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[Bumped up to Wednesday for visibility]
* After strong hope for a deal on the climate/energy bill earlier today, the governor and the House Speaker are not going along with the proposal pushed by the Senate Democrats late this afternoon and heard in committee.
At this moment (and things can and do change), it appears that the House will vote on the newly revised remap plan, take up veto messages and then adjourn. It’s still “to be determined” when the chamber will return.
Speaker Welch said yet again this week that he wouldn’t move forward with a bill if all the stakeholders were not in agreement, and they’re not, so that’s that for now.
Stay tuned.
…Adding… The House has passed the remap bill with 73 Democratic votes.
* Leader Durkin…
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) released the following statement on the Illinois Democrats’ passage of partisan maps today:
“Today’s vote confirms that the Illinois Democrats have no interest in honest government. Contrary to their campaign promises, the House Democrats passed a legislative map that lacks any transparency or public input. After lying to taxpayers once, the Governor now has the opportunity to live up to his campaign promises and veto this politician-drawn map.”
*** UPDATE 1 *** Opposition from House Republicans on a motion to accept the governor’s amendatory veto of the ethics bill caused the sponsor to pull the bill from the record. The Democrats don’t have enough members present to accept the AV (71 votes) tonight. They’ll take it up when they return to town.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The Democrats put the motion back up on the board and it failed with just 59 votes. It’s a renewable motion, however.
*** UPDATE 3 *** The Senate has decided to add the climate/energy bill language to a Senate bill and send it over to the House tonight. Doing it that way means the House can amend the bill as well. The ball will soon be in the House’s court, in other words.
*** UPDATE 4 *** Since so many House Democrats cleared out before the ethics motion roll call, it’s pretty safe to assume that there will be no session tomorrow.
…Adding… I’m told SB18 is the new energy bill vehicle.
*** UPDATE 5 *** The Senate approved the climate/energy bill with 39 votes. Its fate in the House is certain: It’s gonna be significantly changed before it’s sent back to the Senate for concurrence. Senate President Harmon said he believes the governor and House Speaker “can get this done in a matter of days.”
*** UPDATE 6 *** Pritzker administration…
The Governor’s Office looks forward to working with members of the House to finalize an energy package that puts consumers and climate first. The Governor’s Office is in discussions with stakeholders to ensure that Prairie State and CWLP’s closure in 2045 includes real interim emissions reductions consistent with previous bill drafts, and is committed to working with the General Assembly to address some drafting errors in the Senate bill that the Governor raised during talks today because they could have unintended legal consequences.
BACKGROUND
Provisions to be reworked
1. The Senate draft requires project labor agreements (i.e. you have to use union labor) on all utility scale projects with public utility REC contracts and there are several places where the bill requires a PLA to even be a regulated entity that gets some benefit from the state (see, e.g. p. 271: you can’t be a high voltage direct current transmission facility unless you have entered into a PLA; p. 368-369: renewable resources are only “deemed generated in Illinois….if the high voltage transmission line was (i) constructed with a project labor agreement…” This is likely preempted by federal law, and is not the only provision with similar issues. If a court finds a provision of the bill unconstitutional, it could delay or prevent every piece of the bill from taking effect: including the critical funding for wind and solar and the right sized subsidy for the Byron and Dresden nuclear plants. The Governor’s office recommended that problematic provisions be removed and the Senate refused.
2. The bill does not update the rollover solar language, despite the fact that refunds began going back to ratepayers last week (on 8/26).
3. Provisions relating to State hiring of displaced energy workers (Page 128, line 10). These interfere with all state hiring practices, including Shakman-related compliance. The Governor’s Office and the Clean Jobs Coalition previously agreed to remove this provision.
4. Remove references and language for several bills that are now law: amendments to the High Impact Business Program, HB 165, which created the Prairie Research Institute carbon capture advisory group, and SB 265, which made critical changes to the Energy Assistance Act. Keeping this language could create conflicts with already enacted law.
Provisions that should be added1. Alternative Fuels Act rewrite to use existing funds to create a $4,000 rebate for consumers who purchase an electric vehicle.
2. The bill removes the elimination of customer deposit requirements for low-income utility residential customers, a key priority for the Governor’s Office to ensure low income consumers are protected.
