On Tuesday, the Ohio Chamber of Commerce provided interested party testimony to the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee on Senate Bill 346. This legislation, sponsored by Senators Stephanie Kunze and Sean O’Brien, was introduced in response to the arrest of former Speaker Householder on federal bribery allegations surrounding the enactment of House Bill 6.
To provide some background, HB 6 is the controversial bill that was passed in July of last year to save Ohio’s nuclear power plants, but is also at the heart of what has been called the largest corruption scandal in Ohio’s history. Much of the first half of 2019 was spent by the legislature fashioning and passing HB 6, and during the second half of the year, we all witnessed an ugly battle to put – or stop from putting – a referendum on the ballot to repeal the bill. Then, following the arrest of former Speaker Larry Householder and four associates this past July, much of the second half of this year has been consumed by speculation about whether the legislature will repeal or let HB 6 stand.
In our testimony, the Ohio Chamber outlined our support of HB 6’s repeal but only if repeal is done in tandem with comprehensive reforms to Ohio’s energy policy that both balances a diverse portfolio of energy sources and technologies and provides for reliable, affordable sources of energy. Simply repealing HB 6 will likely lead to higher electricity bills for consumers, including businesses. That is why we would want to see a repeal of HB 6 that contemplates changes that do not increase costs to ratepayers. We also outlined the importance of integrity within the legislative process. As stated in a recent op-ed by the Ohio Chamber’s President & CEO, the Ohio Chamber believes in “making Ohio a better place to do business and it requires leaders – whether in business or government – to be held to the highest standards of integrity and ethical conduct.”
SB 346 is assisted by two companion bills in the House, HB 738 and HB 746, that completely repeal HB 6. Representative Mark Romanchuk has also introduced a bill pertaining to HB 6 that would repeal and replace some of its provisions (HB 772). Some of these provisions include eliminating the nuclear and solar subsidies as well as the extended cost recovery for OVEC’s coal fired plants, erasing the decoupling provision, refunding ratepayers on decoupling fees already collected and removing the renewable portfolio standards and energy efficiency mandates.
In a more recent development in the HB 6 debate, was the introduction of HB 798 by Representative Jim Hoops on Tuesday. HB 798 would delay the nuclear and solar subsidies associated with HB 6 for a year, enact stronger auditing provisions and modify the decoupling provision.
As SB 346 and other HB 6 repeal bills make their way through the legislature, the Ohio Chamber will continue to advocate for energy policies that diversify Ohio’s energy portfolio while keeping costs low for ratepayers.