Pryor’s efforts to lower utility costs struck down by supermajority

Today, Feb. 13,  State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis) offered two amendments to House Bill 1459 that aimed to cut costs for ratepayers. These amendments would have provided relief for those struggling to pay their utility bills by prohibiting utility companies from charging reconnection fees or raising their rates for one year. The amendments would have also ensured that utility companies could not disconnect services during the hottest and coldest times of the year and required them to offer reasonable payment plans. 

Another component of the amendments was the requirement for utility companies to submit data on the number of disconnections they have each month. Under a settlement agreement with the Office of the Utility Counselor and the IURC, the 5 largest utilities were required to report this same data until early 2024. That data showed that thousands of households are being disconnected from utility services every month due to non-payment.  Both amendments were voted down by House Republicans. 

“I proposed these amendments because Hoosiers are getting billed to their breaking point,” Pryor said. “Utility companies in our state continue to raise rates despite making record profits. It is unacceptable that 13% of Hoosier households experience at least one disconnection annually.” 

“Because utilities operate as a regulated monopoly in Indiana, our constituents rely on us to protect them from predatory pricing. The aggressive price hikes that utility companies are pushing are too much for people to keep up with. The amendments I proposed would have given Indiana residents some time to catch their breath from the rising cost of living in our state. Utilities in our state should be affordable for everyone, and I will keep fighting until that is a reality.”