Senator Scott Schneider (R-Indianapolis, District 30)

  2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 Total
Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage N/A N/A 75% 6% <> 50% 22% 0% 27% 22%

* <> indicates that we did not track voting records for this legislative session.


 

2016 Voting Records: Senator Scott Schneider (R-Indianapolis, District 30)

Campaign contributions from the Energy & Natural Resources sector, 2006 - present: $5,300
(Includes money taken from the following industries: utilities, coal, mining, oil, natural gas, steel, and environmental services & equipment.)

http://www.followthemoney.org/show-me?s=IN&y=2016,2015,2014,2013,2012,2011,2010,2009,2008,2007,2006&f-core=1&c-t-eid=6700212&d-ccg=5#[{4|

Pro-Consumer Percentage: 27%
The following is a synopsis of how the Senator voted in the 2015 General Assembly on the bills that CAC was tracking. We consider that 80% is a passing grade for the legislators, meaning that if their "Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage" is 80% or above, they are working to protect consumers in the State House. If their percentage is below 80%, they are not working to protect consumers.

For bill details and your legislators’ votes on the following bills, please click here to visit our Indiana General Assembly Bill Watch List.


HB1082: Environmental Rules and Standards
Status: Vetoed by Gov. Pence

Would have made it illegal for Indiana’s Executive Branch to pass policies that are tighter for public health than what the U.S. EPA does, for those situations where the EPA has set standards. While the EPA has acted decisively to protect our air quality, there are many areas where the EPA has been, caweak. The EPA has not adequately protected the public from such serious environmental problems as pollution from fracking, factory farm manure pits, and outdoor wood boilers. HB 1082 was also called the “No More Stringent Than Bill”.

Votes on HB1082:

  • Committee Votes: Anti-Consumer
  • Senate Floor Votes: Anti-Consumer

HB1053: Regulation of packaging materials
Status: Signed into law by Gov. Pence

Amends the home rule statute to prohibit a local government unit from: (1) regulating: (A) certain activities with respect to reusable or disposable auxiliary containers designed for one time use or for transporting merchandise or food from food or retail facilities (auxiliary containers); or (B) a manufacturer of, a distributor of, or a food or retail facility that sells, provides, or otherwise makes use of, auxiliary containers, in connection with certain activities involving auxiliary containers; or (2) imposing any prohibition, restriction, fee, or tax with respect to auxiliary containers or to a manufacturer of, a distributor of, or a food or retail facility that sells, provides, or otherwise makes use of, auxiliary containers, in connection with certain activities involving auxiliary containers.
Essentially, HB 1053 completely does away with local control by preempting city or county policies regulating plastic bags.

Votes on HB 1053: 2 votes; both Anti-Consumer


SB15: Fresh Food Initiative
Status: Signed into law by Gov. Pence

Establishes the food desert grant and loan program within the state department of health's division of nutrition and physical activity to assist new businesses, existing businesses, and other legal entities to offer fresh and unprocessed foods within a food desert. Defines "food desert". Requires the division to establish: (1) criteria for awarding grants and making loans under the program; and (2) terms and conditions for recipients of the grants and loans. Provides that the recipient of a grant or loan: (1) may use the proceeds only to acquire, repair, or renovate property or equipment to be used in offering fresh and unprocessed foods within a food desert; and (2) shall not use the proceeds to acquire food to be sold. Establishes the food deserts fund for purposes of awarding grants and loans under the program.

Votes on SB15: 2 votes; both Anti-Consumer


SB347: Water resources
Status: Signed into law by Gov. Pence

This bill enables more comprehensive reporting of water resource issues including water distribution challenges and infrastructure needs.

Votes on SB347:

  • Committee Votes: Anti-Consumer
  • Senate Floor Votes: Pro-Consumer

SB383: System integrity adjustments
Status: Signed into law by Gov. Pence

SB383 creates a new tracker for water utilities to use for infrastructure improvements and repairs with some important “first of its kind” accountability measures imposed on the utility.
More importantly, SB383 includes a new policy statement from the legislature, which is applicable to all public utilities, declaring that utility bills should be affordable for current and future generations. CAC offered strong support for this important policy direction from the legislature.

Votes on SB383:

  • Committee Votes: Anti-Consumer
  • Senate Floor Votes: 2 votes; both Pro-Consumer

 

2015 Voting Records: Senator Scott Schneider (R-Indianapolis, District 30)

Campaign contributions from the Energy & Natural Resources sector, 2006 - present: $5,600
(Includes money taken from the following industries: utilities, coal, mining, oil, natural gas, steel, and environmental services & equipment.)

http://www.followthemoney.org/show-me?s=IN&y=2015,2014,2013,2012,2011,2010,2009,2008,2007,2006&f-core=1&c-t-eid=6700212&d-ccg=5#[{4|

Pro-Consumer Percentage: 0%
The following is a synopsis of how the Senator voted in the 2015 General Assembly on the bills that CAC was tracking. We consider that 80% is a passing grade for the legislators, meaning that if their "Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage" is 80% or above, they are working to protect consumers in the State House. If their percentage is below 80%, they are not working to protect consumers.

