Gov. Mike Braun tapped Indianapolis City-County Councilor Josh Bain to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, replacing former commissioner Andy Zay three days after Braun fired him.
Bain's appointment is effective immediately, Braun's office wrote in a July 6 announcement. He will serve until the end of 2029, when Zay's term would have expired.
Bain, a Republican, has served on the City-County Council since 2020 and currently represents District 21 on Indianapolis's southwest side. He also serves as executive director of legislative and intergovernmental affairs for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.
Bain did not immediately respond to IndyStar inquiries asking whether he plans to remain on the City-County Council or in his role at IDEM. The state constitution's limits on dual office-holding may prevent him from remaining a councilor while serving on the IURC.
As the newest member of the five-person commission, Bain will vote on regulations and rate schedules for Indiana's electrical, natural gas, steam, water and wastewater utilities. His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for Indianapolis ratepayers: The IURC is set to decide within the next month whether to revisit this summer's controversial AES Indiana rate increase.
The AES decision launched a string of changes at the commission. Braun publicly criticized the IURC's approval of the rate hike and swiftly demoted Zay from his position as commission chair. Zay, a Braun appointee, had broken with the governor by supporting the rate increase.
On Aug. 4, Braun dismissed Zay from the commission entirely, accusing him of missing a required financial disclosure and making improper payments to employees. But the change also speaks to a rift between the two men: Braun told reporters this week that he was "disappointed that he didn't take on affordability and holding utilities accountable."
David Veleta, another commissioner who supported the rate hike, also announced plans to step down from the IURC this summer, though he did not cite the fallout of the AES decision in the resignation letter he sent to Braun. Veleta will be replaced on Aug. 17 by attorney Joby Jerrells.
Braun acted fast to seat Bain on the commission, without soliciting a second round of applications. Instead, a nominating committee chaired by Secretary of Energy and Natural Resources Suzanne Jaworowski selected finalists out of the applicant pool for Veleta's seat.
The committee chose three finalists — Bain, HVAC businessman Nathan Cazee, and lawyer Phillip Casey — on the afternoon of Aug. 6. Less than two hours later, Braun announced that Bain would have the seat.
"I have been clear, affordability is my top priority for Hoosiers," Braun said in an emailed statement. "Joshua Bain brings experience in energy policy, environmental stewardship, and collaboration across government and local communities. I am confident he will serve with integrity and keep affordability and the public interest at the forefront of every decision."
In a July 16 interview with the nominating committee, Bain said he would be interested in stripping down the rules governing the IURC's
"I think it's important for the commission to be modern, be quick, be able to adapt and be nimble," Bain said in his interview.
He also said he would be interested in launching more investigations along the lines of the inquiry that the IURC held into Indiana's five investor-owned electrical utilities this year.
Bain will have a busy first day in his new job. On Aug. 7, the commission will convene to discuss the state's shift to multi-year rate plans and examine how utilities have used "trackers" to put ratepayers on the hook for unexpected costs.
Tilly Robinson is a Pulliam fellow for the Indianapolis Star. She can be reached at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis Councilor Josh Bain tapped for state utility board, replacing fired member