The following is a list of bills pertaining to the Universal System Benefits Program (energy assistance and conservation) that MEIC followed at the 2007 Legislature, and their final status:

HB 427 (Rep. Bob Bergren, D-Havre): This bill allows increased funding of the natural gas universal system benefits (USB) program. The USB program has historically funded low-income energy bill assistance and weatherization with a charge on all customers’ bills. Unfortunately, the statutory tax level has been insufficient to fully pay for the bill discounts and energy conservation activities provided by NorthWestern Energy (NWE). Hence, NWE has been “cross subsidizing” these expenditures with electric USB dollars. (In other words, some NWE electric customers are helping to pay for NWE’s natural gas programs, even though they themselves receive natural gas from MDU). This bill helps address that problem, and also requires annual reporting of natural gas USB activities. MEIC Position: SUPPORT.

• Signed into law by Governor Schweitzer on 04/10/2007.

HB 41 (Rep. Shannon Augare, D-Browning). Like HB 427, HB 41 provides some additional funding for low-income bill assistance and weatherization programs. MEIC Position: SUPPORT.

• Signed into law by Governor Schweitzer on 02/05/2007.