* Press release…
Following the Senate’s passage of a landmark piece of legislation that will cement Illinois’ status as a leader in the clean energy sector and save thousands of jobs, State Senator Michael E. Hastings (D-Frankfort) released the following statement:
“After years of difficult negotiations, a broad coalition of stakeholders came to a bipartisan agreement that will define the future of clean energy in Illinois. The Illinois Senate, and the Senate Energy and Public Utilities Committee, refuse to allow ratepayers to foot the bill for a transition to a cleaner energy future that did not include our valued nuclear fleet. We traveled the state, conducted thorough hearings and made clear in negotiations that good-paying jobs and our environment must be preserved at all costs. This starts with our nuclear fleet, the most precious natural resource the state of Illinois can offer.
“We came together to win a must win battle to not only save jobs and generate clean energy, but to create new ethical standards for utility companies. The result of this agreement is the preservation of 28,000 direct and indirect jobs and $149 million in local economic impact, maintaining our dominance in the energy generation market space, and allowing us to reach our renewable goals. Greed has run rampant in Illinois for far too long, forcing many to pay the price for the actions of a greedy few. Under this legislation, those who cast a dark cloud over our state’s government will be held to the highest ethical standards.”
…Adding… Press release…
Path to 100 Coalition Thanks Illinois Senate, Urges Quick Passage of Omnibus Energy Legislation
We thank the Illinois Senate for passing SB18, the strongest clean energy, pro-climate legislation in the country. The renewable energy provisions in this legislation would reverse the job losses happening now, and they would make the state the national leader in growing equitable clean energy jobs and fighting climate change. SB18’s bipartisan support reflects the widespread support for strong clean energy policy in Illinois.
We urge Governor Pritzker and Speaker Welch to act quickly to resolve any outstanding issues while preserving the critical renewable energy policies that all parties agreed to after years of negotiations.
Until this legislation becomes law the Illinois renewable energy program will remain broken. Our industry is losing jobs daily and our state is falling further behind other midwestern states in developing the clean energy sector. Rooftop solar installations in Illinois have fallen by more than 90% since last year, and more than 6,000 solar projects remain waitlisted and will not be built without the policies in SB18. For the thousands of families supported by renewable energy jobs in Illinois, the urgency remains very real.
Speaker Welch and the Illinois House have an opportunity to deliver an energy bill that will make Illinois a model for a just transition to a clean energy economy. But to seize this opportunity, the House must act soon.
posted by Rich Miller
Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 1:36 am
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Senator Harmon believes in spending his political capital to zero.
Comment by Candy Dogood Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 6:48 pm
This is anarchy. $317 million in funds already collected for the purpose of renewable energy needs reauthorization today.
Comment by Biker Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 6:50 pm
hopefully they can pass something within the next 2 weeks because byron and dresden will go offline and the towns that support them along with it.
Comment by sladay Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 6:51 pm
–$317 million in funds already collected for the purpose of renewable energy needs reauthorization today.
another excellent point to pass the bill!
Comment by sladay Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 6:52 pm
We live in extraordinary times. Parts of Organized labor is on the wrong side of climate and it’s likely the same side that is against vaccine mandates. Go figure.
Comment by North reform Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 6:53 pm
Hit send too fast! I want to add that labor is failing to lead on the critical issues of the day.
Comment by North reform Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 6:55 pm
Anyone who hasn’t read SA #4 yet needs to check out the poison pill in the final paragraph. There was a reason they didn’t drop that language until after the committee recessed this evening.
Comment by SpiDem Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:03 pm
Im sorry im kind of an idiot when it comes to this but why did the senate move forward after such strong opposition from the governor and House?
Comment by Huh? Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:14 pm
===This is anarchy. $317 million in funds already collected===
They have until next year to refund that money. Take it easy.
The real deadline is Exelon’s drop-dead date.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:17 pm
Boy, Harmon and his CoS are going to take this all the way into the ground.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:18 pm
Candy,
For two years the CJC has said it wanted a date certain for closure of Prairie State and CWLP. They got everything else they wanted and a closure date (even though the deal offered yesterday was actually better). Now they’ve moved the goal posts and said closure isn’t good enough. They won’t take yes for an answer…again.
Comment by Take yes… Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:18 pm
Best thing that could have happened for the middle class.
