STATEHOUSE– On Monday, Senate Bill (SB) 178 passed out of the House and heads to the governor’s desk for final approval. This bill recognizes natural gas and propane as clean energy sources in Indiana. State Rep. Alex Burton (D-Evansville) this new policy change may lead to communities in Southwest Indiana accessing grants and subsidies that ultimately reduce people’s monthly energy bills.
“For the past decade, Democrats and Republicans alike have been frustrated with the energy costs in Southwest Indiana and Evansville. We have consistently paid the most expensive utility bills in Indiana, leading some community members to move to neighboring states in the Tristate area – unable to afford the cost of living. To be clear, since my swearing-in, my goal in the Statehouse has been to reduce the costs of energy utility bills for Hoosiers by any means necessary. SB 178 creates a pathway of possibility that I’m proud to co-sponsor and support by adding natural gas and propane to the list of clean energy resources. This new policy change may lead to our communities in Southwest Indiana accessing grants and subsidies that ultimately reduce our monthly energy bills,” said Burton.
HB 1208 is also headed to the Governor’s desk. It requires the State Board of Accounts (SBOA) to create training requirements for the sheriffs responsible for their county’s commissary funds. The bill also requires the sheriff’s office to make quarterly reports of receipts and disbursements from the fund to the county fiscal body. The bill was changed in the Senate to add hard reporting dates for each quarter: April 15, July 15, Oct. 15 and Jan. 15 of the preceding year…