CUB Board Members Have a Capitol Day
Posted on May 22, 2013 by Jeff Bissonnette
Tags, Legislative & Political
CUB’s Board of Governors work hard. Elected by our members, they spend hours setting the organization’s policies, overseeing our finances, and making sure that the organization fulfills its mission to represent residential ratepayers.
Last week, board members set up shop in Oregon’s state capitol to help push CUB’s legislative agenda. After weeks of getting reports on the progress of the various bills for which CUB is advocating, the board did their part by meeting with key legislators to move some important bills forward.
Arriving bright and early in Salem, board members spent the morning receiving briefings from legislators who chair the committees where most of CUB’s bills are being heard. Although CUB’s legislative priorities were the top discussion items, board members also asked the legislators about other issues, both utility related and otherwise. A main theme that the legislators communicated to board members was CUB’s credibility in the Legislature. They were also told that “citizen experts” like CUB’s board members are vital to the process and that taking a day to speak with legislators to inform them about energy and utility issues is extremely important.
After lunch, CUB board members scoured the building from the House to the Senate and back, tracking down and visiting with more than a dozen representatives and senators whom they educated as to the importance of CUB’s top bills. Here are a few of the bills CUB’s board members were pushing:
SB 242: A technical fix to the state’s emissions performance standard, passed in 2009, ensures that no new coal plants will be built in Oregon. An error in the original law prevented the inclusion of power generated outside Oregon and SB 242 closes that loophole. This bill has already been approved by both the Senate and the House and is awaiting the Governor’s signature. Board members thanked legislators who voted for the bill for their support.
SB 692: Adding to Oregon’s list of appliance efficiency standards, the bill sets standards for battery chargers, televisions and a type of outdoor light. The bill has already passed the Senate but has been through tough negotiations in the House. CUB board members urged representatives to support the bill and asked senators to support changes made in the House.
SB 844: This bill would allow for utilities to develop voluntary projects that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in conjunction with customers and other stakeholders. The projects would have to have clear customer benefits aside from the emissions reductions. The bill is currently in the Senate Rules Committee and board members urged legislators to allow votes on the bill.
For one of our board members, this was his first trip to the Capitol. As CUB Lobby Day ended, he remarked, “At the beginning of the day, I had no idea what I was in for. Now, I feel like I could do this anytime.” Thanks to all of CUB’s fantastic board members for their attendance and support!
You too can help CUB’s Board push CUB’s legislative agenda. Write a note to your legislators about either SB 692 or SB 844 by going here: https://www.oregonlegislature.gov/findyourlegislator/leg-districts.html. You can find information about each bill at the links by the descriptions above. And great news: the Governor signed SB 242 into law!
Follow CUB’s up to date news on the Oregon legislature by joining our email newsletter, and following us on Twitter and Facebook. Your voice matters!
04/03/17 | 0 Comments | CUB Board Members Have a Capitol Day