For bill details and your legislators’ votes on the following bills, please click here to visit our Indiana General Assembly Bill Watch List.


SB 412: Demand side management
Status: Signed into law by Gov. Pence

After the State Legislature killed Indiana’s incredibly effective efficiency programs (Energizing Indiana) last year, Gov. Pence promised a strong efficiency bill this year. What we got instead was a bill that allows utilities to run their own efficiency programs without strong goals being set in Indiana’s energy policy. It allows utilities to steal the economic benefits of energy efficiency from customers by charging us hundreds of millions for energy we don’t use because of efficiency measures. This bill is so bad, Hoosiers would be better off without any bill at all.

Vote on SB 412: 3 votes; all Anti-Consumer


SJR 2: Right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife
Status: As a joint resolution, SJR2 did not require the Governor's approval. The measure was approved by two consecutive and separately elected legislative bodies for placement into Indiana's Constitution.

Senate Joint Resolution 2 is an amendment to the Indiana State Constitution "that provides that the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife is a valued part of Indiana's heritage and shall be forever preserved for the public good."

CAC's concern with this bill was that it is unnecessary and that "wildlife" is not well defined, so this proposed amendment could put the interests of big farmers above those of other Hoosiers. Granting factory farms special protection in the Indiana State Constitution puts an end to local control, taking away to the ability of local communities to pass local ordinances that protect their interests. No industry should have special protections in the Indiana Constitution.

Vote on SJR2: Anti-Consumer



SJR 12: Right to farm and ranch
Status: Died in the Senate

Senate Joint Resolution 12 would have written into the Constitution of the State of Indiana a guarantee of the right of the people of Indiana to engage in diverse farming and ranching practices.

CAC's concern with this resolution was the same as the concern expressed for SJR2 (above).

Vote on SJR12: Anti-Consumer


 

2014 Voting Records: Senator Scott Schneider (R-Indianapolis, District 30)

Campaign contributions from the Energy & Natural Resources sector, 2006 - present: $5,600
(Includes money taken from the following industries: utilities, coal, mining, oil, natural gas, steel, and environmental services & equipment.)

http://beta.followthemoney.org/show-me?s=IN&y=2015,2014,2013,2012,2011,2010,2009,2008,2007,2006&f-core=1&c-t-eid=6700212&d-ccg=5#[{1|gro=d-id

Pro-Consumer Percentage: 22%
The following is a synopsis of how the Senator voted in the 2014 General Assembly on the bills that CAC was tracking. We consider that 80% is a passing grade for the legislators, meaning that if their "Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage" is 80% or above, they are working to protect consumers in the State House. If their percentage is below 80%, they are not working to protect consumers.

For bill details and your legislators’ votes on the following bills, please click here to visit our Indiana General Assembly Bill Watch List.


SB 340: Demand Side Management Programs
Status: Became law without Gov. Pence's signature
CAC fought long and hard to help bring energy efficiency programs to Indiana.  These programs have been running for a couple of years now, and they're working - energy efficiency is reducing the demand for electricity in our state.  This reduces the need to build more power plants, which means we don't have to pay for more power plants, which keeps our electric bills from skyrocketing. 
SB340 dismantles energy efficiency programs in Indiana.  SB340 is simply bad public policy.

Vote on SB 340: 3 votes; all Anti-Consumer


HB 1162: Certificates of Need for Utilities
Status: Signed into law by Gov. Pence

The issue of competitive procurement was brought to the General Assembly in an attempt to bring fairness and transparency to the process of the electric utilities decision making process with respect to securing resources to serve the needs of their customers. Currently, Indiana law does not require the utilities to conduct a public bidding process when they need additional generation resources, whether they need new generation or are considering expensive modifications to existing resources.  A public and  transparent process would help to ensure that the utilities were in fact selecting the resource which would provide service to their customers at the “least cost” reasonably possible.  However, HB11162 was amended in the House Utility Committee to cement the existing, flawed process into law, which changes nothing and creates the false appearance that Indiana now has a “competitive” process in place.  HB1162 is nothing more than an attempt by the utility lobby to put an end to this necessary conversation and maintain the status quo.

