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People & committees
Rep. Gottheimer, Josh [D-NJ-5] · D–NJ
Legislative record
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Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
No related bills are listed in this snapshot. This does not establish whether the proposal has appeared in earlier Congresses.
Source last updated: Mar 19, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-18 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
The bill proposes more informative electricity and gas bills for customers of utilities receiving federal funding. Bills would show how charges changed from the previous bill and the customer's average monthly energy use. The proposal also includes usage alerts and an option to receive a notice when charges reach an amount the customer chooses.
each covered electric utility shall establish a program under which such covered electric utility shall transmit information in accordance with this paragraph.
the term covered electric utility means an electric utility that receives funding from Federal sources, as determined by the Commission.
The term covered gas utility means a gas utility that receives funding from Federal sources, as determined by the Commission.
in each billing to a gas consumer of the covered gas utility, include— (i) the difference between the dollar amount charged in the billing and the dollar amount charged in the previous billing period; and (ii) in dollars and therms, the average monthly consumption of gas by such gas consumer
Each covered electric utility shall include in each billing to an electric consumer of the covered electric utility— (i) the difference between the dollar amount charged in the billing and the dollar amount charged in the previous billing period; and (ii) in dollars and in kilowatt hours, the average monthly consumption of electric energy by such electric consumer.
the relevant covered electric utility shall notify such electric consumer on the 10th day of the billing period of the excess consumption.
the relevant covered gas utility shall notify such gas consumer on the 10th day of the billing period about such exceedance.
a covered electric utility shall provide an option to each electric consumer to be notified by the covered electric utility in the event the electric consumer, within an active billing period, reaches a dollar amount— (i) that is based on the rate charged by a covered electric utility for providing electric service; (ii) that reflects the amount of electric energy consumed within the active billing period; and (iii) chosen by such electric consumer.
a covered gas utility shall provide an option to each gas consumer to be notified by the covered electric utility in the event the gas consumer, within an active billing period, reaches a dollar amount— (A) that is based on the rate charged by a covered gas utility for providing gas service; (B) that reflects the amount of gas consumed within the active billing period; and (C) chosen by such gas consumer.
Named the Know Your Rates Act, the proposal would amend existing federal utility-information standards. The electricity standard would address rate schedules and energy use; the added gas standard would address gas use. The surrounding law governing how these standards apply is not reproduced.
This Act may be cited as the Know Your Rates Act.
Section 113(b)(3) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (16 U.S.C. 2623(b)) is amended to read as follows: (3) Information to consumers Each electric utility shall transmit to each of its electric consumers information regarding rate schedules and consumption of electric energy in accordance with the requirements of section 115(f).
Section 303(b) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (15 U.S.C. 3203(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (7) Information to consumers Each gas utility shall transmit to each of its gas consumers information relating to the consumption of gas in accordance with section 304(c).
The new detailed information programs would cover electric and gas utilities that receive federal funding, as determined by the Commission. The supplied text does not identify the Commission or define which federal funding qualifies.
each covered electric utility shall establish a program under which such covered electric utility shall transmit information in accordance with this paragraph.
the term covered electric utility means an electric utility that receives funding from Federal sources, as determined by the Commission.
each covered gas utility shall establish a program
The term covered gas utility means a gas utility that receives funding from Federal sources, as determined by the Commission.
Each covered utility's bill would have to show the dollar difference from the previous billing period and the customer's average monthly use. Electricity averages would appear in dollars and kilowatt-hours; gas averages would appear in dollars and therms. The proposal does not specify the period used to calculate those monthly averages.
Each covered electric utility shall include in each billing to an electric consumer of the covered electric utility— (i) the difference between the dollar amount charged in the billing and the dollar amount charged in the previous billing period; and (ii) in dollars and in kilowatt hours, the average monthly consumption of electric energy by such electric consumer.
in each billing to a gas consumer of the covered gas utility, include— (i) the difference between the dollar amount charged in the billing and the dollar amount charged in the previous billing period; and (ii) in dollars and therms, the average monthly consumption of gas by such gas consumer
Covered electric and gas utilities would have to notify a customer on day 10 of a billing period if the customer's average daily use within the first nine days exceeds the previous billing period's daily average.
If within the first 9 days of a billing period the average daily consumption of electric energy by an electric consumer exceeds the average daily consumption of electric energy for the previous billing period, the relevant covered electric utility shall notify such electric consumer on the 10th day of the billing period of the excess consumption.
If within the first 9 days of a billing period the average daily consumption of gas by a gas consumer exceeds the average daily consumption of gas for the previous billing period, the relevant covered gas utility shall notify such gas consumer on the 10th day of the billing period about such exceedance.
A further usage notice would be required on day 20 if average daily use within the first 19 days exceeds the previous billing period's daily average. Customers could choose another comparison date, with notice due the following day if the threshold is exceeded.
If within the first 19 days of a billing period, or within another date an electric consumer chooses, the average daily consumption of electric energy by such electric consumer exceeds the average daily consumption of electric energy for the previous billing period, the relevant covered electric utility shall notify such electric consumer on the 20th day, or the day after the date on which the electric consumer chooses, of the excess consumption.
If within the first 19 days of a billing period, or within another date a gas consumer chooses, the average daily consumption of gas by such gas consumer exceeds the average daily consumption of gas for the previous billing period, the relevant covered gas utility shall notify such gas consumer on the 20th day, or the day after the date on which the gas consumer chooses, of the excess consumption.
Covered electric utilities would have to offer customers an optional alert when electricity use during the current billing period reaches a customer-chosen dollar amount, calculated using the utility's service rate. The provision offers a notice; it does not establish a cap on charges.
a covered electric utility shall provide an option to each electric consumer to be notified by the covered electric utility in the event the electric consumer, within an active billing period, reaches a dollar amount— (i) that is based on the rate charged by a covered electric utility for providing electric service; (ii) that reflects the amount of electric energy consumed within the active billing period; and (iii) chosen by such electric consumer.
Covered gas utilities would have to offer a similar optional alert based on gas use, the gas-service rate, and a customer-chosen dollar amount. However, the text says the customer would be notified by the covered electric utility, leaving the intended sender unclear. The gas-program provision also cites section 303(b)(c), although the bill adds the gas-information standard as section 303(b)(7).
a covered gas utility shall provide an option to each gas consumer to be notified by the covered electric utility in the event the gas consumer, within an active billing period, reaches a dollar amount— (A) that is based on the rate charged by a covered gas utility for providing gas service; (B) that reflects the amount of gas consumed within the active billing period; and (C) chosen by such gas consumer.
For purposes of the standard for information to consumers established by section 303(b)(c)
Section 303(b) of the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (15 U.S.C. 3203(b)) is amended by adding at the end the following: (7) Information to consumers
The supplied actions snapshot, updated March 19, 2026, records introduction in the House and referral to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce on February 18, 2025. It supplies no later action and does not establish whether the proposal subsequently advanced or became law.
Source snapshot updated 2026-03-19T08:06:44Z. 2025-02-18: Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. 2025-02-18: Introduced in House
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-18. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion does not extend to other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion does not establish the absence of earmarks in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
None identified in the reviewed text
No materially narrow preferential benefit, special exemption, or carve-out was identified in the complete supplied introduced text. Ordinary coverage and intended consumer protections do not alone constitute targeted benefits. This conclusion does not extend to other versions or accompanying materials.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Mar 19, 2026. How PlainBill uses AI