Comment by Basic Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:19 pm
Rich, you are completely incorrect about the $317 mil being refunded next year. It starts tomorrow, September 1st. ComEd has already filed their tarriff.
Comment by Cubs lose Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:27 pm
“Anyone who hasn’t read SA #4 yet needs to check out the poison pill in the final paragraph.”
How does a non-insider get a copy? Can’t find it on ILGA.gov. Link it! Post it please!
Comment by Suburbanon Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:28 pm
@SpiDem
Can you elaborate? What language is is SA#4?
Comment by JC Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:30 pm
- Parts of Organized labor is on the wrong side of climate -
That may be true, but there are ways to keep people working while still moving forward on decarbonization. These people didn’t start careers because they were dying to burn coal, find a way to transition them.
Comment by Excitable Boy Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:37 pm
Here is amendment 4 https://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=10200HB3666sam004&GA=102&SessionId=110&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=132712&DocNum=3666&GAID=16&SpecSess=&Session=
Comment by CJ Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:38 pm
Byron alone pays about $38 million annually in property taxes to fund eleven different taxing districts. If it closes you will definitely see cuts.
Comment by sladay Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:41 pm
So if I’m reading amendment 4 right, this gives a loophole to continue greenhouse gas and CO2 emissions past 2045, so long as they are at levels equal to today?
Comment by JC Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:45 pm
This really is a failure of all three leaders. There is so much at stake and the Speaker essentially abdicated his duties, put hardly no staff on this issue and let his members run a muck. The Governor backed himself into a corner with his hardline backing of the enviros and allow his chief negotiator’s own ineffectiveness to get in the way of true compromise. And the President failed to convince the other leaders to get this done.
Comment by disappointed Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:48 pm
Take what to the ground Willy? They literally did exactly what they’ve been asked to do. Then suddenly it’s not good enough. And that’s Harmon’s fault how?
Comment by Take yes… Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:50 pm
=== And the President failed to convince the other leaders to get this done.===
LOL, is that you President Harmon?
Hysterical.
It comes down to a real truth;
Harmon is standing in Harmon’s way, you can decide what exactly that means to the “whats and whys”
Your disappointment is seemingly about the blame being pointed at Harmon and why can’t Harmon be a passive hero?
Good try, I grant you…
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:53 pm
JC - The language has to be read in the context of all sections. Non public owned plants would not be able to emit more than the three year average, essentially peaking plants can’t ramp up beyond what they did in the past to make up for other retirements. Other provisions specifically call out the closure dates.
Comment by CJ Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 7:55 pm
They just dropped Amendment 5 : https://ilga.gov/legislation/fulltext.asp?DocName=10200HB3666sam005&GA=102&SessionId=110&DocTypeId=HB&LegID=132712&DocNum=3666&GAID=16&SpecSess=&Session=
Comment by CJ Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 8:00 pm
===It starts tomorrow, September 1st. ComEd has already filed their tarriff===
Yeah, and they can wait. It doesn’t get paid tomorrow.
Comment by Rich Miller Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 8:01 pm
===Take what to the ground===
Why is it that every update is Harmon making it impossible by the wrinkles no one seems to want?
Feels like a “stall and blame” kind of play.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 8:06 pm
Amendment #4 allowed privately owned carbon emitting facilities to continue to emit pollution at current levels.
Amendment #5 adjusted that language so the provision only applies to privately owned gad, not coal fired, facilities
Comment by SpiDem Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 8:20 pm
*gas* not gad
Comment by SpiDem Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 8:21 pm
This is last call for the Byron plant. At least with Dresden the state legislature will be in regular session so will have to look those folks in the eye when they let that one close.
Comment by RichieCago Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 8:31 pm
This is last call for Dresden too, there are no provisions in the bill that would allow Dresden to receive funding without Byron staying open.
Comment by JC Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 8:39 pm
This is Illinois so state legislature could always decide to appropriate a bail out for Dresden in the new session. Unlikely but possible.
For Byron if they adjourn with no bailout that is really it: plant shuts down in 17 days well ahead of next legislative session.
