JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) - The Mississippi Public Service Commission (PSC) voted to halt subsidies offered to low income Mississippi households and public schools that move to solar energy.

Advocates are taking the decision to court, saying the vote was improperly held and that it could disrupt the solar power industry in the state.

The Mississippi Sierra Club, along with other state conservation groups, filed an appeal in Hinds County Chancery Court. They argued the PSC broke the law by not calling for a public comment period before the vote. The PSC voted in favor of halting the subsidies 2-1.

Democratic Central District Commissioner De'Keither Stamps voted against the subsidy pause, citing the need for a public comment session.

Republican Commissioners Christ Brown and Wayne Carr voted in favor. They claimed the subsidies are unfair to rate payers who cannot afford solar power.

“What we got here is a situation where these two commissioners just decided they were going to do this. We don't even know that. We don't even know what that claim is really based on because it hasn't been through the public notice and hasn't been through the public comment process," said Robert Wiygul, a partner with Waltzer Wiygul & Garside.

“This is a massive step backwards for the state. It will harm low and moderate income Mississippians, kill business investment and job creation, and it was done without the appropriate administrative process," said Kyle Wallace, vice president of Public Policy, Posigen.

In a statement, Brown said in part, “This is the perfect example of what I meant when I said liberal interest groups and corporations are actively coming after Mississippi ratepayers. With this vote, Commissioner Carr and I choose to stand in their way.”