Senator RichardYoung (D-Milltown, District 47) Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage Campaign Contributions from Utility, Coal, Oil, and Railroad Corporations 2013 Voting Records:Senator Richard Young (D, District 47) 2012 Campaign Contributions accepted from Utility, Coal, Oil and Railroad Corporations: $1,000 followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=134642 Pro-Consumer Percentage: 50% The following is a synopsis of how the Senator voted in the 2013 General Assembly on the bills that CAC was tracking. We consider that 80% is a passing grade for the legislators, meaning that if their Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage is 80% or above, they are working to protect consumers in the State House. If their percentage is below 80%, they are not working to protect consumers. For bill details and your legislators’ votes on the following bills, please click here to visit our 2013 Indiana General Assembly Bill Watch List. SB 560 Utility Transmission Status: Signed into law by Gov. Pence This bill will virtually allow Indiana electric and natural gas to raise your rates automatically, and at the same time deregulate most of their monopoly revenue and profits. Sen. Youngs vote on SB 560: 2 Votes - 1 Pro-Consumer, 1 Anti-Consumer SB 494/510 Substitute Natural Gas Status: Signed into law by Gov. Pence Restores some regulatory oversight over the proposed Indiana Gasification/Leucadia coal-to-gas plant in Rockport, IN by defining what is meant by a guarantee of savings to ratepayers and requiring the IURC to ensure that ratepayers are provided an actual guarantee of savings from this project. The original language in SB510 promised to protect consumers from unreasonable and excessive charges for substitute natural gas (SNG) from the proposed Indiana Gasification/Leucadia coal-to-gas plant in Rockport, IN. SB 510 died in the House. Sen. Youngs vote on SB 494/510: 2 Votes - 1 Pro-Consumer, 1 Anti-Consumer 2011 Voting Records:Senator Richard Young (D, District 47) 2010 Campaign Contributions accepted from Utility, Coal, Oil and Railroad Corporations: $2,842 followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=118685 Pro-Consumer Percentage: 57% The following is a synopsis of how the Senator voted in the 2011 General Assembly on the bills that CAC was tracking. We consider that 80% is a passing grade for the legislators, meaning that if their Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage is 80% or above, they are working to protect consumers in the State House. If their percentage is below 80%, they are not working to protect consumers. SB 251: This bill was the mother lode for the utilities this year. It does the following: Defines clean energy as virtually any technology that produces electricity; which includes truly renewable sources like wind and solar, but also includes, but is not limited to, nuclear, coal gasification, solid waste, coal bed methane, and industrial byproducts. Gives the utilities all kinds of trackers, which allow the utilities to raise your rates when their costs go up without having to lower your rates when their costs go down. Gives eminent domain to private corporations for carbon dioxide pipelines Allows utilities to use Construction Work in Progress (CWIP) to charge ratepayers to uprate nuclear power plants before the uprate actually produces any electricity Sen. Youngs Vote on SB 251: Committee Vote: Pro-Consumer Senate Floor Vote: 4 votes - 3 Pro-Consumer, 1 Anti-Consumer HB 1128: This bill was essentially the same as SB 251, except that it did not include the eminent domain. Sen. Youngs Vote on SB 1128: 3 votes - 2 Pro-Consumer, 1 Anti-Consumer SB 71: This bill will essentially open the State of Indiana to hydrofracking (hydraulic fracturing) coal seams for the purpose of extracting coal bed methane, with no requirement that the operators of these wells comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act or even allow the public to comment on the permits or know the location of where these operations will take place. Sen. Youngs Vote on SB 71: 2 votes - both Anti-Consumer SB 66: This bill amends the definition of renewable energy resources in utilities law to add low temperature, oxygen starved gasification of municipal solid waste (burning trash to make electricity). Sen. Youngs Vote on SB 66: 2 votes - both Anti-Consumer SB 102: This bill will give the utilities a tracker for any costs associated with any mandates that are or with reasonable certainty will be imposed on a utility by the Feds. It eliminates consumer protections, eliminates the requirement for monopoly utility companies to provide least cost service, and all but removes the requirement that monopoly utility companies actually submit an integrated resource plan (a plan showing what sources will be used to generate their electricity and meet their customers demand). Sen. Youngs Vote on SB 102: Committee Vote: Pro-Consumer SB 72: This bill was the first bill of the session to give eminent domain to private corporations for carbon dioxide pipelines. This bill was killed, but the eminent domain provision was inserted into SB 251, which passed. Sen. Youngs Vote on SB 72: Pro-Consumer 2010 Voting Records:Senator Richard Young (D, District 47) 2008 Campaign Contributions accepted from Utility, Coal, Oil and Railroad Corporations: $5,574 followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=97205 