The Assembly on Tuesday approved a bill to add a representative of the Department of State's utility intervention unit to the State Energy Planning Board, a move sponsors said will restore a consumer-focused voice on the board. The bill passed 132-11.

Supporters said the change restores consumer representation that existed before 2012, when the Consumer Protection Board was dissolved. "This bill will add an important voice to represent consumer interests as the State Energy Planning Board continues its process to plan for the future," the sponsor, Assemblymember Barrett, said during debate.

Opponents and several minority members pressed a separate point: they argued the Energy Planning Board should include formal minority-party appointments. An Assemblymember who identified concerns about the board's composition said the panel now is largely composed of governor-appointed agency officials and a pair of legislative appointees from the majority. That speaker warned the board will oversee major policy changes affecting electricity rates, home heating and transportation and urged adding minority appointments to improve representation and bring dissenting technical expertise.

The debate included a range of technical and cost claims raised by the opponent. Among assertions recorded in floor remarks: that the state's climate law scoping and related policies could increase pump prices by about $0.63 a gallon, raise natural gas home-heating costs by roughly 79 percent, and that the New York Public Service Commission had approved roughly $43 billion in future rate increases to cover green-energy mandates. Those figures were offered by the floor speaker who opposed the bill; they were presented as part of an argument for giving minority appointees a seat at planning discussions.

Sponsor Barrett repeatedly framed the bill narrowly. "I believe that there should be a consumer representative because that is the missing piece," Barrett said, noting she serves on the board on behalf of the Assembly Speaker.

Assemblymember Lunsford, speaking during recorded explanations, commended the sponsor and said the body often appoints members from varied political affiliations to task forces and boards, and she voted in the affirmative.

What happened: The Assembly recorded a final vote of Ayes 132, Noes 11. The bill adds a Department of State utility-intervention-unit representative to the State Energy Planning Board; the statute took effect immediately when read.

Why it matters: The Energy Planning Board helps shape long-term energy policy and planning; adding an official consumer-advocate seat formalizes a consumer-focused presence as the board addresses grid reliability, electrification and rate impacts.

Looking ahead: Opponents said they plan to press separately for legislation to allow minority-party appointments to certain statewide planning bodies. The sponsor and other supporters characterized this bill as a targeted, nonpartisan consumer-protection measure.