Arizona lawmakers gave preliminary approval to a House bill that strips the Arizona Corporation Commission of its power to mandate the use of renewable energy by utilities.
This Republican-led bill, House Bill 2248, would bar the panel from adopting or enforcing any new policy, decision or rule that regulates the electric generation resources without specific legislative authorization.
But, opponents of the bill like Democratic Rep. Aaron Lieberman say the commission is constitutionally supposed to protect people from harmful energy sources.
"It says very, very clearly in the constitution the Corporation Commission is in charge of the public health and well-being of the power company customers, their patrons is the actual word, and employees. That's millions of Arizonans. And you cannot separate out how you make power from its health impacts on the patrons," Liberman said.
A virtually identical bill in the Senate, Senate Bill 1175, has not been considered yet, and the House bill would need a final roll-call vote.
