State Representative Lauren McNally (D-Youngstown) testified Friday in the House Government Oversight Committee on House Bill 444, which would ban public utilities from rate recovery for political spending, require more political expenditure reporting and fine utility companies for violations.

McNally said its become clear that public utilities customers of FirstEnergy helped fund "secret dark money contributions" to both Governor Mike DeWine and Lt. Governor Jon Husted when they were running.

The bill was introduced by former State Rep. Jessica Miranda in response to concerns about the cost of corruption in Ohio. The release says Ohioans are paying over $1 billion through increased electric bills and fee hikes in the wake of the House Bill 6 scandal.

House Bill 6 was a nuclear bailout bill that devolved into a corruption scheme that traded millions of dollars in bribes to push politicians to bail out FirstEnergy nuclear and coal plants.

That scandal was described by U.S. Attorney David M. DeVillers as "likely the largest bribery, money laundering scheme ever perpetrated against the people of the state of Ohio."

State Rep. McNally said House Bill 444 is a way to show that lawmakers see and feel the experiences of the people.

"When my neighbor is watching the evening news with his AC turned off in 80-degree weather just to save a buck, and he's hearing about how the money for these pay-to-play bribes is coming from his sweat-drenched pockets, you better believe he is mad as hell," McNally said. "I know my family and other Ohio families don't expect to be charged fees for a business's politicking or business executives enriching themselves through backroom deals. Yet this is exactly what we, as lawmakers, are allowing to take place in Ohio in the utility space and why we have found ourselves embroiled in one of the biggest scandals to ever take place...Deterrence and transparency are key, and HB 444 clearly defines what constitutes political expenditures while requiring increased penalties and reporting."

House Bill 444 contains three parts:

  • Banning utilities from lobbying, donating to political groups and non-profits or public relations campaigns with ratepayer money.
  • Requiring utilities to disclose an itemized list of their political expenditures.
  • Levy fines against utilities if they engage in politics with ratepayer funds.

The bill would also require utility companies to submit a list of all political expenditures that the utility made during the last 12-month period to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.

House Bill 444 will have hearings in the House Government Oversight Committee before being voted on by the Ohio House of Representatives.