Pierce comments on utility affordability hearing conducted by the IURC

Today, March 24, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) held an investigative inquiry into Indiana's investor-owned utilities: AES Indiana, CenterPoint Energy Indiana, Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, Indiana Michigan Power Company, and Northern Indiana Public Service Company, LLC (NIPSCO). 

State Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington), the ranking minority member of the House Committee on Energy, Telecommunications and Utilities, released the following statement on the hearing: 

“I welcome the IURC’s decision to finally focus on utility affordability. The questions raised today should have been the focus of the prior Commission during all the rate cases when it approved rate increases. The question is what concrete action will the IURC take to help Hoosier families struggling to pay these bills?

 “The Indiana General Assembly should not escape scrutiny. Time and again, it has chosen utility profits over customer costs. The Commission should analyze the General Assembly's past decade of giveaways to utilities and recommend changes in the law to give the Commission the power necessary to rebalance a regulatory process the legislature has stacked against customers who pay the bills.“  

Burton outlines accountability plan amid IURC hearings

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Last week, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) announced a listening session series throughout the state, following an investigative inquiry on March 24. State Rep. Alex Burton (D-Evansville) issued the following statement:

"Hoosiers are begging for actions that result in affordable energy rates. I'm focused on ushering in long-term solutions that result in reducing the monthly anxiety for Hoosiers across Indiana. The future of energy in Indiana is not a partisan issue, but it directly impacts urban, rural and suburban communities equally. I will continue to be a reasonable voice focused on delivering positive outcomes for ratepayers. These high bills are unfairly overburdening working and aging Hoosiers across the state.

"I fully understand that we are in a period of energy transition, but this transition must be incredibly responsible, transparent, equitable and fair. Following today's hearing, I will send a letter to each Commissioner of the IURC, Secretary Jaworowski and Gov. Braun to urge them to:

1. Explore enacting a moratorium on all rate increases

2. One or two months of a sales tax exemptions – annually

3. Incentivize counties that generate energy and/or large load projects focusing on cheapest sources of energy as part of Indiana's 'all of the above' energy approach that contribute and align to Indiana's energy policy goals, which are reliability, resilience, stability, affordability and environmental sustainability

4. Explore tools and technologies that would allow families to monitor or regulate usage that leads to a more manageable bill

"The legislature got the ball rolling with House Enrolled Act 1002, but this should only be the start. The common Hoosier is incredibly frustrated and wants immediate action by the IURC and/or the Braun administration. With so much global instability, this is a time for us to reinforce our energy independence. Hoosiers deserve to have our interests heard followed by swift actions. Many families and local businesses are struggling, which directly puts local communities in harm's way. Energy costs are a threat to Indiana's brightest future."

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Novak calls for action following IURC investigative inquiry

Today, March 24, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) held an investigative inquiry into Indiana's investor-owned utilities: AES Indiana, CenterPoint Energy Indiana, Duke Energy Indiana, LLC, Indiana Michigan Power Company, and Northern Indiana Public Service Company, LLC (NIPSCO). The IURC also recently announced a statewide listening session tour to hear directly from consumers about costs, with the first listening session taking place in La Porte on Thursday, March 26.

State Rep. Randy Novak (D-Michigan City) attended today's inquiry and issued the following statement regarding the inquiry and listening sessions:

"I'm thankful to the IURC for holding this investigative inquiry and holding these listening sessions. Throughout the legislative session, I heard from countless constituents about rising utility costs and the impact on families. Providing opportunities to let them make their voices heard is a good first step. However, this investigative inquiry and listening session series cannot be the end of the conversation. The average NIPSCO customer has seen their utility bill jump roughly 26% over the past year. They need action taken right now to ensure their utility bills don't get further out of control. I look forward to working with the IURC and my colleagues in the Indiana General Assembly to ensure the fight continues on behalf of Hoosiers."

Burton encourages constituents to attend IURC public hearing

On Tuesday, April 7, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) will host a public hearing from 6-8 p.m. CT at the Exhibit Hall B at Old National Events Plaza in Evansville. Customers will be able to hear directly from IURC officials and share their input and how high utility rates have impacted them and their families.

