Senate enacts Tipping bill to increase accountability of public utilities

AUGUSTA — On Tuesday, June 13, the Maine Senate unanimously enacted a bill from Sen. Mike Tipping, D-Orono. The bill, LD 325, “An Act to Require Transparency in Public Utility Advertising Expenditures,” would ban the spending of ratepayer money by public utilities on political contributions, political advertising and lobbying.

“Over the last several years, people all over Maine have experienced massive increases in their power bills,” said Sen. Tipping. “Maine’s monopoly utility companies need to be held accountable, and new ratepayer protections and transparency in their spending are vital first steps. I am thankful for my colleague’s support of this legislation, and I’m especially grateful to Sen. Nicole Grohoski, Sen. Mark Lawrence and the whole Energy, Utilities and Technology Committee for working with me to make this a better bill.”

As amended, LD 325 would require utilities to publicly disclose and report on money spent on public advertising through quarterly and annual reports that will be publicly accessible.

LD 325 will now go to the desk of Gov. Janet Mills, who has 10 days to sign the bill into law, veto it, or allow it to become law without her signature.