Basin Electric Government Relations team summarizes 2023 legislative sessions

  • 30 August 2023

Basin Electric’s Government Relations team continuously tracks state legislative bills within the membership’s service area.

The following is a summary of recent activity regarding several bills of interest to Basin Electric.

Wyoming

The Wyoming Legislature adjourned its 2023 session on March 3. Four-hundred ninety-seven bills and resolutions were introduced, and 190 bills were signed into law. There was one bill Basin Electric supported, though it was not signed into law. Basin Electric monitored 19 bills and one resolution, and of them, two bills were signed into law. None of the bills the cooperative opposed were signed into law.

South Dakota

The South Dakota Legislature adjourned its 2023 session on March 27. Five hundred seventeen bills and resolutions were introduced, and 209 bills were signed into law. There were no bills that Basin Electric supported, and of the 13 bills the cooperative monitored, five were signed into law. None of the bills the cooperative opposed were signed into law.

North Dakota

The North Dakota Legislature adjourned its 2023 session on April 29. Nine-hundred ninety bills and resolutions were introduced, and 522 bills were signed into law. Two of the three bills Basin Electric supported were signed into law. Of the 40 bills and resolutions the Government Relations team was monitoring, 16 bills were signed into law and four resolutions were passed. Basin Electric opposed six bills, and none of them were signed into law.

  • SB 2161 Amends and reenacts sections of the North Dakota Century Code relating to the state energy research center and the center's funding. Basin Electric supported this bill.
  • SB 2165 Amended - Revises the membership of the Clean Sustainable Energy Authority.
  • SB 2334 Makes permanent the ability for the owner of a fertilizer or chemical processing plant to be able to seek a sales and use tax exemption for materials used to construct a fertilizer or chemical processing facility. Basin Electric supported this bill.

Montana

The Montana Legislature adjourned its 2023 session on May 2. Almost 1,700 bills and resolutions were introduced, and 303 bills were signed into law. There are no bills Basin Electric supported or opposed. The Government Relations team monitored a total of 45 bills and resolutions, and of them, three resolutions were passed, and 17 bills were signed into law.

Iowa

The Iowa Legislature adjourned its 2023 session on May 4. Nearly 1,380 bills and resolutions were introduced, and 71 bills were signed into law. Two joint resolutions were ultimately signed into law as well. There is one bill that Basin Electric supported – the “hands-free device use while driving” bill – though it was not signed into law. There were no bills the cooperative opposed. Government Relations monitored a total of 26 bills and resolutions, and only one of these bills was signed into law.

Minnesota

The 2023 Minnesota legislative session adjourned on May 22. Over 6,600 bills and resolutions were introduced, and 35 bills were signed into law. Many smaller bills were incorporated into large omnibus bills. None of the bills that Basin Electric supported were passed, while one bill that the cooperative opposed was passed. This bill was HF 7, the bill requiring a 100% renewable energy standard by 2040.

  • HF 7 Creates new renewable energy standards for electric utilities and a 100% clean energy standard. Basin Electric opposed this.
  • HF 341 Removes moratorium on siting of new nuclear generation. Basin Electric supported this.
  • HF 342 Establishes state policy to support development of carbon capture and storage. Basin Electric supported this.
  • HF 343 Allows all hydroelectric to qualify as renewable energy. Basin Electric supported this.
  • HF 1386 This is an energy storage mandate. Basin Electric opposed this.
  • HF 2481 Amends the clean energy standard to exempt out of state generation, Basin Electric supported this.
  • HF 3105 Amends the clean energy standard to exempt out-of-state generation. Basin Electric supported this.
  • HF 3260 Allows for certificate of need for small modular reactors with a capacity of less than 300 megawatts. Basin Electric supported this.
  • SF 41 Implements a carbon tax. Basin Electric opposed this.
  • SF 2297 Repeals the right of first refusal and applies prevailing wage requirements to any federally approved transmission line. Basin Electric opposed this.
  • SF 1456 Repeals right of first refusal. Basin Electric opposed this.
  • SF 298 Establishes state policy to support the development of carbon capture and storage. Basin Electric supported this.
  • SF 299 Allows all hydroelectric to qualify as renewable energy. Basin Electric supported this.
  • SF 3034 Amends clean energy standard to exempt out of state generation. Basin Electric supported this.