State regulators in Arkansas might lose some of their regulatory power if a bill filed this week in the state legislature becomes law.
Under the Generating Arkansas Jobs Act of 2025, utilities will get more freedom in setting the rates paid by customers. It would remove some power from the Public Service Commission, which is the agency that normally approves rate hikes for utilities.
The 62-page Senate Bill 307 would amend state law to create changes to rate setting and utility construction, reported KARK News.
The Public Service Commission opposes the measure, saying it would lead to rate increases that the commission would review only after the cost recovery was underway. The bill would also allow utilities to begin construction of a project before its review by state regulators. Further, it would allow riders to be applied to consumer’s bills “before” construction is finished.
