End PG&E Lobbying Act

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 7214 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






119th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 7214

    To amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to 
   establish a Federal standard relating to a two-year lobbying ban.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 22, 2026

   Mr. Harder of California introduced the following bill; which was 
            referred to the Committee on Energy and Commerce

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
    To amend the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 to 
   establish a Federal standard relating to a two-year lobbying ban.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``End PG&E Lobbying Act''.

SEC. 2. CONSIDERATION OF STANDARD FOR TWO-YEAR LOBBYING BAN.

    (a) In General.--Section 111(d) of the Public Utility Regulatory 
Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2621(d)) is amended by adding at the 
end the following:
            ``(22) Two-year lobbying ban for former member of state 
        regulatory authority.--A person who is a former member of a 
        State regulatory authority may not, during the period of 2 
        years beginning on the date on which such membership 
        terminated--
                    ``(A) appear, lobby, or practice before such State 
                regulatory authority to--
                            ``(i) influence a decision of, or action 
                        by, such State regulatory authority; or
                            ``(ii) gain information from such State 
                        regulatory authority that is not generally 
                        available to the public; or
                    ``(B) render services for compensation in relation 
                to any case, proceeding, application, or other matter 
                before such State regulatory authority.''.
    (b) Conforming Amendments.--
            (1) Obligations to consider and determine.--Section 112 of 
        the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 
        2622) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (b), by adding at the end the 
                following:
            ``(9)(A) Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment 
        of this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with 
        respect to each electric utility for which the State has 
        ratemaking authority) shall commence consideration under 
        section 111, or set a hearing date for consideration, with 
        respect to the standard established by paragraph (22) of 
        section 111(d).
            ``(B) Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of 
        this paragraph, each State regulatory authority (with respect 
        to each electric utility for which the State has ratemaking 
        authority) shall complete the consideration and make the 
        determination under section 111 with respect to the standard 
        established by paragraph (22) of section 111(d).'';
                    (B) in subsection (c)--
                            (i) by striking ``subsection (b)(2)'' and 
                        inserting ``subsection (b)''; and
                            (ii) by inserting ``In the case of the 
                        standard established by paragraph (22) of 
                        section 111(d), the reference contained in this 
                        subsection to the date of enactment of this Act 
                        shall be deemed to be a reference to the date 
                        of enactment of that paragraph (22).'' after 
                        ``paragraph (21).''; and
                    (C) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(i) Other Prior State Actions.--Subsections (b) and (c) shall not 
apply to the standard established by paragraph (22) of section 111(d) 
in the case of any electric utility in a State if, before the date of 
enactment of this subsection--
            ``(1) the State has implemented for the electric utility 
        the standard (or a comparable standard);
            ``(2) the State regulatory authority for the State has 
        conducted a proceeding to consider implementation of the 
        standard (or a comparable standard) for the electric utility; 
        or
            ``(3) the State legislature has voted on the implementation 
        of the standard (or a comparable standard) for the electric 
        utility during the 3-year period ending on that date of 
        enactment.''.
            (2) Prior and pending proceedings.--Section 124 of the 
        Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2634) 
        is amended by adding at the end the following: ``In the case of 
        the standard established by paragraph (22) of section 111(d), 
        the reference contained in this section to the date of 
        enactment of this Act shall be deemed to be a reference to the 
        date of enactment of that paragraph (22).''.
                                 <all>