Governor John Kasich plans to sign a bill that will freeze utility standards for energy efficiency and renewable energy.
“After a lot of hard work, we’ve got a solid plan to examine the progress Ohio has made while also holding onto that progress,” Kasich spokesman Rob Nichols said in a statement.
He said the bill is a compromise between those who want to eliminate the energy rules and those who want no change. “It’s not what everyone wanted, which probably means we came down at the right spot,” he said.
The bill passed the House 53-38, overcoming opposition from nearly all Democrats and some Republicans who said the measure will lead to job losses and an increase in air pollution.
Soon after, the Senate voted to accept minor changes that the House had made to the bill, which sends it to the governor.
Opponents had held out hope that Kasich would veto the bill, citing reports that the governor might have threatened a veto of a previous version of the plan.
But Kasich’s office issued its statement shortly after the Senate vote.
Senate Bill 310 is a two-year freeze on standards that apply to electricity utilities for renewable energy and energy efficiency.