FaCT Legislative Committee Updates

The Ohio General Assembly had an opportunity in 2024 to create a Community Owned Solar Pilot program. Both House Bill 197 and Senate Bill 247 were bipartisan bills with extensive community support. HB 197 was reviewed and examined through seven public hearings with 121 proponent testimonies and only 4 opponent testimonies. HB 79, a bipartisan energy efficiency bill that would have helped utilities offer voluntary energy audit and efficiency subsidies for their customers, was also expected to pass with wide support.  

Sadly, neither HB 197 or SB 247 was brought to the floor for a vote during the 135th Assembly. Both bills stalled and died in committee.

Now, Representative Roy Klopfenstein (R-Haviland) has introduced HB15 to the 136th Assembly, a bill that claims to be a “Comprehensive Energy Initiative to Support Economic Growth, Improve Affordability for Ratepayers.” This bill aims to improve energy generation and to allow for competitive rates for customers. We need to make sure that our legislators know that solar and wind energy generation is competitively priced, safe, clean, and widely supported in Ohio. 

Additionally, Ohio Manufacturers’ Association President Ryan Augsburger commented “utilities are not required to demonstrate reliability improvements to their grid investments." Augsburger warned that mandatory fees need to change, “to ensure customers are treated with respect and that the utilities' record of questionable judgment and ethics isn't continuing."

As HB15 is reviewed and developed in committee, please consider contacting members of the House Energy Committee to stress the need for legislators to include support for solar and wind energy in HB15. Regulators and industry professionals agree that the demand for energy in Ohio will increase with the growth of data centers. We can meet this demand, lower consumer energy costs, reuse brownfields, improve Ohio’s air quality, and increase local tax revenue by building large scale and community owned solar arrays and wind farms.  

Policymakers discussing energy reform need to hear from you!

The House Energy Committee Chair is Adams Holmes (R-Nashport). The full committee member list along with their contact information can be found on the House Energy Committee page. Let committee members know that HB15 must remove the hurdles currently in place for wind and solar energy development. HB15 must allow for solar in places it’s currently banned and it must amend the wind farm setback mandates that are driving developers out of Ohio. Tell committee members that you want to see the energy efficiency policies proposed in Sub. HB 79 passed into law, saving energy and lowering Ohio families’ monthly energy costs. 

In the next few weeks, the FaCT Legislative committee will organize messaging campaigns, so please check back and watch for emailed updates!