Comment by RichieCago Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 8:45 pm
The amendment doesn’t say they can go past 2045. It says immediately they must hold themselves to a past average which includes a year of low demand from COVID. Those are real reductions in how they can operate today. And will likely have real impacts in hot summers and cold winters
Comment by BIBE Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 8:50 pm
Rich, you are still wrong. The tariff being filed tomorrow means the process to refund the money is underway. The banks that financed renewable energy projects (because they had contracts with AAA rated utilities, fully funded by the RPS) immediately look at those loans as 100% risky for repayment because of the tariff and either raise the cost of capital (fatal to a project) or stop lending altogether (fatal to a project and over the long term, to business development in the state). That’s what’s happening, starting tomorrow. Asserting anything different is incorrect.
It is very, very similar to when Rauner couldn’t get a budget through and vendors weren’t paid. The vendors went under because banks wouldn’t lend to a company who had a contract with the state if it was obvious the state wasn’t going to be able to pay the whole contract. It was wrong then and it’s wrong now. In both cases, it’s easily fixed unless the Governor doesn’t want to fix it because he’s in a passive aggressive fight with a legislative leader.
Comment by Cubs lose Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 9:30 pm
Incorrect Cubs lose–Exelon determines the timeline of the plant closures not government self-imposed deadlines. Remember the Democrat party has control of both houses of congress with a super majority as well as control of the Governor’s mansion so they can realistically do whatever they want until the lights are turned off in Dresden.
They could even hypothetically restart Byron but that cost would be enormous.
There is absolutely nothing preventing the Illinois government from passing a line item bailout of Dresden until its lights out.
Comment by RichieCago Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 9:48 pm
On Sept 1 the IPA has to start a plan to begin distribution of the refund but money won’t really leave that account until mid October… so they still have time but this whole thing is starting to look stupid but someone is gonna get damaged by this process.
Comment by Austinman Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 9:53 pm
To this;
===The Senate has decided to add the climate/energy bill language to a Senate bill and send it over to the House tonight. Doing it that way means the House can amend the bill as well. The ball will soon be in the House’s court, in other words.===
It’ll be Welch’s fault, Harmon will all but derail it, but it’ll be “Welch’s fault”’even if Welch amends?
Getting it out of the Senate for now is the move.
Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 9:54 pm
===The ball will soon be in the House’s court, in other words.===
Also means the earliest the House can pass a Senate bill back over to the Senate for concurrence is Thursday. I hope everyone packed extra pairs of underwear.
Comment by Just Me 2 Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 9:56 pm
Once the maps are done, will Harmon be able to muster 36 votes? How many members are left?
Comment by SpiDem Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 10:02 pm
Why does solar need more subsidies when they have (ComEd collected) $100s of millions that have not been distributed?
Comment by NorthsideNoMore Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 10:06 pm
RichieCago - I have no idea what you’re talking about. The issue is funds collected to pay renewable energy contracts and has nothing to do with nuclear plants.
Austinman- incorrect. By statute the utilities need to reconcile the RPS funds collected between 2017-may 31, 2021, a process that starts on Sept 1. The reconciliation process is at the ICC, not the IPA.
Northside- the “$100s of millions that have not been distributed” is partly wrong and partly right. The money collected has been obligated to contracts that are between 5-15 years, starting in 2019. Not to state the obvious but it’s 2021 so there are many years left to pay on these contracts. The statute requires reconciliation of “unspent” funds which, of course, means contracts would be unpaid because they have between 3-13 years left on them. If the statute said “unobligated” there wouldn’t be a problem but it says “unspent”. There are no unobligated funds for renewables until 2025, thus the need for more “subsidies”.
Comment by Cubs lose Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 10:23 pm
Bad timing / scheduling by House leadership of ethics vote.
Comment by Govs Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 10:37 pm
The funny part about all of this is that without a deal, everybody loses. The result will be more pollution and loss of jobs. Lots of people cutting of their nose tonight just to spite their faces.
Comment by Cluster Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 10:44 pm
==Since so many House Democrats cleared out before the ethics motion roll call, it’s pretty safe to assume that there will be no session tomorrow.==
In 14 days Byron shuts down. Exelon is 82% of the way through the preliminary shutdown process for both Byron and Dresden. https://www.exeloncorp.com/company/Documents/Byron-and-Dresden-Decommissioning-List-final.pdf
Comment by sladay Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 10:59 pm
SB18 with 3 amendments being introduced by Sen. Hastings now.
