DV Journal

The state Senate on Thursday voted 31-18 Thursday to repeal Pennsylvania’s membership in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which Senate Republicans call a tax on electricity for Keystone State ratepayers.

“It is time for Pennsylvania to take charge of its own energy future,” said Sen. Gene Yaw (R-Bradford), chair of the Environmental Resources and Energy Committee. “We must close this chapter and move forward with responsible policy that strengthens grid reliability, incentivizes development, creates jobs and protects consumers from higher costs.”

RGGI is a cooperative effort among 11 U.S. states to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the power sector. Launched in 2009, RGGI is the first mandatory market-based cap-and-trade program in the United States to address climate change.

RGGI requires fossil fuel power plants with capacity greater than 25 megawatts to obtain an allowance for each ton of carbon dioxide they emit annually. Power plants within the region may comply by purchasing allowances from quarterly auctions, other generators within the region, or offset projects. The costs of those allowances are passed on to ratepayers.

Rather than taking the RGGI proposal through the legislative process, then-Gov. Tom Wolf (D) forced Pennsylvania into the compact via executive order in 2019.

Seeking to nail its coffin shut, the Senate passed a bill repealing it for the second time. Entering the compact was a top priority for Wolf, who vetoed a bill that would have required the state’s legislature to approve entering the RGGI.

However, Pennsylvania’s status in RGGI remains tied up in the courts, with a case pending in the state Supreme Court.

RGGI would “increase electricity rates for consumers, cut energy and has placed a halt on expansion of numerous manufacturing jobs,” the state Senate GOP said in a statement. “No new investments in baseload generation have come to Pennsylvania in the six years since the Wolf Administration attempted to enter the state into RGGI.”

They noted that, if adopted, it must be by the legislature, not executive fiat, which is the crux of their court case. Shapiro had appealed a Commonwealth Court decision to the Supreme Court.

“For nearly six years, we have been taking actions to stop the RGGI Electricity Tax,” Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Armstrong) said. “Even though the Commonwealth Court has ruled RGGI is unconstitutional, Gov. Shapiro has continued his push with the Supreme Court. If the RGGI electricity tax would go into effect, it would mean hundreds of millions of dollars of increases on electric bills, impacting every electricity consumer in this commonwealth. We must help families feeling the strain of inflation – not put more pressure on their household budgets.”

The Senate passed a bill to repeal RGGI last year. It died without being adopted by the Democrat-controlled House.

The bill will now goes to the House, which is currently tied 101-101 until a special election is held in March.

Shapiro recently put forward an energy proposal that he called the “Lightning Plan.”

It includes manufacturing tax credits, rebates for energy efficient appliances, a board to approve energy projects, a tax credit program, an investment credit, and regional hydrogen tax credits.

House Speaker Joanna McClinton did not respond to a request for comment, nor did Shapiro.

State House Speaker Joanna McClinton unveiled legislation at a Capitol news conference Tuesday to make it easier for Pennsylvanians to vote.

McClinton’s bill would allow registered Pennsylvania voters to vote early, in person, during the two weeks before Election Day. It would also allow same-day voter registration at polling locations the day of the election.

“Voting is at the core of our national identity and among our most valued rights as Americans,” said McClinton (D-Philadelphia). “Rather than spur distrust in our system and attack our dedicated election workers, we should look for ways to make the system accessible to more Pennsylvanians so their voices can be heard.

“Measures like these add convenience and security and have already been adopted in dozens of other states, including states with historic records of voter suppression like Florida and Georgia.”

However, her bill is likely to meet opposition from Republican lawmakers.

“We cannot properly register people to vote and administer elections on the current timelines in the law,” said House Republican Leader Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster). “This proposal does nothing to increase Pennsylvania’s election integrity and once again injects more partisanship and mixed messaging during a presidential election year.”

But Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman (R-Indiana) suggested a compromise could be on the horizon. “A lot can happen if we get Voter ID as a constitutional amendment.”

J. Christian Adams, founder of the Election Law Center and general counsel for the Public Interest Legal Foundation, is skeptical.

“Same day registration doesn’t provide enough time to validate eligibility,” said Adams. His organization promotes ballot security and is currently suing Pennsylvania to obtain information regarding the registration of foreign nationals at PennDOT offices for more than two decades.

McClinton said same-day voter registration would allow eligible Pennsylvanians to register when it’s most relevant and convenient—on Election Day. It would also enable real-time corrections to inaccurate voter rolls, strengthening the safety and security of the election system.

It seems to be working in New Hampshire, which holds the first presidential primary in the nation every four years.

“New Hampshire has had election day registration since 1993. It has worked well in our state, and has resulted in consistently high voter participation rates,” New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan told DVJournal.

McClinton says allowing two weeks of early in-person voting on machines would give Pennsylvanians with demanding work schedules or family responsibilities an opportunity to cast their vote at a time that works best for them. It would also decrease congestion at the busiest polling locations. Also, it would help seniors, especially those who use wheelchairs or walkers, allowing more time to accommodate their needs.

Pennsylvania Voice Executive Director Salewa Ogunmefun support these new voting rules.

“These commonsense reforms will not only make it more convenient for all Pennsylvanians to make their voices heard at the ballot box, they will also help make our elections more secure,” said Ogunmefun. “We couldn’t be happier that Speaker McClinton has decided to make this a priority and look forward to working with her to get them passed into law.”

“I vote. I want to vote. I believe it’s my civic duty to vote. But when life becomes challenging, so can voting,” said Angela Madera, a voter from Allentown. “There are so many people like me who have to overcome barriers simply to cast our ballot. It shouldn’t be that way. Voting is our right. Pennsylvanians are busier than ever. Work schedules and family commitments vary. Our voting system needs to accommodate these new realities and reflect the needs of today’s citizens. I’m so grateful to the speaker for standing up for voters like me.”

“In order to have elections that are fully accessible to all, the Commonwealth must implement policies that are mindful of the challenges people with disabilities encounter when trying to vote. The changes proposed are welcome expansions to voting access in Pennsylvania and individuals with disabilities will especially benefit from more flexible opportunities to vote,” said Jennifer Garman, director of government affairs for Disability Rights Pennsylvania.

McClinton’s legislation compliments voting changes implemented by the Shapiro administration in 2023, including automatic voter registration when people get their driver’s licenses or state identification cards and redesigning mail-in ballots.

Spokesperson Manuel Bonder said, “Gov. Josh Shapiro is supportive of these priorities and expanding voting opportunities for eligible Pennsylvanians as we continue working to ensure our elections are free, fair, safe, and secure. The Shapiro administration looks forward to continuing to work alongside Speaker McClinton on these priorities.”

“As the birthplace of American democracy, it’s time we offered Pennsylvanians more options to vote safely and conveniently, reduce the time people wait in line to cast a ballot and guarantee that every voter has enough time to exercise their right to participate in our elections. Every voice matters.” McClinton said.

The primary is on April 23. The last day to request a mail-in or absentee ballot is April 16.

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