State Rep. Alex Burton (D-Evansville) issued the following statement regarding the public hearing:

"I'm looking forward to welcoming the IURC and Chairman Andy Zay to Evansville. Our energy costs have been burdensome for more than a decade, and they are negatively impacting our local economy. I'm a proud partner with the IURC, my colleagues in the legislature and the Braun administration to find long-term solutions that result in affordable energy bills, reliable energy delivery and strategic investments that shape energy policy for decades to come.

"Actions came out of the 2026 legislative session, and now the IURC wants to hear directly from customers. It is my hope that more actions materialize from their visit to Evansville for the sake of families in our community. This event will give an overview to changes happening in Indianapolis, but more importantly, it's an opportunity for our community to be heard, respectfully."

For more information on the public hearing, click here.

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Hamilton celebrates establishment of Parkinson’s Disease Registry

Last week, House Bill 1358, a bill dealing with the Indiana Department of Health, was signed into law. This bill was amended to include a bill authored by State Rep. Carey Hamilton to add Parkinson’s Disease to the chronic disease registry. This will allow the state to collect data regarding to Parkinson’s Disease, the fastest-growing neurological disorder in the world. 

Hamilton issued the following statement:

“After three years of working with the Parkinson’s Disease advocacy community and two years of filing legislation, I am thankful to now have Parkinson’s Disease included in the chronic disease registry in Indiana. According to a 2022 study, over 21,000 Hoosiers live with this neurodegenerative disorder, significantly impacting their quality of life and daily function. Adding Parkinson's to the chronic disease registry means Indiana can track cases, strengthen our data, and give researchers the tools they need to develop better treatments and, one day, a cure.

"I'm grateful to Rep. Brad Barrett for welcoming my amendment, and most of all to the Parkinson's Disease community whose tireless advocacy made this possible."

Porter encourages Braun to reverse the CCDF cuts immediately

Now that Gov. Braun has signed Senate Enrolled Act 4 into law, State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) encourages him to immediately reverse the cuts to the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF) voucher program. 

SEA 4 authorizes the State Budget Agency to augment the program from the Financial Responsibility and Opportunity Growth Fund. The provision is a “may,” not a “shall,” giving the administration the choice to release the funding. Porter’s House Bill 1026 included a “shall” provision, but the bill did not receive a hearing.

“The decision to help these little kids is in the governor's hands," Porter said. "The legislature nudged him, but he has the ultimate choice. I think it’s an easy one. 

“Child care facilities are closing across the state. Parents are unable to work. Young people are reconsidering starting families because they lack a support system. It takes a village, and the state has to be a villager. 

“This administration has $465 million in Medicaid savings. Republicans opened the budget for the One Big Bad Bill. Our kids got little this session: no funding for Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, no funding for Pre-K, ABA cuts, restrictions to SNAP and a ‘may’ provision for CCDF.

“I encourage Gov. Braun to make the right choice and reverse the CCDF cuts immediately.” 

Pryor blasts the sale of AES Corporation to private equity consortium

Today, March 2, the AES corporation announced that it will be acquired by a consortium of global investors for $33.4 billion. The consortium includes Global Infrastructure Partners, a part of BlackRock, and the EQT Infrastructure VI fund. According to the corporation, AES Indiana will remain locally managed and operated. 

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement: 

“For years, AES customers have battled skyrocketing prices and declining service. The corporation has a de facto monopoly. AES has continued to put shareholders' profits above the needs of working families. Selling to private equity will only make it worse.

“Private equity firms are all about profit. We’ve seen what happens when these firms take over nursing homes and hospitals. They aggressively cut services, infrastructure investment and reduce staff, resulting in worse outcomes for the consumer. Keep in mind that they’re buying AES as part of the AI boom. BlackRock invests heavily in coal, data centers and now they are buying the energy grids. 

