Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has signed a bill into law that will change the way utility rates are set. It will give utility companies the authority to use a so-called “future test year” model for setting rates based on projected costs. It had both bipartisan support and bipartisan opposition. Republican Senator Joe Nicola of Jackson County opposed it:
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“We do know our rates are going to be going up. I’m extremely concerned, once again, because, in my district, I have many elderly people on fixed incomes.”
But the new law requires Missouri utility companies to wait 72 hours before disconnecting a customer’s service for nonpayment when the temperature is expected to fall below 32 degrees or soar above 95 degrees. Current law allows disconnection after 24 hours. The new law will take effect August 28th.