Vote on HB 1162: Anti-Consumer


SB 186: State Policy on Agriculture and Farmers' Rights
Status: Signed into law by Gov. Pence

Senate Bill 186 is being promoted as a way to protect farmer’s rights.  In reality this bill puts the interests of big farmers above those of other Hoosiers.  It is completely unnecessary and puts other property owners, our environment and rural communities at risk.  Granting factory farms special protection in state law will put an end to local control, taking away to the ability of local communities to pass local ordinances that protect their interests.  No industry should have special protections in the law. Many Hoosiers who live in close proximity to factory farms are already suffering from their effects.  Our rights need to be protected!

Vote on SB 186: Anti-Consumer


SJR 9: Right to Hunt, Fish, and Harvest Wildlife
Status: Passed the 2014 Indiana General Assembly. This is a proposed constitutional amendment, so it can now be proposed again in the next session of the legislature that convenes after a general election has taken place.

Provides that the right to hunt, fish, and harvest wildlife is a valued part of Indiana's heritage and shall be forever preserved for the public good. CAC's concern with this bill is that "wildlife" is not well defined, and so this bill could turn into something akin to SB186 (above).

Vote on SJR 9: Anti-Consumer


SB 101: Agricultural Operations and Criminal Tresspass (Ag Gag)
Status: Signed into law by Gov. Pence

Senate Bill 101, the 2014 version of Ag-Gag, would had have a chilling effect on the public’s right to know how our food is produced and processed.  In its original form, this bill would have made it a crime to expose illegal or unethical practices at farms in Indiana.
 
We were able to neutralize the bill's impact on consumers with the amendments that were inserted in the Senate committee, and we helped to keep bad language from creeping back into the bill as it moved through the process.  We are pleased that once again this year we helped to stop big ag's attempts to operate in secret and to preemptively prevent whistleblowers from exposing their inhumane and unsafe practices. 

Vote on SB 101: Anti-Consumer


HB 1391: CHOICE program
Status: Signed into law by Gov. Pence

Changes asset limitations within the community and home options to institutional care for the elderly and disabled program (program) from $500,000 to $250,000 and specifies certain exemptions.  This bill expands the CHOICE Home Care Program to allow more Hoosiers to have access to the in-home care services they need.  For more on the CHOICE program, click here.

Vote on HB 1391: 2 votes; both Pro-Consumer


 

2013 Voting Records: Senator Scott Schneider (R, District 30)

2012 Campaign Contributions accepted from Utility, Coal, Oil and Railroad Corporations: $5,600
http://www.followthemoney.org/database/StateGlance/candidate.phtml?c=138324

Pro-Consumer Percentage: 50%
The following is a synopsis of how the Senator voted in the 2013 General Assembly on the bills that CAC was tracking. We consider that 80% is a passing grade for the legislators, meaning that if their "Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage" is 80% or above, they are working to protect consumers in the State House. If their percentage is below 80%, they are not working to protect consumers.

For bill details and your legislators’ votes on the following bills, please click here to visit our 2013 Indiana General Assembly Bill Watch List.


SB 560 Utility Transmission
Status: Signed into law by Gov. Pence
This bill will virtually allow Indiana electric and natural gas to raise your rates automatically, and at the same time deregulate most of their monopoly revenue and profits.

Sen. Schneider's vote on SB 560: 2 Votes - both Anti-Consumer


SB 494/510 Substitute Natural Gas
Status:
Signed into law by Gov. Pence
Restores some regulatory oversight over the proposed Indiana Gasification/Leucadia coal-to-gas plant in Rockport, IN by defining what is meant by a "guarantee of savings" to ratepayers and requiring the IURC to ensure that ratepayers are provided an actual guarantee of savings from this project.

The original language in SB510 promised to protect consumers from unreasonable and excessive charges for substitute natural gas (SNG) from the proposed Indiana Gasification/Leucadia coal-to-gas plant in Rockport, IN. SB 510 died in the House.

Sen. Schneider's vote on SB 494/510: 2 Votes - both Pro-Consumer


 

2011 Voting Records: Senator Scott Schneider (R, District 30)

2010 Campaign Contributions accepted from Utility, Coal, Oil and Railroad Corporations: N/A
In 2009, Sen. Schneider replaced Sen. Teresa Lubbers, who resigned mid-term.

Pro-Consumer Percentage: 6%
The following is a synopsis of how the Senator voted in the 2011 General Assembly on the bills that CAC was tracking. We consider that 80% is a passing grade for the legislators, meaning that if their "Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage" is 80% or above, they are working to protect consumers in the State House. If their percentage is below 80%, they are not working to protect consumers.


