Water utilities; prohibition of multiple rate increases within 3-year period for water utilities.

Standardized spacing in section citations (e.g., changing '§ 56-235.4' to '§ 56-235.4') throughout the text for consistency.

Adjusted the reporting deadline in Section 2 from December 1, 2026, to December 1, 2027, to reflect the correct year for the upcoming legislative session.

Removed internal House committee metadata, including the bill number, amendment type, and sponsor information, as these are not part of the final enacted law.

Added the formal title 'VIRGINIA ACTS OF ASSEMBLY' and 'Approved' to indicate the bill has passed both chambers and is now law.

The bill title and text were changed to apply specifically to water utilities instead of all public utilities.

A new clause defines 'extraordinary circumstances' to include specific legal mandates like court orders, mergers, and compliance deadlines under federal environmental laws.

A new provision allows the Commission to issue non-binding preliminary determinations on whether a rate increase request qualifies as an extraordinary circumstance.

A new requirement mandates the State Corporation Commission to submit an annual report to legislative committees summarizing the number and types of rate increase applications filed under the new exception clause.

The document header and formatting were updated to match the standard 'House Substitute' layout, including the insertion of a specific bill tracking number.

A placeholder date ('OFFERED FOR CONSIDERATION 1/27/2026') was removed from the top of the document.

A unique bill identifier (26106002D) was added to the header for tracking purposes.