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Ratepayer Affordability and Transparency in Energy Act of 2026
To protect the reliability of the electric grid by preempting certain State climate mandates, and for other purposes.
Summary
This bill preempts state and local requirements for renewable energy or zero-emission electricity generation, prohibiting states, political subdivisions, and regulatory authorities from establishing or enforcing renewable portfolio standards or similar mandates that specify a percentage or quantity of electricity that must come from renewable or carbon-free sources. The bill also prohibits conditioning participation in electricity markets, cost recovery, or utility regulation on compliance with such renewable energy requirements. Any state law that is inconsistent with this preemption is voided and has no legal effect. The bill includes a savings provision that does not prevent states from owning or operating generation facilities that use renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free energy resources; it only restricts their ability to mandate such requirements.
AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill text — neutral, and may be imperfect. See the full text below for the exact wording.
Sponsor (1)
- Sen. Cotton, Tom [R-AR] (R-AR)
Money behind the sponsor
Top reported contributors to Tom Cotton’s campaign committee (2024 cycle) — who funds the bill’s sponsor, not a claim about this bill. Data from FEC.
- NULL $80,461
- APOLLO MANAGEMENT $25,600
- APOLLO GLOBAL MANAGEMENT $19,800
- BRODIE GENERATIONAL CAPITAL PARTNERS $13,200
- APOLLO $11,600
Organizations whose employees gave the most — itemized individual contributions grouped by the donor’s reported employer (FEC Schedule A). Full finance for Tom Cotton → · Outside spending →
Actions (2)
- Feb 11, 2026 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. · senate
- Feb 11, 2026 Introduced in Senate
Similar bills (6)
Bills with similar text or summary — includes reintroductions across Congresses. Ranked by semantic similarity of the bill text (computed locally); a neutral discovery aid, not a claim the bills are duplicates.
Full text
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 11, 2026
Mr. Cotton introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources
A BILL
To protect the reliability of the electric grid by preempting certain State climate mandates, and for other purposes.
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 “Ratepayer Affordability and Transparency in Energy Act of 2026”.
SEC. 2. PURPOSE.
The purpose of this Act is to safeguard the reliability of the electric grid by preempting State climate mandates, including renewable portfolio standards, that obstruct or distort energy infrastructure planning, inflate electricity costs, or otherwise imperil grid reliability.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) State law.—The term “State law” includes any constitution, statute, regulation, rule, ordinance, charter, order, or other authority of—
(A) a State; or
(B) any political subdivision of a State.
(2) State.—The term “State” means—
(A) a State;
(B) the District of Columbia;
(C) the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico; and
(D) any other territory or possession of the United States.
SEC. 4. PREEMPTION OF CERTAIN CLIMATE MANDATES.
(a) In General.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, no State, political subdivision of a State, or regulatory authority may establish, enforce, or continue in effect any requirement, standard, mandate, or program that—
(1) requires electricity generation, retail electricity sales, or electricity procurement to include a specified percentage or quantity of electricity derived from renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free energy resources; or
(2) conditions participation in wholesale or retail electricity markets, cost recovery, or utility regulation on compliance with a requirement described in paragraph (1).
(b) Voidness of Inconsistent Laws.—Any State law or other requirement that is inconsistent with subsection (a) is hereby preempted and shall have no force or effect.
(c) Savings Provision.—Nothing in this section prohibits a State, political subdivision of a State, or regulatory authority, as applicable, from owning or operating generation facilities that use renewable, zero-emission, or carbon-free energy resources. <all>
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