Latest news with #SenateBill170
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Utility pre-deployment incentive passes Senate
Mar. 10—SANTA FE — Despite some legislators' fears of increased utility bill costs and a lack of transparency, another bill to ensure New Mexico has development-ready land is moving onto the House. Senate Bill 170 passed the Senate by a 31-10 vote Monday, and its companion bill Senate Bill 169 passed the floor 37-2 over the weekend. The site readiness measures are ultimately aiming to draw more economic development — private, tribal or public — to New Mexico. SB170 would allow public utilities to ask the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission for permission to set up power lines, roads and other infrastructure on empty plots of land prime for development — and get money back later for it. Currently, utilities have to write off those costs, explained Economic Development Secretary-designate Rob Black. This bill would allow the PRC to approve rate recovery measures instead, via customer base charges or surcharges. Getting a site set up with all its infrastructure, from public utilities to roads, can take years in New Mexico, something that has dissuaded developers from coming to the state. Senate Minority Whip Michael Padilla, D-Albuquerque, on the floor described his SB170 — a bipartisan bill — as a piece of the puzzle that would change that. A few senators rose with concerns that all utility customers would have to pay for a measure only benefitting some areas. "This is a statewide economic development program, but it really isn't shared statewide. It's shared only by the people within that particular utility's district area," said Sen. William Soules, D-Las Cruces. Black told the Journal the legislation would likely make utility bills cheaper because it would attract large developers that need a lot of energy. In turn, he said, the developers would pay for grid upgrades and attract economic activity. Sen. Antoinette Sedillo Lopez, D-Albuquerque, said she would like to see more guardrails in the bill around what projects are chosen as prime for economic development. "I'm always queasy when we give these big benefits out," she said. But Black said public utilities couldn't ask the PRC for permission to set up infrastructure early and recover costs later unless the Economic Development Department labels it as a prime spot for future economic development projects. Even then, the PRC would still need to approve it. The bill doesn't change the normal regulatory processes utilities go through at the PRC, Black added. "I think there was some confusion about how rates work in the debate," he said. All ten "no" votes on the bill were cast by Democratic senators. .
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bipartisan group of Georgia senators move to make statewide Council for the Homeless
A bipartisan group of Georgia state senators filed legislation to create a statewide, interagency group to study and address issues of the unsheltered and homeless in the state. Senate Bill 170, sponsored by Democrat and Republican party leaders, and another senator from each party, in the upper chamber, would create the Georgia Interagency Council for the Homeless to 'ensure a coordinated state-wide approach to addressing homelessness' in Georgia. As written, the bill would establish the council with 21 members appointed by the governor. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Members would come from more than a dozen state agencies, with the remaining members to include three people who have personally experienced homelessness and three members representing service providers to the homeless. Appointed officials to the council would serve three-year terms, according to the bill, and any vacancies would be filled by an appointment at the governor's discretion. The council chair will be the member working for the Georgia Commissioner of Community Affairs or their appointee. TRENDING STORIES: Gene Hackman death: Gas company assisting with investigation; Hackman, wife found in different rooms Average tornado risk creeps up in Georgia as severe weather season begins Man runs into Lake Lanier to try and avoid traffic stop, officials say As far as duties of the council, it would be charged with surveying the state's current resources for homeless services, initiating an evaluation of the state's current and future needs for those services and would assist in coordination and providing statewide services to homeless Georgians. The bill would also have the council, once established, increase how information flows between service providers and appropriate authorities as well as develop guidelines to monitor how services are provided and delivered to those in need. The council would also work with the State Workforce Development Board and homeless shelters and public and private entities to give homeless individuals information on services they can make use of and to help them get job training and find work. The council would also create a central resource and information center for homeless Georgians and coordinate efforts to prevent what it called the criminalization of homelessness. The council would be assisted by local or statewide nonprofits that perform duties the council is unable to. A full meeting of the 21 members would gather once per quarter to review progress and set goals. By Oct. 1, and each year afterward, the council would submit reports to the Governor's Office detailing their activities, findings and a set of recommendations, if any need to be made. Members of the council will not be paid for their positions, but would be provided with necessary expenses and daily allowances for transportation and mileage, as well as options for reimbursement of costs needed for their duties. Funding would come from each state department a council member is from, or other respective areas as needed. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