Pro-Consumer Percentage: 33% The following is a synopsis of how the Senator voted in the 2010 General Assembly on the bills that CAC was tracking. We consider that 80% is a passing grade for the legislators, meaning that if their “Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage” is 80% or above, they are working to protect consumers in the State House. If their percentage is below 80%, they are not working to protect consumers. SB 115: Eminent Domain For Carbon Dioxide Pipelines Status: Dead Authored by Sen. Beverly Gard (R, Greenfield) SB 115 permits an entity engaged in the transportation of carbon dioxide by pipeline to acquire real property by eminent domain. That entity can be a person, a firm, a partnership, a limited liability company, or a corporation. The bill wrongly declares that the transportation of carbon dioxide by pipeline in Indiana is declared to be a public use and service, in the public interest, and a benefit to the welfare of Indiana and the people of Indiana. Sen. Young’s Vote on SB 115: 2 Votes: both Anti-Consumer SB 313: Net Metering Status: Dead SB 313 would expand eligible net metering customer classes to allow individuals, businesses, commercial industries, and universities to interconnect to the grid and generate their own power. SB 313 would not set a limit on the size of the system a customer could install, unless you are a residential customer or K-12 schools, in which case you remain captive to the current rule. This bill encourages renewable energy production, energy independence, and customer owned generation. Sen. Young’s Vote on SB 313: Pro-Consumer 2009 Voting Records:Senator Richard Young (D-Milltown, District47) 2008 Campaign Contributions accepted from Utility, Coal, Oil, Railroad Corporations: $5,574 followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=97205 Pro-Consumer Percentage: 50% The following is a synopsis of how the Senator voted in the 2009 General Assembly on the bills that CAC was tracking. We consider that 80% is a passing grade for the legislators, meaning that if their “Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage” is 80% or above, they are working to protect consumers in the State House. If their percentage is below 80%, they are not working to protect consumers. HB 1348: Energy conservation codes and standards Status: Vetoed by the Governor Authored by Rep. Ryan Dvorak (D, South Bend), and joined by co-authors Rep. Pierce and Rep. Bill Ruppel (R, N. Manchester), requires the Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission to adopt the most recent edition of the (1) International Energy Conservation Code as published by the International Code Council; or (2) American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, or Air-Conditioning Engineers Standard 90.1; for commercial structures before July 1, 2010. Sen. Youngs Vote on HB 1348: Excused HB 1669: Geothermal conversion loans Status: Effective 7-1-09 HB 1669 establishes the Geothermal Conversion Revolving Fund for the purpose of making loans to school corporations that: (1) install a geothermal heating and cooling system in a new facility; or (2) install a geothermal heating and cooling system that replaces a conventional heating and cooling system. Sen. Youngs Votes on HB 1669: 2 votes, both Pro-Consumer SB 201: State energy policy (The Utility Tracker Christmas Tree) Status: Died in the House Utilities Committee SB 201 was written by Gov. Daniels office. It was authored by Sen. Gard, Sen. Stutzman, and Sen. Merritt and contained the eminent domain language and open-ended tracking provisions for “green” energy development. It was heard in the Senate Utility Committee. The only opposition to the bill was offered by CAC and INDIEC, the advocacy group for industrial ratepayers. SB 201 was voted out of committee unanimously 11-0. It then moved out of the full Senate on 3rd reading 50-0. The bill was sponsored in the House by Rep. Moses, Rep. Murphy, and Rep. Grubb. Rep. Moses elected not to give the bill a hearing, however, the language from the bill found its way into the Senate versions of HB 1360 and SB 420. Sen. Youngs Vote on SB 201: Anti-Consumer SB 300: Net Metering Status: Died in Conference Committee SB 300 expanded Indiana’s net metering rule to allow a customer of an investor owned utility to connect to the grid a renewable energy system with a capacity of 100 kW or less, up from the current law of only 10 kW. Current law also limits the program to residential and K-12 schools only. SB 300 would have expanded the program to all customer classes. Net metering is currently an administrative rule of the IURC; SB 300 would have codified net metering and put it into statute. The bill was written by the Indiana Energy Association, or the investor owned utilities. Sen. Youngs Vote on SB 300: Pro-Consumer SB 420: Renewable energy (Redefining “renewable energy” & Opening Indiana’s Door to Nuclear Power) Status: Died in Conference Committee This bill redefined “renewable energy” to include coal, amended Indiana’s terrible CWIP (construction work in progress) laws to include nuclear power plants (allowing the utilities to charge ratepayers for a nuclear power plant as it is being constructed, before it produces any electricity), and added trackers for the cost recovery of fees associated with siting, design, licensing, and permitting of the new generation facility even if the new facility