Price, Fellow Democrats Introduce Utility Affordability, Ratepayer Protection Legislation

State Reps. Natalie Price (D-Berkley), Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn) and Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City) at the Utility Affordability Now Press Conference, June 11, 2026

LANSING, Mich., June 11, 2026 — Today, State Rep. Natalie Price (D-Berkley) hosted a press conference along with state Reps. Erin Byrnes (D-Dearborn) and Betsy Coffia (D-Traverse City) to introduce new legislation aimed at utility affordability and ratepayer protection. The three bills are the latest addition to the broader Democratic push to lower utility bills and protect ratepayers through the first-ever Ratepayer Bill of Rights. 

“Right now, utility bills are simply too high for many Michigan families,” Price said. “That’s why we introduced the Ratepayer Bill of Rights last year and why now we are building on that progress by expanding it to improve grid reliability, protect utility payers and bring costs down. Michiganders continue to pay the highest utility rates in the Midwest for some of the worst service and these bills seek to solve that issue and put money back in Michiganders’ pockets.”

The new additions to the Ratepayer Bill of Rights package would place reasonable limits on the return on equity utilities can earn, ensuring that rates remain affordable while still allowing utilities to maintain infrastructure, make necessary investments and provide reliable service. Because utility companies operate as regulated monopolies, the goal is to ensure that returns are aligned with the public interest, not to maximize shareholder returns at the expense of Michigan ratepayers. If enacted, the legislation could save Michigan households an estimated $267 between 2027 and 2030 alone, while delivering tens of millions of dollars in broader savings statewide.

“For too long, utilities have won rate increases before the Michigan Public Service Commission that guarantee excessive returns for shareholders and executives, while doing little to improve the reliability or quality of service for customers,” Price added. “My bill would cap utility companies’ profits and make sure more of ratepayers’ hard-earned money actually goes toward grid improvements and reliability rather than shareholder profits.”

Additionally, the legislation would bar utilities from charging consumers for certain expenses, including executive pay, political contributions and advertising, through rate increases.

“Michigan’s ratepayers should not be funding the lavish lifestyles of utility CEOs and executives,” Byrnes said. “The data is clear: Michigan utilities have consistently tried to pass costs onto ratepayers that have nothing to do with delivering reliable energy, from lobbying expenses to executive perks such as private planes and entertainment. My bill closes these loopholes, ensures the money households pay is used to actually improve their utility service and gives Michigan families and small businesses the transparency and protections they’ve long needed.”

A third new bill in the Ratepayer Bill of Rights package would also require an independent audit every five years covering physical infrastructure and operational processes to help identify opportunities to improve reliability and reduce costs.

“For years, Michigan has ranked near the bottom in the country for energy reliability,” Coffia said. “My legislation ensures utility companies have a third-party engineering audit of their electric grid every five years to ensure regulators, lawmakers and the public have ongoing visibility into grid performance and infrastructure investment. It’s time to fix Michigan’s reliability problems once and for all.”

A recording of the press conference can be viewed here.

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