|
Our
legislative efforts protect consumers
At noon on Jan. 6 the banging of a gavel will open the 175th
session of the Mississippi Legislature at the state Capitol
in Jackson.
Two
months ago Mississippians flooded the polls to mark their
choices for political posts ranging from sheriff to governor.
After the votes were tallied, Mississippians had elected a
new governor and re-elected their lieutenant governor. Fourteen
of the 52 Senate seats and 27 of 122 in the House changed
hands. (It is worth noting that some former legislators retired
or simply chose not to run for re-election.)
In
accordance with the state constitution, the 2004 legislative
session will be extended from the usual 90 days to 125 days.
This extension is customary for a "term year," or
a year in which a gubernatorial inauguration occurs.
During
a regular session, legislators send more than 600 bills to
the governor to be signed into law. Twenty to 25 percent of
all bills introduced become law, according to the secretary
of state's office.
We
trust our elected officials to make decisions every day that
will benefit our community, and the state. But legislators
often face tough choices; sometimes a bill has the potential
to produce as many losers as winners. And some legislation
can result in unintended consequences for consumers.
Your electric power association continually monitors legislation
in an effort to safeguard your interest as a electric utility
ratepayer. As bills are introduced, we are alert to any provisions
that will negatively affect the quality and cost of electric
service we provide to more than 664,000 Mississippians.
We
work closely with legislators to educate them about not-for-profit
electric power associations — how they work as consumer-owned
cooperatives to provide quality, affordable electric service.
Service, not profit, is our mission.
Mississippi's 25 electric power associations, located in every
region of the state, are committed to serving as a unified
voice for their consumers. Electric power associations are
diligent in their efforts to safeguard consumers' interests
on the state and national levels.
The
national energy bill, which Congress debated late last year
but ultimately did not send to the president, was carefully
monitored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association,
of which we are a member. We wanted to ensure the bill would
benefit our consumers and protect our right to be independent
and self-governing.
Those are key concerns; we want governance of co-ops to remain
in the hands of locally elected boards of directors.
Our strong co-op presence in the legislative process will
ensure that tradition of service continues.
PAST
EDITORIALS
|
