SB295
To Amend The Arkansas Renewable Energy Development Act Of 2001; To Prevent Cost-shifting And Ensure Fairness To All Ratepayers; To Create The Customer Protections For Net-metering Customers Act; And To Declare An Emergency.
Last Action (March 16, 2023): Notification that SB295 is now Act 278
Sponsors
AI-Generated Summary
Senate Bill 295, the 'Arkansas Renewable Energy Development Cost-Shifting Prevention Act of 2023,' amends existing regulations regarding net-metering in Arkansas. The bill aims to prevent cost-shifting between net-metering customers and the general ratepayer base to ensure utility fairness. It updates definitions related to 'avoided cost' and 'net-metering' and establishes new capacity limits for net-metering facilities, specifically distinguishing between residential and non-residential customers. The bill sets stricter guidelines on facility sizing, generally tying capacity to 100% of a customer's prior 12-month energy usage. It also clarifies rules for multi-meter systems under common ownership and includes provisions for energy storage devices. Furthermore, the bill creates the 'Customer Protections for Net-Metering Customers Act' and declares an emergency to take effect immediately upon enactment.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
The primary beneficiaries are electric utility companies and residential ratepayers who do not participate in net-metering. Utility companies benefit from more predictable cost-recovery models and reduced administrative complexity regarding grid interconnection. Non-participating ratepayers potentially benefit from the mitigation of 'cost-shifting,' where utilities may have previously raised general electricity rates to compensate for grid maintenance costs associated with solar or other renewable energy infrastructure that net-metering customers use but may not fully pay for via traditional billing.
Who Might Suffer?
The primary entities negatively impacted are current and future commercial or large-scale net-metering customers, as well as the solar installation and renewable energy development industries in Arkansas. These customers face tighter restrictions on the size of their energy systems, which may reduce the financial viability or potential energy offsets of their installations. Renewable energy contractors and developers may see a reduction in the demand for large-scale private renewable projects due to the more stringent capacity caps and changes to how energy is valued and credited, potentially affecting their business growth and employment opportunities.
Vote Records
Third Reading
March 9, 2023View individual votes (100)
| Legislator | Party | Chamber | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fred Allen | Democrat | House | Yea |
| Lane Jean | Republican | House | Yea |
| Stephen Meeks | Republican | House | NV |
| Mark Perry | Democrat | House | Yea |
| Jon Eubanks | Republican | House | Yea |
| Matthew Shepherd | Republican | House | NV |
| Jeff Wardlaw | Republican | House | NV |
| Bruce Cozart | Republican | House | Yea |
| David Whitaker | Democrat | House | Nay |
| Deborah Ferguson | Democrat | House | NV |
| Charlene Fite | Republican | House | Yea |
| Mike Holcomb | Republican | House | NV |
| Stephen Magie | Democrat | House | Yea |
| Mark McElroy | Republican | House | Yea |
| Josh Miller | Republican | House | Yea |
| Richard Womack | Republican | House | Yea |
| Jack Ladyman | Republican | House | Yea |
| Robin Lundstrum | Republican | House | Yea |
| Dwight Tosh | Republican | House | Yea |
| Lanny Fite | Republican | House | Yea |
| Grant Hodges | Republican | House | Yea |
| Rick Beck | Republican | House | Yea |
| Mary Bentley | Republican | House | Yea |
| Les Eaves | Republican | House | Yea |
| Justin Gonzales | Republican | House | Yea |
| Julie Mayberry | Republican | House | Yea |
| Ken Ferguson | Democrat | House | Yea |
| Ron Mcnair | Republican | House | Yea |
| Milton Nicks | Democrat | House | Yea |
| Marcus Richmond | Republican | House | NV |
| Vivian Flowers | Democrat | House | NV |
| Deann Vaught | Republican | House | Nay |
| Karilyn Brown | Republican | House | Yea |
| Sonia Eubanks Barker | Republican | House | NV |
| Frances Cavenaugh | Republican | House | Yea |
| Jack Fortner | Republican | House | Yea |
| Jimmie Gazaway | Republican | House | Yea |
| Roger Lynch | Republican | House | Yea |
| John Maddox | Republican | House | Yea |
| Aaron Pilkington | Republican | House | Yea |
| Johnny Rye | Republican | House | Yea |
| Les Warren | Republican | House | Yea |
| Danny Watson | Republican | House | Yea |
| Carlton Wing | Republican | House | Yea |
| Austin Mccollum | Republican | House | Yea |
