Statement for House Bill 173
House Bill 173 establishes the strongest consumer protection framework ever enacted for Ohio residents living in submetered communities.
Governor DeWine now has an opportunity to sign legislation that responds directly to the Ohio Supreme Court’s call for legislative action while establishing the strongest consumer protection framework ever enacted for Ohio residents living in submetered communities.
Claims that House Bill 173 lacks consumer protections simply do not reflect the substance of the legislation. The bill guarantees residential customers electric charges at least three percent below what they would have paid their electric utility directly, requires compliance with utility disconnection protections, mandates payment plans, requires acceptance of HEAP assistance, establishes comprehensive billing transparency requirements, and directs the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) to create enforceable standards governing metering, outages, customer service, complaint resolution, and service quality.
The Ohio Supreme Court made clear for the second time that legislative action was needed in this area. As a creature of statute, the PUCO can only exercise authority granted by the General Assembly. House Bill 173 provides the Commission with the statutory framework necessary to regulate submetering service providers, protect consumers, and establish industry standards through a transparent rulemaking process subject to legislative oversight through JCARR.
Importantly, the Court did not direct the PUCO to regulate the entire submetering industry. Instead, its decision addressed a specific provider at five specific communities and created uncertainty regarding the regulatory framework governing submetering in Ohio. House Bill 173 provides the comprehensive solution the Court envisioned by establishing clear rules, consistent oversight, and meaningful consumer protections for residents across the state.
