Ohio House could vote May 8 on HB 79 to restore Ohio’s energy efficiency program
Your call today could be crucial
House Bill 79 allows utilities to develop voluntary portfolios of energy savings programs. It restores energy efficiency programs killed by HB 6, with participation voluntary for utility companies. The bill has strong bipartisan support, and is sponsored by powerful Ohio Rep. Bill Seitz (R-Cincinnati), but enough House members were on the fence that it was pulled from the floor agenda two weeks ago. Please use this link to find the phone number of your Ohio House Rep and call today.
By equipping ratepayers to reduce their energy use, this bill would help struggling households buffer rising electric rates. Energy efficiency also reduces peak demand, a major factor in blackout risk during the increasing number of heatwave days. This bill would also increase Ohio’s energy self-sufficiency. “Demand for energy is growing in Ohio and is being met by imported power,” writes Green Energy Ohio. “The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that Ohio typically imports between about one-fifth and one-fourth of the electricity it needs each year from other states and Canada by way of the regional grid. HB 79 alone can’t reverse that situation, but it can put Ohio on a path of reducing demand and using energy more efficiently.”
Opponent hearing on community solar bill, HB 197
Attend and tweet May 8!
The Ohio House Public Utilities Committee is holding an opponent hearing May 8 at 11 a.m., but not a final vote, contrary to what I reported last week. Public Utilities Chair Dick Stein has expressed strong support for this bill, but investor-owned utilities – the only significant opponents – continue to raise objections. You can read the testimony here. Please call your Ohio House Rep now to express your views. Use this link to find out who represents you. You will find the phone number by clicking on the Rep’s photo.
If you live near Columbus and support this bill, please plan to attend the hearing to show support. The coalition supporting the bill is meeting at 10:15 in the Statehouse Rotunda and will hand out yellow community solar t-shirts. Supporters will not be speaking but are invited to encourage the committee members with tweets during the hearing. This was very successful at the April 24 hearing. Here is the social media strategy with handles for key coalition partners and reporters.
HB 197 would authorize a transformational community solar pilot program in Ohio, making savings available to households and businesses for whom rooftop solar is not feasible, including tenants and small businesses. The four-year pilot program would authorize small projects totaling up to 1,500 MW, enough to power up to 300,000 homes, and allow subscribers to save from 5-20% on their bills through credits from their utilities. Other ratepayers would not incur any cost for these projects, which could be developed by both businesses and non-profits including houses of worship.
We think the Public Utilities Committee will vote on this bill at their May 22 hearing. This gives it a chance to pass the House during legislative sessions in June. A companion bill, SB 247, has been introduced by Senator George Lang and referred to the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee.
Citizens Not Politicians rally and petition drive in Chillicothe May 11
Great opportunity for Episcopalians in Ross, Fayette, and Hocking counties
Jen Miller, President of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, will lead a large team of petition circulators to Chillicothe on Saturday, May 11, starting with a short rally at Orchard Hill United Church of Christ, 105 Courtland Drive. If you live in Fayette, Ross, or Hocking counties, this is an excellent opportunity to hear about the reasons citizens are working so hard to qualify an amendment for the fall ballot to stop partisan gerrymandering in Ohio, and to sign the petition if you agree! Orchard Hill UCC will host a drive-through petition signing in the church parking lot from 3 to 5 p.m., with books for Ross and surrounding counties. Petition circulators also hope to go to the Wings and Strings Festival in Piketon on Saturday afternoon.
Fayette, Ross, Hocking, and Pike Counties are within reach of collecting enough signatures to equal 5% of the votes cast in the last governor’s election. To qualify for the ballot, a citizen-sponsored amendment must reach that number in 44 counties. I’ve been told the campaign has met that goal in 40!
There will be a few short speeches at Orchard Hill UCC, then petition circulators will go out to collect signatures for the citizen-sponsored amendment, which would prohibit elected officials and lobbyists – people with a conflict of interest- from drawing our legislative districts.
On March 23, the Diocese of Southern Ohio’s Diocesan Council voted to endorse the Citizens Not Politicians initiative “to create a fair, unbiased, and transparent process for creating Ohio’s electoral maps. The Council’s resolution acknowledges that The Episcopal Church has long championed civil rights and opposed gerrymandering, citing Resolution D003 of the 2018 General Convention, which read, “That in accordance with Executive Council Resolution AN033 adopted October 25, 2017, the 79th General Convention of The Episcopal Church reaffirms that one person one vote means that the votes of all citizens of all races and ethnicities are fairly represented, counted and accounted for; that we oppose any form of partisan gerrymandering which has the same effect of racial gerrymandering.”
Ohio is now conducting elections using state and Congressional district maps ruled unconstitutional by the Ohio Supreme Court for excessive partisan gerrymandering. The resolution passed by Diocesan Council supports an effort to create new districts in the next two years.
Gun Safety Advocacy Day at Statehouse May 22, starting at Trinity Episcopal Church
Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense is organizing visits to legislators in support of gun safety bills that were introduced in February. These include permits for concealed carry of firearms, red flag measures to reduce the risk of suicide and domestic violence, and background checks on all firearms sales. Scroll down in the Diocese’s Feb. 20 advocacy update for an overview. Sign up here by May 17. You can also sign up for Ohio Moms’ Zoom call May 20 at 7 p.m. to prepare for the day, and read FAQs on the bills.
Bread for the World Advocacy Summit June 10-11 in Washington DC
Dive deep and advocate for federal policy to improve child food security. Register here.
Bread for the World is a renowned nonpartisan ecumenical nonprofit with a research institute generating well-documented, practical solutions for domestic and global hunger. Bread equips congregations across the United States for advocacy through prayer resources, policy information, and action alerts.
“The Advocacy Summit will offer participants a chance to address child hunger head on through education and advocacy on theFarm Bill, the Child Tax Credit, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC),” Bread writes. “The Farm Bill stands as the most crucial anti-hunger legislation in our country, encompassing the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), international food aid, and support for both farmers and conservation efforts. The expanded Child Tax Credit, before it expired in 2021, cut child poverty by nearly half.
“As a part of the Advocacy Summit, participants will have an opportunity to lobby their members of Congress. We hope you can join us and fellow advocates for this opportunity to learn, worship, and speak up together. Blocks of rooms have been reserved at the InterContinental Washington D.C. – The Wharf. Additionally, Canopy by Hilton Washington DC The Wharf is also offering special discounted rates for event registrants. The deadline to receive the discounted room rates is May 10, so be sure to register for the summit and make your hotel reservations today! For more information, visit the Advocacy Summit website.”
Advocacy updates are compiled by Ariel Miller, a longtime community advocate and member of Ascension & Holy Trinity, Wyoming. Connect with her at arielmillerwriter@gmail.com.
