A Bill to Undo US Bulb Rules Cleared a Senate Panel. What It Means for You

On September 30, 2026, the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee ordered S. 1568 reported favorably, a bill that would void the federal rules behind the phase-out of ordinary incandescent bulbs and repeal the section of the law they rest on. It is not law. As of October 20, 2026, bulbs below 45 lumens per watt, which rules out standard incandescent and halogen bulbs, still cannot be sold, so switching to LEDs remains the practical choice.

Key takeaways

The federal 45 lumens-per-watt sales prohibition began July 25, 2022, and a 2024 rule sets stricter minimums for bulbs manufactured from July 25, 2028. S. 1568 would void both, but it has only cleared committee.
The federal and state rules covered here restrict sales of new bulbs, not use of bulbs you already own. California and Vermont add their own bans on selling fluorescent lamps.
At July 2026 average residential electricity prices, swapping one 60 W bulb for a 9 W LED used 3 hours a day saves about 56 kWh and $10.23 a year.

What it means for you

Leftover incandescents or CFLs at home: you can keep using them. CFLs contain mercury, so recycle them when they burn out (see the disposal section).
Renters: ask before changing a dimmer or fixture, since lease terms vary.
Dimmers or enclosed fixtures: not every LED suits them, so read the package first.
Small landlords replacing many fixtures: the 2028 rule applies to bulbs manufactured from July 25, 2028, and California and Vermont already restrict sales of fluorescent tubes and CFLs.
California or Vermont: screw-base CFLs and, later, tubes can no longer be sold new.

Where federal rules stand in 2026

A general service lamp (GSL) is the ordinary bulb used for everyday lighting. Since July 25, 2022, federal rules have prohibited the sale of any GSL below 45 lumens per watt, and incandescent and halogen GSLs cannot meet that level, DOE says in its April 2024 final rule. DOE's enforcement policy phased in enforcement: full enforcement for manufacturers and importers from January 1, 2023, and for distributors and retailers from July 2023.

That 2024 rule (89 FR 28856) is the next step. It took effect July 3, 2024, and its stricter efficiency and power-factor minimums apply to GSLs manufactured on or after July 25, 2028. It does not apply to general service OLED lamps, or to certain lamps sold in packs of two or fewer: lamps that switch between a colored setting and ordinary white light, and lamps with built-in extras such as a speaker or camera that can run in standby mode.

What Congress and DOE did in 2026

The Liberating Incandescent Technology Act of 2025, S. 1568, was introduced May 1, 2025. Its text would give "no force or effect" to DOE's two May 2022 lamp rules (the 45 lumens-per-watt standard and the wider GSL definition) and the 2024 rule, and would strike the lamp standards section of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act, section 325(i). Congress.gov lists a committee hearing on September 16, 2026 and, on September 30, an order to report the bill favorably without amendment. Its House twin, H.R. 3341, has not moved since it was referred to committee on May 13, 2025.

Congress.gov shows no vote count. Facilities Dive reported an 11-9 committee vote, and Inside Lighting reported that DOE Associate Deputy Secretary Alex Fitzsimmons endorsed the bill at the September 16 hearing. Facilities Dive also quoted the industry group NEMA saying the debate made adding the bill to year-end packages seem less likely.

Bulbs the GSL rules do not cover

The GSL definition in 10 CFR 430.2 excludes 26 types of lamp. Examples include appliance lamps, black light and bug lamps, colored lamps, plant light lamps, marine lamps, showcase lamps, sign service lamps, traffic signal lamps, infrared lamps and general service fluorescent lamps. Several entries have size, shape or base conditions, so check the definition before assuming a bulb is exempt.

State bans on fluorescent lamps

These state rules ban selling new mercury-containing lamps; bulbs already installed are not affected by the texts reviewed here. This is general information, not legal advice; check your state environmental agency.

State	What is restricted	Start date
California (AB 2208)	Screw- or bayonet-base CFLs	January 1, 2024, per the author's fact sheet (June 30, 2022)
California (AB 2208)	Pin-base CFLs and linear fluorescent lamps	January 1, 2025, same source
Vermont	Screw-base mercury-containing CFLs	No later than February 17, 2023, per a Vermont DEC determination dated February 17, 2022
Vermont	General-purpose four-foot linear tubes and GU-24 twist-base CFLs	January 1, 2024, per a Vermont DEC notice (November 14, 2023)

California exempts some specialty lamps, including those used for image capture, projection and disinfection. Vermont's 2024 restriction does not cover specialty four-foot bulbs such as ultraviolet and germicidal. A July 2023 trade report listed other states, including Colorado, Hawaii, Maine and Rhode Island, with their own start dates; check your state's current rule before a bulk purchase.

