Plain English Breakdown
The official text states the law expires within 90 days of enactment, but does not provide a specific calendar date for expiration.
Rate Plan Vacatur Interim Protections Emergency Amendment Act of 2026
This law temporarily stops electric companies in Washington, D.C., from cutting off power to homes for non-payment when a court cancels an approved electricity rate plan.
What This Bill Does
- Bans disconnecting electric service during the 'remand interim period' and for 15 days after it ends due to unpaid bills or fees.
- Allows disconnection only if a household owes more than $1,000 on average during this protected time.
- Defines how to calculate debt for single homes versus apartments where electricity usage cannot be measured per unit.
Who It Names or Affects
- Electric companies operating in the District of Columbia
- Households living in single-family residences or multifamily buildings with individual meters
- Tenants and owners in multifamily buildings without individual electric meters
Terms To Know
- Remand interim period
- The time after a court order cancels an approved multi-year electricity rate plan until a new plan is put into place.
- Vacated
- When a judge declares that a previous decision or rule, such as a rate plan, is no longer valid.
Limits and Unknowns
- This law remains in effect for no longer than 90 days after it takes effect.
- The exact start date depends on approval by the Mayor and potential veto overrides.
- It applies only to disconnections caused by non-payment of bills or fees, not other reasons.