“AES conveniently made the announcement after the 2026 legislative session, which concluded on Friday, to dodge efforts by some legislators to push for laws that prohibit such a sale from going forward. 

“Last week, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) announced they would be meeting with the investor-owned utilities in Indiana as part of their investigative inquiry into high energy prices. I urge the IURC to conduct a thorough study into how the sale of AES to private equity will impact rates and service quality as part of their investigation. 

“Ever since Indianapolis Power and Light was sold out of public hands to AES in 2001, I have been staunchly against for-profit companies owning essential services like utilities in Indiana. Allowing local governments to take back control of utilities is the only way to bring costs down for Hoosiers. Instead, we have gone in the complete opposite direction and allowed private equity with even less stake in the community to seize control. With the monopolistic structure of our utilities in Indiana, I fear this is leaving the door wide open for my constituents to be exploited and set a dangerous precedent statewide.” 

Smith speaks out against House Bill 1343 as it heads to the governor’s desk

Today, Feb. 27, Indiana House Republicans passed the conference committee report for House Bill 1343, sending the bill to the governor’s desk. HB 1343 includes a provision authorizing the creation of a military police force within the Indiana National Guard. The governor would have the authority to deploy this force any time he or she deems necessary, without the approval of local elected officials. 

State Rep. Vernon G. Smith (D-Gary) released the following statement: 

“Once again, I want to warn people about the immense power this bill gives the governor. One person should not have the power to deploy military police in our streets. One man should not have an armed force at his beck and call. Braun and the Indiana GOP are following in the footsteps of President Trump whose used our armed forces for his own personal gain. 

“I support the Indiana National Guard and the essential work they do for our nation. However, I don’t want a single Hoosier to fear our guardsmen. I want them to continue to be beacons of selflessness and protection; That’s why many of them enlisted. They cannot be beacons of protection when they are sent to Americans’ doorsteps to conduct searches and seizures or to make arrests.  

“We live in a democratic nation that our founding fathers fought to free from a tyrannical King. This power goes against the virtues of our nation and the freedoms of all citizens. I am certain our communities don’t want this authority handed to the governor.

“I cannot overstate how dangerous this is, especially as we approach the 2026 election. There is nothing in this bill preventing the deployment of this force at the polls. They could be used to intimidate voters, and local officials would be powerless to stop it. This is something befitting a dictatorship and not a democracy."

Shackleford speaks out against the passage of anti-homeless senate bill

On Tuesday, Feb. 24, the Indiana House of Representatives passed Senate Bill 285, which makes the use of public land or property a Class C misdemeanor. In Indiana, a Class C misdemeanor can result in up to 60 days in jail or a fine of up to $500. The bill also requires local law enforcement agencies to report the number of arrests made to the Indiana State Police Department.

State Rep. Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis), who voted against the bill, issued the following statement:

“I agree wholeheartedly that homelessness is a crisis. Any number of unhoused individuals on the streets is too many, but SB 285 only deals with the symptoms of that crisis – not the problem itself.

“There is evidence from our southern neighbors that this sort of legislation is ineffective. In 2024, Kentucky passed a street camping ban very similar to SB 285. After that law had been in effect for a year, statewide data was compiled into a post-mortem report. The report revealed that 425 unhoused individuals were unlawfully arrested for street camping that year. The report also suggests that this type of legislation needlessly increases unhoused people’s involvement in the criminal legal system while providing few to no opportunities for housing.

“Additionally, this bill will take up space in our already-overcrowded local jails and bog down the justice system. Unhoused Hoosiers don’t need a jail cell or a $500 fine. What they need is for their government to invest time and resources to help them lift themselves out of a desperate situation.”

Porter comments on the governor’s new power to appoint members of the Marion County Judicial Selection Committee

Today, Feb.26, Indiana House Republicans concurred with the Senate changes to House Bill 1033, sending the bill to the governor’s desk. HB 1033 changes the selection process for judges in Marion County by removing local legal groups from their seats on the 14-member Marion County Judicial Selection Committee. The governor will have the power to appoint two replacements. 

