keys-Gamarra [D]	Del. Joshua Cole [D]	Del. Rae Cousins [D]	Del. Rozia Henson [D]
Del. Marty Martinez [D]	Del. Sam Rasoul [D]	Del. Holly Seibold [D]

2025-01-29 - House - Reported from Appropriations (17-Y 4-N) (Y: 17 N: 4 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2025-01-27 - House - Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N) (Y: 6 N: 2 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]
2025-01-23 - House - Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute and referred to Appropriations (12-Y 10-N) (Y: 12 N: 10 NV: 0 Abs: 0) [PASS]
2025-01-21 - House - Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referred to Appropriations (6-Y 4-N) (Y: 6 N: 4 NV: 0 Abs: 1) [PASS]

Date	Chamber	Action
2025-01-31	House	Read first time
2025-01-29	House	Reported from Appropriations (17-Y 4-N)
2025-01-27	House	Subcommittee recommends reporting (6-Y 2-N)
2025-01-24	House	Assigned Approps sub: General Government and Capital Outlay
2025-01-23	House	Committee substitute printed 25105412D-H1
2025-01-23	House	Reported from Labor and Commerce with substitute and referred to Appropriations (12-Y 10-N)
2025-01-21	House	Subcommittee recommends reporting with substitute and referred to Appropriations (6-Y 4-N)
2025-01-21	House	Fiscal Impact Statement from State Corporation Commission (HB2136)
2025-01-16	House	Assigned L & C sub: Subcommittee #3
2025-01-07	House	Referred to Committee on Labor and Commerce
2025-01-07	House	Prefiled and ordered printed; Offered 01-13-2025 25104624D

Type	Source
Summary	https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/HB2136
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/HB2136/text/HB2136
Text	https://lis.virginia.gov/bill-details/20251/HB2136/text/HB2136H1
Supplement	https://lis.blob.core.windows.net/files/1024977.PDF
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB2136/20251/H14003V2510563
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB2136/20251/H14V2510843
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB2136/20251/H02004V2511209
Roll Call	https://lis.virginia.gov/vote-details/HB2136/20251/H02V2511713