Comment by Anon221 Tuesday, Aug 31, 21 @ 11:48 pm
====The Senate approved the climate/energy bill with 39 votes. Its fate in the House is certain: It’s gonna be significantly changed before it’s sent back to the Senate for concurrence. Senate President Harmon said he believes the governor and House Speaker “can get this done in a matter of days.”=====
It does seem easier to just take a vote to concur on a bill. As we have all witnessed at the end of May. “Oh well, what were we going to do? We cant change it”
Comment by Been There Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 1:14 am
=In 14 days Byron shuts down.=
Let them shut it down then. I am tired of Excelon/Com Ed hostage taking.
Comment by JS Mill Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 8:36 am
Agree with JS Mill.
It seems the only item the Governor and a majority in the GA agree on is raising costs on taxpayers and ratepayers by hundreds of millions or several billions of dollars depending on the estimates that have been made public.
Time to start over without rewarding corporations that abused the public trust.
Comment by Back to the Future Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 9:09 am
==Feels like a “stall and blame” kind of play.==
Do you still have that same feeling OW? Or must you continue to speak about issues you have no actual knowledge of?
Comment by MG85 Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 9:44 am
===Do you still have that same feeling OW? Or must you continue to speak about issues you have no actual knowledge of?===
LOL
Now it’s a punt, leave it at the doorstep of Welch, and take the blame and heat off Harmon and his CoS
Still needs to pass the Senate, again, with changes, correct?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 9:50 am
==Still needs to pass the Senate, again, with changes, correct?==
I’ve never understood the use of punt as a metaphor here. Punt means to defer or to pass responsibility.
The senate passed a bill. The legislator is a separate but equal branch of government last I checked. If anything, the senate moved the ball forward, keeping it in play. A punt would give the ball to anti-climate change deniers.
That said, your ill-informed position on what the senate is doing or what Harmon is up to was put on full display last night and in Rich’s column this morning (even he couldn’t simply lay blame on the senate president).
The reality is, the governor keeps moving the goal posts, Welch won’t do anything unless everyone else agrees (which means he has no position on an existential crisis…pretty weak sauce), and the Senate is the only institution bargaining in good faith.
The point of negotiations is to get to a deal. Impasse here means more carbon and higher rates for fee payers.
So let’s look forward to you writing that your awry assessment missed the mark; and it’s high time the Governor come to the table and bargain in good faith. Maybe even tell the law school grad to sit this one out since his track record is less than stellar.
Comment by MG85 Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 10:00 am
LOL
===I’ve never understood the use of punt as a metaphor here. Punt means to defer or to pass responsibility.===
That’s comical.
=== Senate President Harmon said he believes the governor and House Speaker “can get this done in a matter of days.”===
Punting to anyone… but him.
=== The senate passed a bill.===
That’s seemingly no one likes and needs almost a complete rewrite. That’s punting. “Let then figure it out”, meanwhile, status quo remains for Harmon, and the CoS allies.
===That said, your ill-informed position on what the senate is doing or what Harmon is up to was put on full display last night and in Rich’s column this morning (even he couldn’t simply lay blame on the senate president).===
You shouldn’t share subscriber content.
I can have my own opinion to *exactly* as I see it.
Running a bill that no one asked for, saying it’s up to the governor and speaker to land it, knowing it has to come back and he still can leave it where it won’t pass after the changes… I won’t go into direct thoughts more, as sharing is a no-no
===Senate is the only institution bargaining in good faith.===
The debate has made a point to protect special interests. That’s good faith?
===
it’s high time the Governor come to the table and bargain in good faith. Maybe even tell the law school grad to sit this one out since his track record is less than stellar.===
Sounds like a labor person wanting the governor to cave to labor as the senate argues in “good faith” with a bill no one wanted, that will need changes that stall and keep the process from moving.
We’ll see if the Speaker and Governor can land this, it’s a mess, that’s for sure, and what is ever handed to Harmon, what will be the next move.
Your disparaging of the governor is a nice touch… when talking good faith and all
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 10:15 am
Total punt, with about 2 minutes left in the game and counting on the defense to get a 3 and out so you can get one last scoring chance.
Comment by SAP Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 10:25 am
They should give the nukes a one-time extension and split it off from the rest of the bill. This would allow for more time to work out the rest of the bill.