SB 251: This bill was the mother lode for the utilities this year. It does the following:

  • Defines clean energy as virtually any technology that produces electricity; which includes truly renewable sources like wind and solar, but also includes, but is not limited to, nuclear, coal gasification, solid waste, coal bed methane, and industrial byproducts.
  • Gives the utilities all kinds of trackers, which allow the utilities to raise your rates when their costs go up without having to lower your rates when their costs go down.
  • Gives eminent domain to private corporations for carbon dioxide pipelines
  • Allows utilities to use Construction Work in Progress (CWIP) to charge ratepayers to uprate nuclear power plants before the uprate actually produces any electricity

Sen. Schneider's Vote on SB 251: 4 votes - 1 Pro-Consumer, 3 Anti-Consumer


HB 1128: This bill was essentially the same as SB 251, except that it did not include the eminent domain.

Sen. Schneider's Vote on SB 1128: 3 votes - all Anti-Consumer


SB 71: This bill will essentially open the State of Indiana to hydrofracking (hydraulic fracturing) coal seams for the purpose of extracting coal bed methane, with no requirement that the operators of these wells comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act or even allow the public to comment on the permits or know the location of where these operations will take place.

Sen. Schneider's Vote on SB 71:

  • Committee Vote: Anti-Consumer
  • Senate Floor Vote: 3 votes - all Anti-Consumer

SB 66: This bill amends the definition of "renewable energy resources" in utilities law to add low temperature, oxygen starved gasification of municipal solid waste (burning trash to make electricity).

Sen. Schneider's Vote on SB 66:

  • Committee Vote: Anti-Consumer
  • Senate Floor Vote: 2 votes - both Anti-Consumer

SB 102: This bill will give the utilities a tracker for any costs associated with any mandates that are or with "reasonable certainty" will be "imposed" on a utility by the Feds. It eliminates consumer protections, eliminates the requirement for monopoly utility companies to provide least cost service, and all but removes the requirement that monopoly utility companies actually submit an integrated resource plan (a plan showing what sources will be used to generate their electricity and meet their customers' demand).

Sen. Schneider's Vote on SB 102:

  • Committee Vote: Anti-Consumer

SB 72: This bill was the first bill of the session to give eminent domain to private corporations for carbon dioxide pipelines. This bill was killed, but the eminent domain provision was inserted into SB 251, which passed.

Sen. Schneider's Vote on SB 72:

  • Committee Vote: Anti-Consumer
  • Senate Floor Vote: Anti-Consumer

2010 Voting Records: Senator Scott Schneider (R, District 30)

2008 Campaign Contributions accepted from Utility, Coal, Oil and Railroad Corporations: N/A
In 2009, Sen. Schneider replaced Sen. Teresa Lubbers, who resigned mid-term.

Pro-Consumer Percentage: 75%
The following is a synopsis of how the Senator voted in the 2010 General Assembly on the bills that CAC was tracking. We consider that 80% is a passing grade for the legislators, meaning that if their “Pro-Consumer Voting Percentage” is 80% or above, they are working to protect consumers in the State House. If their percentage is below 80%, they are not working to protect consumers.


SB 115: Eminent Domain For Carbon Dioxide Pipelines
Status: Dead
Authored by Sen. Beverly Gard (R, Greenfield) SB 115 permits an entity engaged in the transportation of carbon dioxide by pipeline to acquire real property by eminent domain. That entity can be a person, a firm, a partnership, a limited liability company, or a corporation. The bill wrongly declares that "the transportation of carbon dioxide by pipeline in Indiana is declared to be a public use and service, in the public interest, and a benefit to the welfare of Indiana and the people of Indiana."

Sen. Schneider’s Vote on SB 115: Pro-Consumer


SB 313: Net Metering
Status:
Dead
SB 313 would expand eligible net metering customer classes to allow individuals, businesses, commercial industries, and universities to interconnect to the grid and generate their own power. SB 313 would not set a limit on the size of the system a customer could install, unless you are a residential customer or K-12 schools, in which case you remain captive to the current rule. This bill encourages renewable energy production, energy independence, and customer owned generation.

Sen. Schneider’s Vote on SB 313: 2 Votes: one Anti-Consumer and one Pro-Consumer


HB 1094 : Net Metering
Status:
Dead
Currently, net metering is limited to only 10 kilowatts, and only to residential customers and K-12 schools. Authored by Rep. Ryan Dvorak (D, South Bend) this bill would expand eligible customers classes to allow individuals, businesses, commercial industries, and universities to generate their own electricity. The utility would also be required to add a credit to the customer's bill for any surplus power that is generated. This bill encourages renewable energy production, energy independence. and customer owned generation.

Sen. Schneider’s Vote on HB 1094: Pro-Consumer


CAC Media Bookmarks

More Media

Current Campaigns

These are the issues of immediate importance we are working on right now.