Tax break for utility bills shifts cost to federal budget
H.R. 8350 — No Taxes on Utility Bills Act · Filed by Josh Riley (D-NY) · 3 cosponsors · Introduced Apr 16, 2026 · Referred to committee
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What it does
This bill allows taxpayers to deduct taxes and state-mandated surcharges that appear on their gas and electric utility bills from their federal income taxes. Currently, most utility taxes and surcharges are not deductible; this change would let individuals and businesses reduce their taxable income by the amount of these charges, effectively shifting some of the cost of state utility regulation onto the federal government through foregone tax revenue.
Why we flagged it
The bill's sole operative mechanism is to expand the scope of deductible expenses under IRC §164(a) to include utility taxes and surcharges. It is a straightforward tax-code amendment with no hidden riders or complex cross-references.
What the text implies
- Deduction benefit is largest for high-income taxpayers in high-tax states with high utility surcharges, potentially widening regional and income-based tax disparities.
- State-mandated surcharges often fund renewable energy, grid modernization, or low-income assistance programs; deductibility shifts their cost burden upward to federal level.
The full analysis lists 3 implications of this text.
Who stands to gain
Individual taxpayers with utility bills; Businesses with utility expenses; High-income households in high-tax states