By State Sen. Daryl Schmitt (R-Jasper)
Throughout my time in the state Senate, one thing I have heard from constituents is the cost of living has drastically increased in recent years.
From groceries to utility bills, many residents of southwest Indiana have felt the pinch of increased inflation.
That's why I supported laws in recent years aimed at lowering energy bills for Hoosiers.
During the 2025 legislative session, I supported House Enrolled Act 1007, which authorizes the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to investigate whether a utility company's plan to retire a generating facility maintains adequate capacity or negatively impacts ratepayers.
If the IURC determines a company will not have adequate capacity or will negatively impact ratepayers, the state can issue an order prohibiting a facility's retirement.
Earlier this year, I supported House Enrolled Act 1002, which promotes both affordability and reliability for electric customers.
House Enrolled Act 1002 requires utility companies to meet affordability and reliability goals through a performance-based ratemaking model to collect their full return on investment. This new model is the largest change to our state's ratemaking process in more than a century, and utilities are now incentivized to provide service that is both affordable and reliable.
Hoosiers expect and deserve to know that when they flip the switch, the lights will come on at an affordable rate. That's why I've supported these two laws as a member of the state Senate, and I will continue to work with my colleagues and constituents to find ways to make our state even more affordable.
As always, constituents can reach out to me with any questions or concerns by email at s48@iga.in.gov or by phone at 1-800-382-9467.
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State Sen. Daryl Schmitt (R-Jasper) represents Senate District 48,
which includes Crawford, Dubois, Gibson, Perry, Pike and Spencer counties.?
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
