One Iowa lawmaker voiced concerns over a portion of the governor’s proposed energy bill that he also reached out to the Trump Administration for assistance.

District 24 Senator Jesse Green has an issue with the right of first refusal that is within an overall energy bill that Governor Kim Reynolds is proposing this legislative session. He says the right of first refusal gives companies basically a monopoly on building, maintaining and how rates for bid when it comes to transmission lines. 

“To me, on the surface, it just violates the basic free market principles that apply to economics. Where if you shut out competition you’re going to get lower quality and higher rates. In Iowa, I believe we can do better with our utility rates. MidAmerican (Energy) will argue that they need this to accomplish getting better rates. But my instinct says that limiting competition won’t accomplish that.” 

Senator Green points out that he contacted the Trump Administration and the US House to request the US Department of Justice review that topic in the bill, which he summarizes their response. 

“They wrote back and it was made public, the letter, that they believe that this is not going to go well for Iowa in lowering our rates. So the governor, in response, sent a letter back. And so there’s this kind of back-and-forth that’s happening now and the Trump Administration and Governor Reynolds about this bill.” 

Sources say in Reynolds’ response letter, she reaffirmed her position on the right of first refusal as the best way to implement President Donald Trump’s executive order as part of a national energy emergency. 

Green states that before he was elected to the state legislature, the right of first refusal was part of the final bill of the 2020 Iowa Legislative session and the Iowa Supreme Court did not allow that to move forward, as Green says the justices wanted that law to be re-examined. He adds that about half of the Republican legislators are either very concerned or adamantly opposed to the language in the bill. Green explains that he is going to have several more discussions in the Senate Appropriations Committee before this bill goes to the floor for a full Senate vote.