MACo Policy Associate Alex Butler testified to the Senate Finance Committee to support SB 315 (CF HB 561) – Electric Industry – Community Choice Energy. MACo staff previously testified before the House Economic Matters Committee to support the House version. This bill grants counties greater flexibility in energy purchasing for their communities to help foster competition, lower prices, or pursue cleaner supply.

From the MACo Testimony:

The bill provides important benefits and consumer protections – most notably a clear “opt out” for anyone in the affected community who does not seek to join the cooperative effort. Notice and transparency requirements ensure the public is well informed prior to an aggregator forming and kept aware of the terms and conditions once one is formed. Community aggregators are also limited in their ability to assess any new charges as those must be limited to the costs of the electricity or its transmission.

Follow MACo’s advocacy efforts during the 2020 legislative session on MACo’s Legislative Tracking Database.