Comment by DuPage Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 10:44 am
==They got everything else they wanted and a closure date==
But isn’t that closure date “the plant can keep polluting as much as it wants until Date X when it has to come to a complete halt”? Gotta admit that that seems a little petulant.
Comment by Arsenal Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 10:52 am
I saw a provision in the bill specifically allowing contractors to use unqualified workers to install rooftop solar. What happens if the homeowner’s roof starts leaking because of mistakes made by these unqualified workers? They need to strike the provision allowing unqualified workers.
Comment by Dupage Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 10:53 am
== Sounds like a labor person ==
Is this supposed to be an insult?
LOL
== Running a bill that no one asked for==
Well which is it, is Harmon capitulating to labor or does truly no one want this bill including labor?
Also, that’s called negotiations. You don’t get everything you want. You also don’t agree to things you can not live with. Again, the only body that seems to be doing anything is the senate. You may not like what they did, but they did something.
Comment by MG85 Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 10:57 am
=== Is this supposed to be an insult?===
Nope. An observation from a written position.
I’d like to think I’m “labor friendly” but these past weeks have been trying to say the least.
===Well which is it, is Harmon capitulating to labor or does truly no one want this bill including labor?===
Harmon ran a bill that seemingly is favorable to his own thoughts and interest.
Outside Harmon’s own thoughts and interest, we can discuss.
Frankly?
Frankly, it’s as Pate or Madigan would do with bills knowing the other chamber was going to change the landscape of the language;
“We passed our bill, let the governor and the other side of the building figure it out”
In that small framing… Governor needs to find his 36 in the Senate, and get it through the House, at this point. That’s what the punting does.
===You also don’t agree to things you can not live with. Again, the only body that seems to be doing anything is the senate. You may not like what they did, but they did something.===
They… punted.
Now we’ll see how the Governor and Welch go.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 11:07 am
A bill that no one wants? In what universe. This is a fantastic bill that saves thousands of nuclear and renewable jobs and creates tens of thousands more renewable jobs as well as hundreds of small businesses. It decarbonizes the electric sector, saves hundreds of millions of tons of CO2 and has the most progressive labor and equity standards in the nation. It’s supported by both labor and clean energy and was passed with a supermajority in the Senate. You have a very funny definition of “nobody.”
And complete rewrite? Cmon, you know better than that. Even if we take everything enviros say at face value, it needs a handful of tweaks.
Comment by Southern Skeptic Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 1:56 pm
=== A bill that no one wants? In what universe.===
In the 71 and signature universe.
Actually, the only universe it matters, currently
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 1:57 pm
=== This is a fantastic bill that saves thousands of nuclear and renewable jobs and creates tens of thousands more renewable jobs as well as hundreds of small businesses. It decarbonizes the electric sector, saves hundreds of millions of tons of CO2 and has the most progressive labor and equity standards in the nation. It’s supported by both labor and clean energy and was passed with a supermajority in the Senate. You have a very funny definition of “nobody.”===
Show me the 71 and the governor willing to sign it… on its merits.
===Even if we take everything enviros say at face value, it needs a handful of tweaks.===
If that’s true, why didn’t Harmon run the bill with those small handful of tweaks to begin with, why the punt?
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 2:00 pm
===It’s supported by both labor and clean energy and was passed with a supermajority in the Senate===
You’re forgetting environmental groups.
71-36-1.
Also, it passed because it wasn’t going anywhere.
Comment by Rich Miller Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 2:01 pm
OW - have you ever been in a Democratic Senate Caucus meeting? The myth that legislative leaders have unitary authority was created by the likes of MJM and Pate. But reality was always messier.
I suspect it will be easier for just enough “pro labor” Senators to vote for a House compromise after they voted first for the Senate bill.
Comment by Phineas Gurley Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 5:41 pm
=== The myth that legislative leaders have unitary authority was created by the likes of MJM and Pate. But reality was always messier.===
So they punted knowing it had no chance to pass on its own?
Then why all the theatrics at the end of session, “the bill isn’t dead”… the leaders may (or may not) have the autonomy, but it’s clear that Harmon made choices and made decisions to a political thought, maybe even outside the bill and it’s ramifications.
I point to - MG85 - and those comments these past two days.
Hope you’re well.
Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Sep 1, 21 @ 5:47 pm