Ratepayer Bill of Rights Act of 2026
Latest action (24 Aug 2026): Introduced
What this bill does
H.R. 10139, the Ratepayer Bill of Rights Act of 2026, would require large data centers—those using at least 50 megawatts of electricity or withdrawing at least 100,000 gallons of water daily—to publicly disclose information about their operations. This includes projected and actual electricity and water use, wastewater discharge, infrastructure costs, and any public financial assistance received. The bill aims to ensure that data centers cover their own costs and do not shift expenses to ratepayers, including households, farmers, and small businesses.
The legislation would grant various rights to "ratepayers," defined to include households, farmers, ranchers, small businesses, schools, and hospitals. These rights include knowing a data center's resource demands, understanding infrastructure costs and their impact on bills, and not subsidizing a data center's expenses. It also addresses water and electricity reliability, mandates independent assessments before final service commitments, and protects rural water supplies. Affected communities would have the right to advance notice and public meetings before final decisions are made.
This bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on August 24, 2026, by Representative Henry Cuellar. It has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Education and Workforce for consideration. As an introduced bill, it has not yet been passed by either chamber of Congress or signed into law. The next steps would involve committee review, potential amendments, and votes in the House and Senate.
Plain-English summary generated by Bill100 AI from the official record. Always verify against the source below.
Official summary
This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process. It was introduced into Congress on August 24, 2026. It will typically be considered by committee next before it is possibly sent on to the House or Senate as a whole.
Common questions
- What does H.R. 10139 do?
- H.R. 10139, the Ratepayer Bill of Rights Act of 2026, would require large data centers—those using at least 50 megawatts of electricity or withdrawing at least 100,000 gallons of water daily—to publicly disclose information about their operations. This includes projected and actual electricity and water use, wastewater discharge, infrastructure costs, and any public financial assistance received. The bill aims to ensure that data centers cover their own costs and do not shift expenses to ratepayers, including households, farmers, and small businesses. The legislation would grant various rights to "ratepayers," defined to include households, farmers, ranchers, small businesses, schools, and hospitals. These rights include knowing a data center's resource demands, understanding infrastructure costs and their impact on bills, and not subsidizing a data center's expenses. It also addresses water and electricity reliability, mandates independent assessments before final service commitments, and protects rural water supplies. Affected communities would have the right to advance notice and public meetings before final decisions are made. This bill was introduced in the House of Representatives on August 24, 2026, by Representative Henry Cuellar. It has been referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Committee on Education and Workforce for consideration. As an introduced bill, it has not yet been passed by either chamber of Congress or signed into law. The next steps would involve committee review, potential amendments, and votes in the House and Senate.
- Has H.R. 10139 become law?
- Not yet. As of 24 Aug 2026, H.R. 10139 is introduced.
- Who sponsored H.R. 10139?
- H.R. 10139 was sponsored by Rep. Henry Cuellar [D-TX28] (Democrat-TX), with 5 cosponsors.
- What's the latest action on H.R. 10139?
- Introduced (24 Aug 2026).
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