EVANSVILLE — Summer study committees have been announced for the Indiana General Assembly, but high utility costs aren’t on the list.
Earlier this year, State Rep. Alex Burton, D-Evansville, asked the Legislative Council to assign electric utility rates, charges and fees to an interim study committee. His letter to the council was also signed by Sen. Jim Tomes, Rep. Cindy Ledbetter and Rep. Matt Hostettler, as Southern Indiana residents continue to battle high costs from CenterPoint Energy.
Burton sent a news release Thursday after the study committee announcements this week and described it as a mixed moment.
“While I’m proud of the work we’ve done to raise the issue of soaring utility rates in Southwest Indiana, I’m disappointed that our bipartisan effort to formally study this crucial topic was not selected,” he stated. “Still, this is far from the end of the road.”
Interim study committees allow legislators to dive into high-priority topics between sessions. The Legislative Council reviews topics suggested for study, and then selects which are assigned to committee. The council is a 16-member body made of up Republican and Democrats.
Burton said he is pushing to serve on the Energy, Utilities, and Telecommunications study committee formed for the summer.
According to the breakdown of committees shared from the Legislative Council, that committee will be tasked with reviewing annual reports from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.
“Our region, and the state as a whole, deserves answers, action and a plan forward,” Burton stated. “I remain committed to ensuring that Southwest Indiana has a voice at the table.”
Burton, who was in his first term as a state legislator, said he worked to build relationships and credibility while working toward a future where Indiana has energy aligned with the state’s five core pillars − reliability, resilience, stability, affordability and environmental sustainability.
This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: High utility costs not selected for summer study despite ask from Evansville legislators
Reporting by Sarah Loesch, Evansville Courier & Press / Evansville Courier & Press
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
