Ohio House chips away at HB 6; lawmaker wants Householder issue resolved
(The Center Square) – Ohio lawmakers continue to take bites at the nuclear bailout bill that created a $1 billion subsidy for the state’s nuclear power industry, raised consumer rates and led to five federal indictments, including the former speaker of the House, in what prosecutors call the largest public corruption scandal in state history.
Some in the Ohio House, however, say it’s not enough.
The House overwhelming passed House Bill 128 on Wednesday. It repealed the subsidy created by House Bill 6, saving consumers up to $150 million a year through 2027, bill sponsors Jim Hoops, R-Napolean, and Dick Stein, R-Norwalk, said.
“As a result, some Ohioans will see the lowering of these rates,” Stein said. “I was happy to step in to work with colleagues and deliver further ratepayer decreases for Ohioans.”
State Rep. Kyle Koehler, R-Springfield, decided not to vote on the bill, saying the House needs to deal with former Speaker Larry Householder, R-Glenford.
“While I support Representatives Jim Hoops and Dick Stein’s attempt to fix the mess made by House Bill 6, I respectfully told the bill sponsors and House leadership that I was unwilling to vote on a bill to clean up HB 6 without first taking a vote to clean up the House,” Koehler said.
Householder, along with four co-conspirators, were charged eight months ago. Three of the five entities charged have pleaded guilty. Householder pleaded not guilty. He was removed as speaker but won reelection to the Ohio House in November.
Koehler, who voted against House Bill 6 in 2019, said Householder’s continued participation as a representative creates division.
“There is a shadow over the Ohio House which is causing great division. I promised my constituents that we would deal with the person I feel is responsible after the election. We have not,” Koehler said. “I know the speaker is looking into how to best address all the issues surrounding what is called the largest bribery scandal in Ohio’s history, however, I simply believe we need to clean up the issue at the root of the problem so that we can move on to the extremely important obstacles facing the citizens of Ohio.”
House Speaker Bob Cupp, R-Lima, called HB 128 thoughtful and an attempt to save nuclear power plant jobs and help ratepayers.
“This thoughtful, balanced legislation is the result of extensive deliberations over the last several months and allows Ohio to move forward,” Cupp said. “With this legislation, ratepayers will see savings over $1 billion, while we continue supporting jobs, our economy and carbon-free energy generation in Ohio.”
HB 6 created a new Ohio Clean Air Program to support nuclear energy plants and some solar power facilities. Electricity consumers were to fund the program with a surcharge that ran through 2027.
The fee, which was scheduled to begin Jan. 1, was stopped by the Ohio Supreme Court in late December. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost also reached a deal with FirstEnergy to stop what would have been a $120 million windfall for the company this year based on another part of HB 6.
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