MOScout Daily Update: Analysis of TOU Rates Shows Mild Impact - The Gov's New Ink - New Workers Comp Uncertainty? and more...
Quick Friday update…
Analysis: TOU Rates Impact Largely Benign
According to a presentation before the Public Service Commission yesterday, Evergy’s new “time of use” rates would not bring the cataclysmic change in rate-payers’ bills that some opponents have imagined. In fact, the vast majority would see rates stay largely the same or drop under the new system – without accounting for any possible behavioral or demand changes.
The following methodology was used in the analysis:
• Used each customer’s previous 9-12 bill periods of usage data (June 2022 – May 2023).
• Calculated cost of each bill using each of the new rates customer is eligible for, to see changes in bill cost compared to their existing rate.
• Weather was not normalized and no behavioral, structural or demand changes were employed.
• Approximately 498k of the 555k residential customers in Evergy Missouri Metro and West were analyzed. Customers with less than 9 months of usage data; solar subscription, net metering, parallel generation, non-AMI customers were excluded from the analysis.
Workers Comp Confusion Ahead?
Brad Young, an attorney with Harris Dowell Fisher & Young L.C., is warning folks that the recently signed SB 24 will bring new uncertainty to Missouri’s workers compensation litigation.
· One MOScouter agrees: Legislators were warned this bill was well intended but poorly executed. Term limits are an insidious to the process. Prioritizes short term gains over long term success.
From Young’s note…
· [SB24] seems to defer to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) to determine compensability. That may not even be constitutional since the legal determination of compensability can only be made by an ALJ, the Industrial Commission, or the Court of Appeals…
· Also, this new law is seemingly contradicted by several other current provisions of the Missouri Workers Compensation Act…
· Finally, the regarding the dramatic expansion of the notice requirement, this could expand the notice time period from 30 days to YEARS if a claimant develops PTSD years after retirement.
CONCLUSION
This is why the Missouri Workers Compensation is so convoluted – changes are made to one section of the Act to accomplish a certain goal without deference to the other existing sections of the Act. As such, it may take years of litigation to sort out how and in what way the provisions of this new law impact the entitlement of benefits for First Responders…
According to his bio, Young “has almost thirty years of experience in all aspects of workers compensation defense in Missouri.”
Gov’s New Ink
I, myself, did not have Governor Mike Parson gets tattoo on my 2023 predictions list…
· MOScouter: Who is the first staffer to join him, Kelli Jones?
Lobbyists Registrations
Alex Eaton, Rebecca Lohmann, and Jasmine Wells added Curador Holdings Inc.
David Sweeney added 3417 Grace LLC.
$5K+ Contributions
Missouri Alliance PAC - $10,000 from MO Coalition for Video Lottery PAC.
Birthdays
Happy birthdays to Rep. Bruce Sassmann, and Doug Healy.
Saturday: Sen. Barbara Washington, Rep. Mike Haffner, Sharon Geuea Jones, and Vicki Schneider.
Sunday: Aaron Baker, and Edward Wildberger.
MOScout Schedule
Off for the weekend. See you Monday!