VICTORY: Gov. signs legislation to tackle high utility bills, protect consumers

Governor Jared Polis signed into law a CoPIRG-back bill that will add new consumer protections aimed at the main causes of the volatile, high utility bills Coloradans faced this winter. SB23-291, sponsored by Representatives Chris deGruy Kennedy and Matthew Martinez, and Senate President Steve Fenberg and Senator Lisa Cutter was introduced after weeks of expert testimony before the Colorado Joint Select Committee on Rising Utility Rates.

After gas prices spiked 40% this winter, driving the surge in Coloradans’ utility bills, this bill focuses on protecting investor-owned utility ratepayers in the following ways:

• Reducing the number of unnecessary types of expenses ratepayers can be billed for including utility lobbying, political contributions, brand advertising and tax penalties
• Increasing transparency around proposed gas rates and giving the Public Utilities Commission and consumer watchdogs more tools to protect ratepayers
• Eliminating wasteful ratepayer subsidies that expand gas infrastructure, and reliance on volatile gas prices, to new buildings. In testimony, the Utility Consumer Advocate estimated the subsidies cost ratepayers $1,000 per home.
• Requiring a set of studies and evaluations to improve the PUC’s ability to help ratepayers avoid unnecessary costs including new investments that do not make fiscal sense

To protect consumers from high utility bills, we need to cut waste, increase efficiencies and reduce our reliance on volatile, expensive fuels, like gas, to heat and power our homes.

This bill will reduce unnecessary expenses that ratepayers can be on the hook for, give the Public Utilities Commission and consumer advocates more tools to stop utility plans that are not aligned with customers, and help consumers reduce their exposure to volatile gas prices which spiked 40% this winter.