{"version":"1.0","provider_name":"Citizens Utility Board","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org","title":"CUB\u2019s 2025 State Capitol agenda: Fighting high bills, ridiculous charges, secret votes and supplier overcharges\u00a0\u00a0 | Citizens Utility Board","type":"rich","width":600,"height":338,"html":"<blockquote class=\"wp-embedded-content\" data-secret=\"gfLvve3b6f\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/blog\/2025\/02\/11\/cubs-2025-state-capitol-agenda-fighting-high-bills-ridiculous-charges-secret-votes-and-supplier-overcharges\/\">CUB\u2019s 2025 State Capitol agenda: Fighting high bills, ridiculous charges, secret votes and supplier overcharges\u00a0\u00a0<\/a><\/blockquote><iframe sandbox=\"allow-scripts\" security=\"restricted\" src=\"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/blog\/2025\/02\/11\/cubs-2025-state-capitol-agenda-fighting-high-bills-ridiculous-charges-secret-votes-and-supplier-overcharges\/embed\/#?secret=gfLvve3b6f\" width=\"600\" height=\"338\" title=\"&#8220;CUB\u2019s 2025 State Capitol agenda: Fighting high bills, ridiculous charges, secret votes and supplier overcharges\u00a0\u00a0&#8221; &#8212; Citizens Utility Board\" data-secret=\"gfLvve3b6f\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\" class=\"wp-embedded-content\"><\/iframe><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\n\/* <![CDATA[ *\/\n\/*! This file is auto-generated *\/\n!function(d,l){\"use strict\";l.querySelector&&d.addEventListener&&\"undefined\"!=typeof URL&&(d.wp=d.wp||{},d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage||(d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage=function(e){var t=e.data;if((t||t.secret||t.message||t.value)&&!\/[^a-zA-Z0-9]\/.test(t.secret)){for(var s,r,n,a=l.querySelectorAll('iframe[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),o=l.querySelectorAll('blockquote[data-secret=\"'+t.secret+'\"]'),c=new RegExp(\"^https?:$\",\"i\"),i=0;i<o.length;i++)o[i].style.display=\"none\";for(i=0;i<a.length;i++)s=a[i],e.source===s.contentWindow&&(s.removeAttribute(\"style\"),\"height\"===t.message?(1e3<(r=parseInt(t.value,10))?r=1e3:~~r<200&&(r=200),s.height=r):\"link\"===t.message&&(r=new URL(s.getAttribute(\"src\")),n=new URL(t.value),c.test(n.protocol))&&n.host===r.host&&l.activeElement===s&&(d.top.location.href=t.value))}},d.addEventListener(\"message\",d.wp.receiveEmbedMessage,!1),l.addEventListener(\"DOMContentLoaded\",function(){for(var e,t,s=l.querySelectorAll(\"iframe.wp-embedded-content\"),r=0;r<s.length;r++)(t=(e=s[r]).getAttribute(\"data-secret\"))||(t=Math.random().toString(36).substring(2,12),e.src+=\"#?secret=\"+t,e.setAttribute(\"data-secret\",t)),e.contentWindow.postMessage({message:\"ready\",secret:t},\"*\")},!1)))}(window,document);\n\/* ]]> *\/\n<\/script>\n","description":"By Bryan McDaniel CUB\u2019s Director of Governmental Affairs The thing about consumer advocates is that we never give up. That\u2019s why year after year, we\u2019re advocating for strong, pro-consumer policy in the halls of the State Capitol. Here\u2019s a summary of what we\u2019re working on.\u00a0 Senate Bill 75: The Water Affordability Act The 2025 session is off to a fast start for consumers with the assignment of SB 75, the Water Affordability Act, to a Senate Committee. CUB helped to introduce the bill along with Sen. Laura Murphy.\u00a0 It\u2019s never easy to pass good consumer legislation in Springfield and this bill will be no different\u2013we face stiff opposition from Aqua Illinois and Illinois American Water, which just received rate hikes. The legislation would end the Qualifying Infrastructure Plant (QIP) surcharge, which allows water utilities to raise rates more quickly, and it would require shareholders to pay the majority of the price tag when a utility purchases a water or sewer system. Under current law, Aqua and Illinois American can charge customers for 100 percent of those costs.\u00a0 Take Action: Urge Springfield to Pass the Water Affordability Act (SB 75) Senate Bill 1275: The Utility Transparency Act CUB has worked with Sen. Suzy Glowiak Hilton to have SB 1275, the Utility Transparency Act, introduced again this year. The measure follows similar legislation passed in Colorado, Maine, and Connecticut that helped reduce certain ridiculous expenses utilities can recover from ratepayers. The measure here in Illinois would prohibit\u00a0investor-owned private utilities like ComEd, Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas, Ameren and Illinois American Water from charging customers for these expenses: Memberships in trade associations that push their agenda; Work devoted to political issues campaigns, such as referendums; Pricey insurance the utilities buy to protect their shareholders; Goodwill advertising that enhances a utility&#8217;s image and benefits shareholders; Outside lawyers and experts when a utility pushes for a rate hike. Needless to say, the utilities aren\u2019t excited about this bill. Ratepayers should not be paying to enhance utility political power and utility efforts to raise rates. SB 1275 is a commonsense measure.\u00a0 Take Action: Urge Springfield to Pass the Utility Transparency Act (SB 1275) House Bill 1284: Electric and Gas Customer Protection Act Market reports, based on alternative supplier rate data submitted to the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC), continue to show that consumers with alternative electric suppliers have suffered hundreds of millions of dollars in losses, compared with the utility price. HB 1284, sponsored by Rep. Kimberly Du Buclet, features two critical consumer protections that will help to ensure Illinois electric and gas markets are working as intended for consumers. The bill would:\u00a0\u00a0 require a customer signature if the supplier wants to increase its rate at the time of auto renewal; prohibit supplier agents from being paid on commission. CUB is tired of meeting consumers being charged double and even triple the utility price. It\u2019s wrong, and it needs to end. HB 1284 would go a long way towards helping.\u00a0 Take Action: Support the Electric and Gas Customer Protection Act (HB 1284) House Bill 1802: Electric Utility Accountability\u00a0 HB 1802 , sponsored by Rep Joyce Mason, is an [&hellip;]","thumbnail_url":"https:\/\/www.citizensutilityboard.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/20200130_CapitolReport540X306.jpg","thumbnail_width":540,"thumbnail_height":306}