Before
The Ohio House of Representatives
Natural Resources Committee
Testimony on House Bill 96 – Budget
Maureen Willis, Agency Director
Office of the Ohio Consumers’ Counsel
February 26, 2025
Thank you for this opportunity to testify to the budget for the Consumers’ Counsel’s services to millions of Ohioans. At OCC we put consumers first.
OCC is funded by assessments on utilities. We are not general revenue funded. Consumers paid 2.68 cents per $100 in utility bills through the utility assessments to fund OCC for FY25. With our full, requested increase, consumers’ cost to fund our agency will remain less than 4 cents per $100 utility bill. (See Attachment 1 (C)).
With our savings for residential consumers of $29 for every dollar spent on the agency, we are producing one of the best returns on investment for consumers in the state. For years now, we have operated the office efficiently, transparently, and in a fiscally responsible manner, creating significant savings for consumers. Our recent advocacy (2019-2024) at FERC and the PUCO saved residential consumers $977 million, including:
$179 million for AEP consumers
$396 million for FirstEnergy consumers
$268 million for AES consumers
$54 million for Duke consumers
$48 million for Columbia Gas of Ohio consumers
We’ve also successfully advocated for bill payment assistance programs, disconnection protection, and increased transparency on the value of shopping for energy services.
I am grateful to Governor DeWine for recommending a $585,953 increase to the Consumers’ Counsel’s budget for FY26 and an additional $258,810 increase for FY27. (HB 96, lines 103877 through 103879). That would increase OCC’s annual budget from the current $6.3 million to $6.9 million in FY26 and $7.2 million in FY27. This is a great step toward restoring agency funding that has not kept up with inflation. But more is needed to enable OCC to continue to provide essential advocacy for 4.5 million residential households in Ohio.
OCC requested a budget increase of $1,974,079 for FY26 and an additional $165,747 for FY27. Consistent with our request, I ask that House Bill 96 be amended to achieve our requested increase. Please amend Lines 103878-103879 to provide an operating budget of $8,287,346 for FY26 and an operating budget of $8,453,093 for FY27 instead of the lower recommended amounts of $6,899,209 and $7,158,030.
This funding will support continued and increased advocacy and education for residential Ohio utility consumers. The requested funds will restore the Agency’s purchasing power, which has steadily declined since 2012 due to inflation and static OCC budgets. (Please see Attachments 3 (A), 4 (B)). Our purchasing power is important because it enables us to maintain adequate staffing and procure expert consultants and legal counsel to assist us in representing consumers in very complex matters where tens of millions of dollars in rate increases are being sought from utility consumers.
OCC Services for Consumers:
OCC’s role for the public is described in its mission: “The Ohio Consumers’ Counsel advocates and educates to secure for Ohioans affordable, reliable and equitable residential utility services that are essential to their well-being.” OCC’s vision is “To be an independent voice of Ohio residential consumers, including at-risk communities, for achieving justice, equity and regulatory reform regarding their utility services.” Our core values are Justice, Excellence, Respect, Communications, and Integrity.
Most of OCC’s advocacy services to Ohio residential consumers are at the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, and the Supreme Court of Ohio, among other forums. OCC’s services are related to consumers’ electric, natural gas, telephone, and water utility services from regulated utilities. Our services include legal representation related to lawyered-up utilities. Legal advocacy on utility issues requires attorneys. It also requires technical experts, such as accountants, economists, engineers and so forth. (See Attachment 5 (R) for examples of consultant and special counsel spending and consumer savings achieved by those efforts.)
Our services also include education and information for consumers about their utility services. This is done through outreach by OCC staff and by electronic means. OCC’s website is at www.occ.ohio.gov. OCC’s Consumer Fact Sheets are listed and available at occ.ohio.gov/factsheets. (See Attachment 6 (I), Attachment 7 (J) for OCC Education and Outreach statistics.) OCC Operations Staff work to fill the agency’s continuing need for employees and consultants with technical expertise. (See Attachment 8 (G) for key agency statistics). OCC is also available to assist legislators with constituent issues and legislation involving residential utility services. We welcome opportunities to be helpful. Our legislative liaison, Nick Stallard, is happy to receive your inquiries, as am I, about constituent issues and legislation.
OCC Organization:
The nine-member OCC Governing Board is comprised of representatives from the areas of family farmers, labor and residential consumers (with three members from each area). The Board and agency were created to be independent of state administrations. The Governing Board Chair is Mike Watkins from labor (being the Fraternal Order of Police). The Vice Chair is former legislator Cheryl Grossman, as a consumer member. I am grateful to the OCC Governing Board members who, essentially as volunteers, want OCC to do the right thing for Ohio consumers. The Board appoints the Consumers’ Counsel (or Agency Director), which is the position I hold. And the Board appoints the Deputy (who is Angela O’Brien). The Board Chair is also a standing member of the PUCO Nominating Council.
Savings for Consumers from OCC Advocacy:
During our 49 years of service, the Consumers’ Counsel has helped Ohioans save a lot of money on their utility bills. And those savings far surpass the cost of our budget. Much of what we can accomplish in these cases is through the hiring of expert consultants. Individual Ohioans are unlikely to have the time or resources to be able to advocate effectively on their own behalf in these formal processes. OCC provides residential utility consumers with a voice and representation.
OCC Recommended Amendments:
Additionally, OCC proposes amendments to the budget bill. Amendment language is attached to this testimony. Those amendments include:
Language clarifying that no bond is required when a public officer of the state seeks to stay execution of a final order by the PUCO in a proceeding to reverse, vacate or modify a PUCO final order (Attachment 9)
Language to allow OCC to issue subpoenas in PUCO cases (Attachment 10)
Language to allow OCC to intervene as a matter of right in PUCO proceedings
(Attachment 11)Language allowing OCC to accept grants (Attachment 12)
I am happy to discuss any of these amendments in further detail or to answer any questions.
Thank you for your consideration.