State Rep. Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis) released the following statement: 

“The meddling in Marion County never stops. We lost the power to elect our own judges, and now we’re losing our local voices on the selection committee. This is not happening anywhere else. Whose county is next? 

“Indianapolis is a majority-minority community. The Black community has a different, strained relationship with the criminal justice system. Our Black judges and lawyers have been essential to navigating that relationship. 

“I don’t trust Gov. Braun to understand those intricacies. He’s never walked a day in our shoes. A minority-majority community could end up with a panel of all white judges. It’s judicial Jim Crow.

“Republicans are making it clear: they don’t want anyone to stand up and push back. They have to hold every single ounce of power, replacing IU alumni-elected trustees and now members of our judicial selection committee. Fall in line or get removed and replaced.”

Pryor: ‘An investigation into utility costs is great, but the answers are right in front of us

Today, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) announced that they will be launching an investigative inquiry into high energy costs and holding a meeting with the big five investor-owned utilities.  

State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), House Democratic Floor Leader and a member of the House Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications, released the following statement in response:  

“Today, the IURC announced that they will be launching an investigative inquiry into high energy costs and holding a meeting with the big five investor-owned utilities. As someone who has been speaking out against rising utility costs for years, I am glad to see Statehouse Republicans finally acknowledge that utility costs are a problem, let alone that they are actually making an effort to get to the bottom of why prices are so high. I recently sent a letter to IURC Chairman Andy Zay asking for the IURC to look into the reason behind the high cost of energy bills my constituents are facing, whether that be from increased demand, increased prices for sources of energy generation, or faulty equipment.  

“Hoosiers deserve answers, but they also deserve action. House Bill 1002 this year was a small step in the right direction, but it could’ve been a real opportunity to help people keep more of their hard-earned money. I offered several amendments that would’ve given Hoosiers immediate, substantial relief from the crushing weight of utility bills. The Republican supermajority rejected all of them. Additionally, I filed House Bill 1111 this year to address some of the most pressing issues from my constituents, mainly the issues with service disconnection and reconnection fees. That bill to hold utilities accountable did not receive a hearing.  

“An investigative inquiry is good, but the answer to why prices are so high is right in front of us. Hoosiers are in this utility affordability crisis because the utilities are owned by private corporations. Of course prices continue to rise when utility companies are more beholden to boosting profit margins for shareholders than providing a service for their ratepayers. I have been against for-profit companies owning Indiana’s utilities since AES was allowed to purchase Indianapolis Power and Light (IPL) in 2001. 

“The only way to truly control the crisis of utility rates is to restore local control and allow cities to take back the utilities. My constituents and Hoosiers across the state are at their breaking point. The price of keeping the lights on is surpassing some people’s mortgage payments. We cannot carry on this way. I appreciate the gesture of this investigative inquiry, but talk is cheap, and the path forward is already clear. We need a full evaluation of the way utilities are operated in Indiana and a cost-benefit analysis of having profit-focused corporations in charge of these essential services. Hoosier ratepayers will not get reprieve as long as monopoly corporations are allowed to make a profit off of this basic household necessity.”  

Burton comments on IURC announcement to investigate five major utility companies in Indiana

Today, Feb. 25, State Rep. Alex Burton (D-Evansville) released the following statement after the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission’s announcement that it will investigate the five major utility companies in Indiana:

“Today’s announcement is the culmination of months of concerns raised by Hoosiers across the state. Rising energy costs are putting real pressure on families, which in turn is driving action in the legislature and at the IURC. This is one of several efforts with bipartisan support, and it is encouraging to see that alignment focused on addressing energy costs.

“The IURC Chairman has announced a statewide tour, and I am preparing for his visit to Evansville. I look forward to hosting him locally and continuing intentional conversations with community members to identify solutions that are affordable, reasonable and sustainable.

“This legislative session has reinforced my commitment to serve on the Utilities Committee. There is more work ahead, but meaningful steps are underway to address Hoosiers’ concerns about rising energy costs.”