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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | 2025 -- H 5814 |
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| 6 | 6 | | ======== |
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| 7 | 7 | | LC002065 |
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| 8 | 8 | | ======== |
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| 9 | 9 | | S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D |
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| 10 | 10 | | IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY |
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| 11 | 11 | | JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025 |
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| 12 | 12 | | ____________ |
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| 13 | 13 | | |
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| 14 | 14 | | A N A C T |
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| 15 | 15 | | RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION |
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| 16 | 16 | | Introduced By: Representatives Lima, Costantino, Casimiro, Read, J. Brien, Corvese, |
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| 17 | 17 | | Kislak, Azzinaro, Noret, Baginski, and Serpa |
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| 18 | 18 | | Date Introduced: February 28, 2025 |
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| 19 | 19 | | Referred To: House Corporations |
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| 20 | 20 | | |
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| 21 | 21 | | |
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| 22 | 22 | | It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
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| 23 | 23 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 39-1 of the General Laws entitled "Public Utilities Commission" is 1 |
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| 24 | 24 | | hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 2 |
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| 25 | 25 | | 39-1-64. Comprehensive study. 3 |
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| 26 | 26 | | (a) The public utilities commission (PUC), in conjunction with the division of public 4 |
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| 27 | 27 | | utilities and carriers (DPUC), shall produce a comprehensive study for the general assembly by 5 |
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| 28 | 28 | | April 30, 2026 to be transmitted to the governor, speaker of the house and the senate president. 6 |
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| 29 | 29 | | (b) There shall be an appropriation of one hundred thousand dollars ($100,000) for the 7 |
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| 30 | 30 | | hiring of consultants and experts to help research the study required in subsection (a) of this section. 8 |
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| 31 | 31 | | (c)(1) The purpose of this study is to compile a holistic study with the sole intent of 9 |
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| 32 | 32 | | ascertaining the best ways to lower all energy rates for the consumer including electric and gas. 10 |
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| 33 | 33 | | Additionally, the study shall include an investigation of energy rates in other states and see what 11 |
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| 34 | 34 | | they are doing, or not doing, to have energy rates lower than what rate payers are paying in Rhode 12 |
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| 35 | 35 | | Island. Further, the study shall require the PUC and the DPUC to perform a comprehensive review 13 |
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| 36 | 36 | | of all energy programs in Rhode Island that add to the cost of energy, and what programs, if 14 |
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| 37 | 37 | | terminated, would reduce energy rates. The study shall be comprehensive and provide a detailed 15 |
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| 38 | 38 | | review of Rhode Island energy policies and how we can learn from programs in other states. 16 |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) The PUC and the DPUC director shall formulate a research plan to conduct the study 17 |
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| 40 | 40 | | and hire consultants to accomplish the study mission to find the best way to lower Rhode Island 18 |
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| 41 | 41 | | energy costs by eliminating policies that add to the energy rates for taxpayers and any other Rhode 19 |
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| 42 | 42 | | |
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| 43 | 43 | | |
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| 44 | 44 | | LC002065 - Page 2 of 3 |
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| 45 | 45 | | Island practices that are not transparent as to the added costs that increase energy bills. The PUC 1 |
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| 46 | 46 | | shall make recommendations that any legislation that would affect energy costs have an energy 2 |
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| 47 | 47 | | note similar to the financial fiscal notes that clearly and transparently show the positive or negative 3 |
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| 48 | 48 | | effect the legislation will have on energy costs. Finally, this study shall empower the PUC and 4 |
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| 49 | 49 | | DPUC to study any other areas pertinent to the goal of lowering rate payer energy costs. 5 |
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| 50 | 50 | | SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 6 |
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| 51 | 51 | | ======== |
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| 52 | 52 | | LC002065 |
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| 53 | 53 | | ======== |
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| 54 | 54 | | |
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| 55 | 55 | | |
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| 56 | 56 | | LC002065 - Page 3 of 3 |
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| 57 | 57 | | EXPLANATION |
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| 58 | 58 | | BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL |
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| 59 | 59 | | OF |
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| 60 | 60 | | A N A C T |
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| 61 | 61 | | RELATING TO PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS -- PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION |
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| 62 | 62 | | *** |
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| 63 | 63 | | This act would require the public utility commission (PUC) in conjunction with the division 1 |
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| 64 | 64 | | of public utilities and carriers (DPUC) to produce a comprehensive study for the general assembly 2 |
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| 65 | 65 | | by April 30, 2026 to be transmitted to the governor, speaker of the house and the senate president. 3 |
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| 66 | 66 | | The study would require the PUC and the DPUC to review all energy programs, compare them 4 |
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| 67 | 67 | | with other states and formulate a plan to lower energy costs for consumers in this state. 5 |
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| 68 | 68 | | This act would take effect upon passage. 6 |
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| 69 | 69 | | ======== |
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| 70 | 70 | | LC002065 |
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