Groups that advocate for low-income Kentuckians and the environment would be largely barred from participating in cases over rising electricity costs and others put in front of the state’s utility regulators under newly filed Republican legislation.
Senate Bill 8 would change the makeup of the Kentucky Public Service Commission and limit when independent groups can intervene on behalf of residential consumers, naming the attorney general their “sole advocate” when he chooses to step in. GOP Sen. Brandon Smith of Hazard filed the bill Monday, just ahead of the Senate’s filing deadline. It is set to move through a committee vote on Wednesday morning.
Smith said he hopes the bill would ease some of the enormous pressure eastern Kentuckians feel from rising electricity bills. He said the PSC needs more commissioners and should appear less political.
“I've always had issues with them being under the governor — and any governor,” Smith said. “I'd like to remove at least the appearance of maybe politics being involved. So we are looking at moving it under the state auditor, which is usually very non-political.”
Several advocacy groups spoke with Kentucky Public Radio, sharing concerns over the bill’s limitations on who can intervene on behalf of ratepayers. They fear residential customers, especially low-income ones, would go without adequate representation.
Currently, the Public Service Commission consists of three members, all appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. Under SB 8, three members would still be governor-appointed, but the bill would add two more members to the commission who would be appointed by the state auditor. Gov. Andy Beshear and his lieutenant governor are the only Democrats elected to statewide office in Kentucky.
Read the rest at LPM News.
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