KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Connecticut

SB00243 • 2026

AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY OF THE DESIGN OF RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC CUSTOMER BILLS.

AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY OF THE DESIGN OF RESIDENTIAL ELECTRIC CUSTOMER BILLS.

Energy Technology
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Energy and Technology Committee
Last action
2026-04-02
Official status
File Number 343
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date is October 1, 2026, but no information is provided about whether this law has been signed by the governor or vetoed.

Study on How Residential Electric Bills Show Charges

This law requires state officials to study how electric bills show charges and report recommendations if changes are needed.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority chairperson, with help from Consumer Counsel, to study residential electric bills.
  • Checks if current bill descriptions clearly explain what each charge is for.
  • Looks at whether moving parts of one charge into another would make the bill easier to understand or more accurate.
  • Finds other ways to show customers how their money supports specific programs funded by these charges.
  • Requires a final report with recommendations on redesigning bills by January 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Public Utilities Regulatory Authority
  • Consumer Counsel
  • Residential electric customers who receive monthly bills
  • Electric distribution companies that must provide written comments

Limits and Unknowns

  • The law only requires a study and recommendations; it does not automatically change how bills look.
  • The final report is due by January 1, 2027, but no specific changes are guaranteed after that date.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-02 LCO

    Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office

  2. 2026-04-02 Connecticut General Assembly

    Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, Senate

  3. 2026-04-02 Connecticut General Assembly

    Senate Calendar Number 229

  4. 2026-04-02 LCO

    File Number 343

  5. 2026-03-27 LCO

    Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 04/01/26 5:00 PM

  6. 2026-03-18 LCO

    Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office

  7. 2026-03-17 ET

    Joint Favorable Substitute

  8. 2026-02-20 Connecticut General Assembly

    Public Hearing 02/24

  9. 2026-02-19 Connecticut General Assembly

    Referred to Joint Committee on Energy and Technology

Official Summary Text

To require the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority to conduct a study concerning the depiction of the public benefits charge on residential electric customer bills.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Senate
sSB243 / File No. 343 1

General Assembly File No. 343
February Session, 2026 Substitute Senate Bill No. 243

Senate, April 2, 2026

The Committee on Energy and Technology reported through
SEN. NEEDLEMAN of the 33rd Dist., Chairperson of the
Committee on the part of the Senate, that the substitute bill
ought to pass.

AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY OF THE DESIGN OF RESIDENTIAL
ELECTRIC CUSTOMER BILLS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. (Effective October 1, 2026) (a) The chairperson of the Public 1
Utilities Regulatory Authority, in consultation with the Consumer 2
Counsel, shall conduct a study that analyzes the depiction and 3
description of charges on electric bills for residential electric customers. 4
Such study shall consider (1) whether such charges are adequately 5
depicted and described to inform a customer of the components of each 6
such charge, (2) whether moving any component of any such charge into 7
another charge would enhance a customer's understanding of such 8
component or more accurately reflect the nature of such component, 9
and (3) any other methods to increase transparency concerning the costs 10
and benefits of programs funded through such charges. 11
(b) If the chairperson finds that the depiction or description of any 12
such charge does not contain adequate information, or that any 13
sSB243 File No. 343

sSB243 / File No. 343 2

component of any such charge should be moved into another charge, 14
the chairperson shall provide detailed recommendations for additional 15
information to increase a customer's understanding of such charge and 16
recommendations on how residential electric customer bills may be 17
redesigned. Any such recommendations concerning a residential 18
customer electric bill redesign may include, but need not be limited to, 19
the (1) renaming of any residential electric bill charge category, (2) 20
creation of new residential electric bill charge categories, or (3) shifting 21
of components of one charge into another charge. In developing any 22
recommendations concerning a redesign of customer electric bills 23
pursuant to this section, the chairperson shall solicit written comment 24
from each electric distribution company. 25
(c) Not later than January 1, 2027, the chairperson shall submit a 26
report, in accordance with the provisions of section 11-4a of the general 27
statutes, that contains the analysis and recommendations of the 28
chairperson to the joint standing committee of the General Assembly 29
having cognizance of matters relating to energy. 30
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 New section

ET Joint Favorable Subst.

sSB243 File No. 343

sSB243 / File No. 343 3

The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill requires the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), in
consultation with the Consumer Counsel (OCC), to conduct a study
analyzing the description of charges on electric bills for residential
electric customers. This will not result in a fiscal impact to the state as
both PURA and OCC have the staff and expertise necessary to complete
the study.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None

sSB243 File No. 343

sSB243 / File No. 343 4

OLR Bill Analysis
sSB 243

AN ACT REQUIRING A STUDY OF THE DESIGN OF RESIDENTIAL
ELECTRIC CUSTOMER BILLS.

SUMMARY
The Office of Legislative Research does not analyze Special Acts.
COMMITTEE ACTION
Energy and Technology Committee
Joint Favorable Substitute
Yea 19 Nay 7 (03/17/2026)