JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – A bill that closes a campaign finance loophole for Mississippi’s Public Service commissioners is now law.
The law restricts representatives for renewable energy companies, such as wind and solar, to donate to commissioners and candidates for the office.
WJTV 12 News previously reported on questionable campaign donations received by Public Service Commissioners Brent Bailey, Dane Maxwell and former Democratic gubernatorial nominee Brandon Presley.
At the time, those donations did not violate PSC campaign finance law.
State Senator Joel Carter (R-District 49) introduced the bill in the Senate and said it’s a win for rate payers.
“Anybody that’s, that’s regulating energy and has a direct effect on ratepayers, we feel like there shouldn’t be any outward influence on that when it comes to the Public Service Commission and the staff. We took the position that the ratepayers are directly affected by those decisions, and so they should be the people that are donating to those campaigns, not anyone that is producing any type of utility,” Carter stated.