is never built or placed in service. Sen. Youngs Vote on SB 420: Anti-Consumer SB 423: Substitute natural gas contracts Status: Signed into law by Governor Daniels on 3-24-09 SB 423 permits the Indiana Finance Authority to enter into contracts for the purchase and sale of substitute natural gas (SNG) from coal gasification facilities to regulated energy utilities for delivery to retail end use customers. It also requires the authority to establish the Substitute Natural Gas Account to provide funding for SNG related business. Sen. Youngs Vote on SB 423: Anti-Consumer 2008 Voting Records:Senator Richard Young (D-Milltown, District47) 2006 Campaign Contributions accepted from Utility, Coal, Oil, and Railroad Corporations: $5,340 followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=81632 Pro-Consumer Percentage: 20% The following is a synopsis of how the Senator voted in the 2008 General Assembly on the bills that CAC was tracking. We consider that 80% is a passing grade for the legislators, meaning that if their “Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage” is 80% or above, they are working to protect consumers in the State House. If their percentage is below 80%, they are not working to protect consumers. SB 224: Various Utility Matters (Utility Wish List Legislation) Status: Dead Authored by Senator Brandt Hershman (R, Monticello), and joined by co-authors Senators Ryan Mishler (R, Bremen), Dennis Kruse (R, Auburn) and Jean Breaux (D, Indianapolis), SB 224 contained a pseudo-RES – renewable energy resources were defined to include largely non-polluting, renewable sources of energy (other than energy from burning tires, garbage and other waste in waste-to-energy facilities). However, of the 6% standard to be achieved by the year 2020, 50% of it could be met using “advanced energy resources”, a new term that nevertheless included old, non-renewable resources such as waste coal (extremely high in mercury content) and “clean” coal (that, while capable of reducing sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, mercury and other toxic air emissions, would add to Indiana’s disproportionate contribution to greenhouse gas emissions responsible for global warming), and that could encompass nuclear power. SB 224 also included two pro-utility trackers that would have weakened the utility regulatory process by requiring the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) to approve investments regardless of whether they are just, reasonable and in the public interest. These tracker provisions could result in significant and unjustified increases in electricity rates. Sen. Youngs Votes on SB 224: 2 votes - 1 Pro-Consumer & 1 Anti-Consumer SB 223 & HB 1117: Coal Gasification and Substitute Natural Gas Status of SB 223: Signed into law by the Governor. Status of HB 1117: Dead SB 223 was authored by Senator Brandt Hershman (R, Monticello), with Senator Ryan Mishler (R, Bremen) as a second author and Senators Karen Tallian (D, Portage), John Waterman (R, Shelburn), and Dennis Kruse (R, Auburn) as co-authors. HB 1117 was authored by Representative Russell Stilwell (D, Boonville), with co-authors Reps. Eric Koch (R, Bedford), Kreg Battles (D, Vincennes), and Jack Lutz, (R, Anderson). These bills contained identical language that allow an out-of-state venture capitalist firm (Leucadia) that seeks to build a coal gasification plant in Southern Indiana to assign tax credits to coal and substitute natural gas producers outside of Indiana. CAC opposed last year’s legislation, which paved the way for construction of this coal plant, as it locked natural gas suppliers, and hence ratepayers, into 30 year contracts for the substitute natural gas, whatever the price, that neither the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission or other governmental entity could subsequently change or even review. CAC raised concerns that it would also spew millions of new tons of CO2 into Indiana’s atmosphere each year. Promises made last year to garner support for the coal plant – that it would use Indiana coal and produce substitute natural gas in Indiana – were removed in SB 223 in a classic “bait & switch” scheme designed to secure financing regardless of the negative impact to Indiana ratepayers or the economic best interests of the state. Sen. Youngs Vote on SB 223: Anti-Consumer Sen. Youngs Vote on HB 1117: Anti-Consumer HB 1280: Green Building Standards Status: Passed to a Summer Study Committee Authored by Rep. Matt Pierce (D, Bloomington), and joined by co-authors Terri Austin (D, Anderson) and Greg Porter (D, Indianapolis), as introduced HB 1280 would have required large, state, educational, and local public works building projects (other than public schools) – those that are newly constructed, as well as those subject to repair or alteration – to be designed with the goal of achieving the silver rating under the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) rating system, the Green Globes Two Globes level or an equivalent rating system accredited by the American National Standards Institute. These systems rate buildings based on the sustainability of the site, the materials and other resources, water and energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, and innovation in design. Sen. Youngs Vote on HB 1280: Anti-Consumer
Posted on: Fri, 22 Aug 2014 16:02:29 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015