Despite record-breaking profits, Arizona’s monopoly utilities — led by APS — are pushing to offload even more costs onto ratepayers with less oversight through a sweeping new bill, HB2679. If passed, HB2679 would allow utilities to use a financial tool known as “securitization” that trades high-interest loans for low-interest bonds that can be paid off over time. While this tool has benefited ratepayers in some states, lawmakers must understand that HB2679 creates an entirely new way for utilities to charge ratepayers without needing their regulators’ approval. That means this bill would allow utilities to pass any unwanted debt to their ratepayers without regulatory oversight on the number of bonds they issue and how much debt they can include. This bill also severely limits courts’ actions to protect ratepayers.