| Carol Dalby | Republican | House | Yea |
| Steve Hollowell | Republican | House | Yea |
| Brian Evans | Republican | House | Yea |
| Lee Johnson | Republican | House | Yea |
| Andrew Collins | Democrat | House | Nay |
| Stan Berry | Republican | House | Yea |
| Harlan Breaux | Republican | House | Yea |
| Cameron Cooper | Republican | House | Nay |
| Nicole Clowney | Democrat | House | Nay |
| Cindy Crawford | Republican | House | Yea |
| Denise Garner | Democrat | House | Nay |
| Tippi McCullough | Democrat | House | Nay |
| Jay Richardson | Democrat | House | Yea |
| Jamie Scott | Democrat | House | Nay |
| Jim Wooten | Republican | House | Yea |
| Denise Ennett | Democrat | House | Nay |
| Richard McGrew | Republican | House | Yea |
| Joy Springer | Democrat | House | NV |
| Howard Beaty | Republican | House | Yea |
| Tony Furman | Republican | House | Yea |
| Kendon Underwood | Republican | House | Yea |
| David Ray | Republican | House | Yea |
| Mark Berry | Republican | House | Yea |
| John Carr | Republican | House | Yea |
| Rick McClure | Republican | House | Yea |
| Keith Brooks | Republican | House | NV |
| Delia Haak | Republican | House | Yea |
| Ashley Hudson | Democrat | House | Nay |
| Jon Milligan | Republican | House | Yea |
| RJ Hawk | Republican | House | Yea |
| Wade Andrews | Republican | House | Yea |
| Rebecca Burkes | Republican | House | Yea |
| DeAnna Hodges | Republican | House | Yea |
| Hope Duke | Republican | House | Yea |
| Zack Gramlich | Republican | House | Yea |
| Mindy McAlindon | Republican | House | Yea |
| Matt Duffield | Republican | House | Nay |
| Stetson Painter | Republican | House | Yea |
| Steve Unger | Republican | House | Yea |
| Wayne Long | Republican | House | Nay |
| Scott Richardson | Republican | House | Nay |
| Brandon Achor | Republican | House | NV |
| Jeremiah Moore | Republican | House | Yea |
| Joey Carr | Republican | House | Yea |
| Matt Brown | Republican | House | Yea |
| Shad Pearce | Republican | House | Yea |
| Chad Puryear | Republican | House | Yea |
| Ryan Rose | Republican | House | Yea |
| Bart Schulz | Republican | House | Yea |
| Trey Steimel | Republican | House | Nay |
| Tara Shephard | Democrat | House | NV |
| Jeremy Wooldridge | Republican | House | Yea |
| Kendra Moore | Republican | House | NV |
| Brit McKenzie | Republican | House | Yea |
| Steven Walker | Republican | House | Yea |
Third Reading
March 7, 2023View individual votes (35)
| Legislator | Party | Chamber | Vote |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jane English | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Linda Chesterfield | Democrat | Senate | Nay |
| Jonathan Dismang | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Greg Leding | Democrat | Senate | Nay |
| Missy Irvin | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Bryan King | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Kim Hammer | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Stephanie Flowers | Democrat | Senate | Nay |
| Frederick Love | Democrat | Senate | NV |
| Terry Rice | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Reginald Murdock | Democrat | Senate | Nay |
| Gary Stubblefield | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Jim Dotson | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| John Payton | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Alan Clark | Republican | Senate | Nay |
| Ronald Caldwell | Republican | Senate | Absent |
| Bart Hester | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Jimmy Hickey | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Dan Sullivan | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| David Wallace | Republican | Senate | Nay |
| Blake Johnson | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Justin Boyd | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Clarke Tucker | Democrat | Senate | Nay |
| Scott Flippo | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Clint Penzo | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Mark Johnson | Republican | Senate | Nay |
| Ricky Hill | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Breanne Davis | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Ben Gilmore | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Joshua Bryant | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Matt McKee | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Jim Petty | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Steve Crowell | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Tyler Dees | Republican | Senate | Yea |
| Matt Stone | Republican | Senate | Nay |
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