By Bryan McDaniel
CUB’s Director of Governmental Affairs
The thing about consumer advocates is that we never give up. That’s why year after year, we’re advocating for strong, pro-consumer policy in the halls of the State Capitol. Here’s a summary of what we’re working on.
Senate Bill 75: The Water Affordability Act
The 2025 session is off to a fast start for consumers with the assignment of SB 75, the Water Affordability Act, to a Senate Committee. CUB helped to introduce the bill along with Sen. Laura Murphy. It’s never easy to pass good consumer legislation in Springfield and this bill will be no different–we face stiff opposition from Aqua Illinois and Illinois American Water, which just received rate hikes. The legislation would end the Qualifying Infrastructure Plant (QIP) surcharge, which allows water utilities to raise rates more quickly, and it would require shareholders to pay the majority of the price tag when a utility purchases a water or sewer system. Under current law, Aqua and Illinois American can charge customers for 100 percent of those costs.
Take Action: Urge Springfield to Pass the Water Affordability Act (SB 75)
Senate Bill 1275: The Utility Transparency Act
CUB has worked with Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton to have SB 1275, the Utility Transparency Act, introduced again this year. The measure follows similar legislation passed in Colorado, Maine, and Connecticut that helped reduce certain ridiculous expenses utilities can recover from ratepayers. The measure here in Illinois would prohibit investor-owned private utilities like ComEd, Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas, Ameren and Illinois American Water from charging customers for these expenses:
- Memberships in trade associations that push their agenda;
- Work devoted to political issues campaigns, such as referendums;
- Pricey insurance the utilities buy to protect their shareholders;
- Goodwill advertising that enhances a utility’s image and benefits shareholders;
- Outside lawyers and experts when a utility pushes for a rate hike.
Needless to say, the utilities aren’t excited about this bill. Ratepayers should not be paying to enhance utility political power and utility efforts to raise rates. SB 1275 is a commonsense measure.
Take Action: Urge Springfield to Pass the Utility Transparency Act (SB 1275)
House Bill 1284: Electric and Gas Customer Protection Act
Market reports, based on alternative supplier rate data submitted to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), continue to show that consumers with alternative electric suppliers have suffered hundreds of millions of dollars in losses, compared with the utility price. HB 1284, sponsored by Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet, features two critical consumer protections that will help to ensure Illinois electric and gas markets are working as intended for consumers. The bill would:
- require a customer signature if the supplier wants to increase its rate at the time of auto renewal;
- prohibit supplier agents from being paid on commission.
CUB is tired of meeting consumers being charged double and even triple the utility price. It’s wrong, and it needs to end. HB 1284 would go a long way towards helping.
Take Action: Support the Electric and Gas Customer Protection Act (HB 1284)
House Bill 1802: Electric Utility Accountability
HB 1802 , sponsored by Rep Joyce Mason, is an important bill that would greatly increase the transparency of most committee votes within Regional Transmission Organizations (RTOs)–the power grid operators that have a major impact on how clean and affordable our electricity is.
Having unfamiliar names, such as PJM and MISO, these regional organizations coordinate the movement of electricity over large transmission lines and they create the markets in which electric wholesale prices are set. Generators and utilities (like ComEd) tend to dominate decision-making at RTOs around the country. Currently at PJM, votes taken at the lower committee level are not made public. Meaning generators and utilities can vote against consumer interests under the cover of “nondisclosure.”
HB 1802 would shed light on their actions by requiring utilities to file a report detailing their positions on certain votes they take at the RTOs. CUB is working with legislators in a number of PJM states on this issue through our Consumers for a Better Grid campaign.
Take Action: Support Electric Utility Accountability (HB 1802)
CUB is also fighting for the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability (CRGA) Act (SB2473/HB3779), comprehensive energy legislation that will build off of the historic Climate and Equitable Jobs Act (CEJA) to cost-effectively strengthen the power grid.
Take action: Support the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act.
CUB will be sure to send you updates on these legislative fights that are so important to your bottom lines. (If you haven’t already, please join CUB’s Action Network–our e-newsletter list–to get those updates.) Of course, none of this would be possible without your voice and continued support. YOU are the key to CUB’s legislative agenda, so please make your voice heard this spring, whether it’s responding to CUB Action Alerts or filling out witness slips for committee hearings. Thank you!
