United States 115th Congress Status: In Committee 2 R cosponsors

S 529 — APPROVAL Act

Last action — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

  1. ✓
    Introduced
  2. 2
    In Committee
  3. 3
    Passed Senate
  4. 4
    Passed House
  5. 5
    To Executive
  6. 6
    Enacted

This bill died with 115th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.

This bill is no longer active — its legislative session has ended, so there is no live prognosis. It would have to be reintroduced in the current session to move again.

Summary

Assuring Private Property Rights Over Vast Access to Land Act or the APPROVAL Act This bill amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to prohibit the Department of Energy and the Southwestern and Western Area Power Administrations from using the power of eminent domain to implement modernization of electricity transmission infrastructure, unless they have received explicit permission to do so by: (1) the state governor and the head of each applicable public utility commission or public service commission of the affected state, and (2) the head of the governing body of each Indian tribe whose land would be affected. An electricity transmission infrastructure project, to the greatest extent practicable, must be sited upon either an existing federal right-of-way or upon federal land managed by either: (1) the Bureau of Land Management, (2) the Forest Service, (3) the Bureau of Reclamation, or (4) the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Bill Text

How this bill changes current law

6 changes Share ↗

Compared against current U.S. Code AI-generated reading aid — verify against the official bill.

The bill prohibits the use of eminent domain for certain electric power transmission projects authorized under 42 U.S.C. 16421 unless specified approvals are obtained.

  • 42 U.S.C. 16421

    (d) Prohibition on Eminent Domain.--Notwithstanding any other provision of law (including regulations), the Secretary, SWPA, and WAPA may not carry out any Project under this section through the use of eminent domain, unless the use of eminent domain is explicitly authorized by-- (1) the Governor and the head of each applicable public utility commission or public service commission of the affected State; and (2) the head of the governing body of each Indian tribe the land of which would be affected.

    Adds a new prohibition on using eminent domain for projects unless certain state and tribal approvals are obtained.

  • 42 U.S.C. 16421

    (d) → (f)

    Redesignates subsection (d) as (f).

  • 42 U.S.C. 16421

    (e) → (g)

    Redesignates subsection (e) as (g).

  • 42 U.S.C. 16421

    (f) → (h)

    Redesignates subsection (f) as (h).

  • 42 U.S.C. 16421

    (g) → (i)

    Redesignates subsection (g) as (i).

  • 42 U.S.C. 16421

    (e) Siting Requirement.--To the maximum extent practicable, a Project carried out under this section shall be sited on-- (1) an existing Federal right-of-way; or (2) Federal land managed by-- (A) the Bureau of Land Management; (B) the Forest Service; (C) the Bureau of Reclamation; or (D) the Corps of Engineers.

    Adds a new siting requirement for projects to optimize use of existing federal land and rights-of-way.

Action History

  1. Introduced in Senate

  2. Read twice and referred to the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

Sponsors

Sponsorship breakdown

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1 sponsors · 1 co-sponsors · 545 not signed on

Sponsors (1)

Co-sponsors (1)

Not signed on (545)

545 members have not signed on to this bill.

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"Not signed on" means a member has not sponsored or co-sponsored this bill — it does not imply opposition. Members flagged Voted No have a recorded No vote on this bill.

Whip count is in markup. Polling the chamber and every recorded vote this session. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Calling the roll · Tallying · Engrossing

Subjects

energy
Cross-referencing the record. Reading this bill against every other bill in the corpus by meaning, not keywords. Only the first open is slow. It’s instant for you after this. Matching · Ranking · Engrossing

Frequently asked questions

What does S 529 do?
Assuring Private Property Rights Over Vast Access to Land Act or the APPROVAL Act This bill amends the Energy Policy Act of 2005 to prohibit the Department of Energy and the Southwestern and Western Area Power Administrations from using the power of eminent domain to implement modernization of electricity transmission infrastructure, unless they have received explicit permission to do so by: (1) the state governor and the head of each applicable public utility commission or public service commission of the affected state, and (2) the head of the governing body of each Indian tribe whose land would be affected. An electricity transmission infrastructure project, to the greatest extent practicable, must be sited upon either an existing federal right-of-way or upon federal land managed by either: (1) the Bureau of Land Management, (2) the Forest Service, (3) the Bureau of Reclamation, or (4) the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
Who sponsors S 529?
S 529 is sponsored by Cotton, Tom (Republican) and Boozman, John (Republican).
What is the current status of S 529?
This bill died with 115th Congress. It reached “In Committee” and never advanced before the session ended, so it can no longer move — a new version would have to be reintroduced in the current session.
Where can I track S 529?
Track S 529 free on One Click Politics — get push/email alerts when it moves.

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