NEWS RELEASE Aug. 6, 2015: CT Representative Lonnie Reed, House Chair of the Energy & Technology Committee, was joined by other committee leaders from both sides of the aisle for Governor Malloy's ceremonial signing of two important new energy laws. Rep. Reed helped craft and negotiate both new laws and led the House debate for passage.Each is designed to help consumers.

Rep. Reed said, "We, as Energy and Technology Committee leaders, plunged into robust bipartisan negotiations with the focus on consumers. The result was a host of notable new laws designed to protect consumers and enhance their opportunities for real energy savings."

One new law - the Variable Rate Ban- prohibits energy retailers from selling variable rate electricity contracts to residential consumers. The ban was enacted because variable electric rates, instead of providing consumers with more choice, were more often used to dupe customers by seducing them with teaser bargain prices that then skyrocketed to budget busting heights. The thousands of victims included many senior citizens living on fixed incomes.  Connecticut is the first state in the nation to crack down on unscrupulous electric retailers by enacting a series of consumer protections that now include the residential variable rate ban.

The second new energy law to receive a ceremonial signing was a Shared Solar Act that Rep. Reed and several colleagues have been fighting to get passed for the past two sessions.  The Shared Solar law fast tracks a pilot program designed to make solar energy available to customers left out of the current solar programs – condo owners, other residents of high-density apartment buildings and homeowners who have shady roof exposures or who lack the upfront money to invest in solar systems.

The new Shared solar law is designed to create an easily accessed program that allows consumers to purchase and benefit from a share of a solar facility.

Rep. Reed said "This was a very successful session for energy consumers and we on the Energy and Technology Committee will continue working hard to make energy more efficient and more affordable for everyone."