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Regulatory Fairness Act

Public Law 100-473 · H.R. 2858 · 100th Congress · began in the House

Signed by Ronald Reagan (R) on Oct 6, 1988 · Energy

Sponsor: Rep. Terry Bruce (D-IL-19)

Cosponsors (61): Rep. Sam Gejdenson,

Passage votes

  • HouseVoice vote
  • SenateVoice vote
Data notes

The final version of the law, as each chamber passed it. A chamber that passed it by voice vote or unanimous consent has no count. “Method not stated” means the record does not say how the chamber voted. Where the record has a member-by-member vote, the “Who voted for it” section shows who voted yea.

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Summary

The Congressional Research Service’s plain-language summary of what the law does.

Regulatory Fairness Act - Amends the Federal Power Act to direct the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to order a public utility to refund (with interest) those amounts determined by the Commission to be in excess of just and reasonable rates or charges. Requires the Commission to give the same preference to a refund proceeding as is provided for in a rate increase proceeding. States that if no final decision has been rendered by either the refund effective date or by the conclusion of the 180-day period commencing upon initiation of a refund proceeding the Commission shall state the reasons why and its estimate as to when it reasonably expects to make such decision. Authorizes the Commission to order a public utility to make refunds for the period subsequent to the refund effective date through a date 15 months later. Authorizes the Commission to order refunds for the period subsequent to the refund effective date and prior to conclusion of a proceeding if it determines that the proceeding was not resolved within the 15-month period because of dilatory behavior by the public utility.

Exempts registered electric utility holding companies from refund liability if such refund results from a reallocation of cost responsibility among such holding companies' subsidiaries (unless the Commission determines that the registered holding company would not experience any revenue reduction as a result of refund liability).

Declares that this Act does not expand or diminish the Commission's authority to issue orders under the Federal Power Act regarding electric utility rate increases and decreases.

Requires the Commission to study and report to the Congress regarding the impact of this Act upon the cost of capital paid by public utilities and the average time consumed to resolve refund proceedings.

Committees

The committees the bill was sent to, and what each did with it.

Data notes

A committee links to its page only where it exists in the current Congress; older and renamed committees are named without a link.

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Timeline

From introduction to signing, newest first: the committees, the floor and the president. 18 actions.

  1. Oct 6, 1988Became lawBecame law · Became Public Law No: 100-473.
  2. Became lawBecame law · Signed by President.
  3. Sep 29, 1988PresidentPresident · Presented to President.
  4. Sep 23, 1988Resolving differencesResolving differences · House Agreed to Senate Amendments by Voice Vote.
  5. Sep 8, 1988FloorFloor · Passed Senate with an amendment by Voice Vote.
  6. Aug 25, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  7. Aug 3, 1988CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  8. Nov 18, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  9. Oct 28, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
  10. Oct 27, 1987FloorFloor · Passed House (Amended) by Voice Vote.
  11. Oct 20, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Reported by House Energy and Commerce Committee
  12. Oct 14, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Markup by House Energy and Commerce Committee
  13. Oct 7, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Reported by Energy Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  14. CommitteeCommittee · Markup by Energy Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  15. CommitteeCommittee · Hearings by Energy Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  16. Jul 13, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to Energy Subcommittee of the House Energy and Commerce Committee
  17. Jul 1, 1987CommitteeCommittee · Referred to House Energy and Commerce Committee
  18. IntroducedIntroduced · Introduced in the House
Data notes

Shows the introduction, each committee and subcommittee step the source dates (referral, hearings, markup, report, discharge), and the floor, conference, presidential and became-law steps. Calendar placements, messages between the chambers, amendments and committee report numbers are not shown for laws before the 108th Congress. Two entries the source lists twice are shown once.

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Official record

The bill’s full text and every action, including introduction and committee steps, are on Congress.gov. Data through Oct 7, 2026.