February 20th, 2017
by Lola Killey
We are nearing a moment in history that we have all been waiting for – hearings at the Michigan House of Representatives Energy Committee on an analog meter choice bill that could move the bill out of committee and onto the House Floor for a vote. The bill is HB 4220. The hearing is this coming Tuesday, February 21, at 9:00 AM in Lansing in the Anderson Building, 5th Floor. The positive momentum is due to the efforts of several of our legislators, legislative staff, and the legislative service bureau. In particular, we are very grateful to Representatives Glenn, Lucido, Howrylak, McCready, Barrett, Liberati, Zemke, Runestad, Hernandez, Allor, Kelly, Canfield, Noble, Hornberger, Hoitenga, Wentworth, Garrett and Robinson for supporting and sponsoring the bill. We are also grateful to Nancy Bareham, aide to Representative Kelly, for her hard work, and to Senator Colbeck for his support on the prior bill, HB 4916.
HB 4220 is the replacement of HB 4916. The text of HB 4220 is exactly the same as HB 4916. A new number was assigned to the bill because of the new committee being formed this year. Analog meter choice advocates have pushed hard to get an analog meter choice bill out of committee for years. The beginning of the bill states:
A UTILITY CUSTOMER MAY CHOOSE BETWEEN THE
PLACEMENT OR USE OF A TRADITIONAL METER OR AN ADVANCED METER REGARDLESS OF THE UTILITY THAT PROVIDES SERVICE TO THAT CUSTOMER.
Near the end, the bill states:
“TRADITIONAL METER” MEANS AN ANALOG OR SIMILAR METER THAT IS UNABLE TO TRANSMIT USAGE INFORMATION AND IS ONLY INTENDED TO BE READ BY AN INDIVIDUAL THROUGH A VISUAL DISPLAY. A TRADITIONAL METER IS NOT DESIGNED TO BE AND IS NOT CAPABLE OF TRANSMITTING USAGE DATA BY USING RADIO WAVES OR BROADBAND OVER POWER LINES, ALLOWING 2-WAY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN THE METER AND THE UTILITY OR ITS AGENTS, OR ALLOWING A UTILITY OR ITS AGENTS TO CONTROL A CUSTOMER’S THERMOSTAT, APPLIANCE, OR SERVICE. A TRADITIONAL METER DOES NOT INCLUDE AN ADVANCED METER THAT HAS CERTAIN FUNCTIONALITY TURNED OFF OR DEACTIVATED.
We interpret above sections together as giving utility customers the analog meter choice we want for the meters placed on our homes.
Please join us in the effort to get this bill passed. We need every voice to support this bill in its entirety at this moment in time. We cannot afford at this moment in time to pick and choose different language, or interpret it negatively. We need positive support, positive momentum, and a positive outcome. For that to happen, we need every voice to support our legislators and those who are helping them. Please call your representative and tell them that you support HB 4220, and either thank them for their support, or ask them to support it as well – 100%! THANK YOU!