FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 10, 2025
COLUMBUS, OH – The Libertarian Party of Ohio is standing firmly against House Bill 427, legislation that would allow utility companies to throttle customers’ energy use during periods of high demand. Libertarian candidate Zach Hall, running for Ohio State Representative in District 43, is leading the charge, calling the proposal an attack on consumer rights and personal freedom.
“HB 427 lets utilities throttle your energy use in the name of ‘demand response.’ Opt-in or not, no company should have control over your thermostat or water heater. The grid needs upgrades, not more corporate overreach into our homes,” Hall said.
Ohio Libertarians argue that HB 427 shifts responsibility away from utilities and onto homeowners, while entrenching monopoly control. Rather than fixing outdated infrastructure, lawmakers are proposing to give private corporations unprecedented power over household energy use.
Hall also pointed to the failure of Ohio’s Republican supermajority to address the real problem: lack of new generation capacity. “The same politicians who refuse to ease the burdens of bringing more electric generation online are now manufacturing an artificial crisis to justify more control over your daily life. Yet these legislators had no trouble extorting money from FirstEnergy customers and defrauding taxpayers in the infamous House Bill 6 scandal, a scheme so corrupt it landed two of their own in prison,” Hall said.
“Ohioans deserve an energy system that puts individuals first,” Hall added. “The real solutions are modernizing the grid, decentralizing power through small-scale generation and storage, and keeping decision-making in the hands of consumers, not utility executives.”
The Libertarian Party of Ohio urges citizens to contact their representatives and reject HB 427. Protecting personal choice in energy use is central to ensuring a free, fair, and reliable energy future for Ohio families.
About Zach Hall
Zach Hall is the Libertarian candidate for Ohio State Representative, District 43. He is committed to defending individual freedom, government accountability, and consumer choice in Ohio.
Learn More: https://www.hallforohio.com/
Contact:
David Kinney
Deputy Communications Director
comms@lpo.org
Learn More: https://www.legislature.ohio.gov/legislation/136/hb427