How to choose an LED

Lumens measure brightness; watts measure energy use. ENERGY STAR's brightness guidance lists minimum lumens to replace older bulbs: 450 for a 40 W, 800 for a 60 W, 1,100 for a 75 W and 1,600 for a 100 W incandescent. DOE's light bulb buying guide shows an 800-lumen LED drawing 5.9 to 10.5 W.

Savings and life. ENERGY STAR says LEDs produce light up to 90% more efficiently than incandescents. DOE's LED basics page expects good white LED products to last 30,000 to 50,000 hours, against about 1,000 for a typical incandescent and 8,000 to 10,000 for CFLs.

Color temperature (K). Lower Kelvin means warmer light. The DOE buying guide lists 2,700K as warm (homes, restaurants), 3,000K as soft, 3,500K as neutral and 4,100K as cool (offices, classrooms) and warns that large jumps are noticeable.

Color rendering index (CRI). This scores how natural colors look. DOE recommends a minimum CRI of 80 for interior lighting and calls 90 or higher excellent, per the LED basics page. The buying guide notes that EPA ended ENERGY STAR for light bulbs on December 31, 2024, so read the CRI on the package rather than looking for the label.

Dimmers and enclosed fixtures. The DOE buying guide says to check the package or specifications to confirm a bulb is dimmable and compatible with your dimming system. It also says fully enclosed fixtures trap heat that can shorten the life of some LEDs, so confirm the package allows enclosed use.

Worked example: one 60 W bulb

Illustrative example. The bulb is a 60 W incandescent that gives about 800 lumens. The FTC says an LED can match that with about 9 W. The price is the US average residential price in EIA's Electric Power Monthly, released September 24, 2026: 18.31 cents per kWh for July 2026, up from 17.45 cents in July 2025 (4.9%). Use is 3 hours a day.

annual kWh = watts x hours per day x 365 / 1,000
annual cost = annual kWh x price per kWh
payback (years) = bulb price / annual savings

Bulb	Annual kWh	Annual cost at $0.1831
60 W incandescent	65.7	$12.03
9 W LED	9.9	$1.80
Difference	55.8 (85% less)	$10.23

Assumed, unsourced price: the LED costs $2. Payback is $2 / $10.23, about 0.2 years or 2.3 months. At an assumed $5 it is about 0.5 years, or 5.9 months. Savings shrink for lamps used little: at 1 hour a day the same swap saves about $3.41 a year, and a $5 bulb takes about 18 months to pay back.

To run your own numbers, use the running cost calculator or the payback calculator.

Disposal of CFLs and LEDs

EPA recommends recycling CFLs and other mercury-containing bulbs rather than putting them in household trash. It lists California, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Washington as states that prohibit discarding these lamps in landfills. Local waste agencies, retailers and mail-back kits are the options it names.

LED rules vary by state. CalRecycle says never to put LED lights in the trash because they often have toxic metals. Vermont lists LEDs among bulbs without mercury that may go in the trash. New York's DEC says LED bulbs may be hazardous waste because of lead solder, though households are exempt and it strongly encourages recycling.

Frequently asked questions

Will incandescent bulbs return to store shelves soon?

Not on current evidence. S. 1568 has only cleared committee, its House twin has not moved, and the Facilities Dive report cited above quotes NEMA saying its members no longer make incandescent bulbs. Even if the bill became law, that would allow such bulbs to be sold, not require anyone to make them.

Does an LED really stay cooler?

It wastes less energy as heat. ENERGY STAR says incandescent bulbs release 90% of their energy as heat, and that the hotter LEDs run, the faster their light degrades, which is why enclosed fixtures matter.

How long will an LED last at 3 hours a day?

DOE expects good products to run 30,000 to 50,000 hours, which at 1,095 hours a year is 27 to 46 years on paper. ENERGY STAR defines LED life as the point where light output has dropped 30 percent, so the bulb dims gradually rather than burning out. Real life depends on heat and product quality.

Do I need to replace working CFLs now?

No. The federal and state rules reviewed here restrict sales, not use. Recycle each CFL when it fails.

Can I drop off old CFLs at a store?

Often. EPA lists chains such as Home Depot, Lowe's and Ikea, but not every store participates and some take only certain bulbs, so call first.

Checklist before you buy

List fixtures by use and note which sit on dimmers or are fully enclosed.
Pick lumens from ENERGY STAR's chart, then the lowest wattage that delivers them.
Match the color temperature of the bulb you are replacing (2,700K is DOE's warm, home setting), and pick CRI 80 or higher.
Check the package or manufacturer's specifications for dimmer compatibility and enclosed-fixture suitability.
Buy one bulb to test before buying a box, and keep the receipt.
Recycle CFLs, and check your state's rule for LEDs.