SSB 1051 (LSB 1099XD (3) 85)

SENATE/HOUSE FILE _____

BY  (PROPOSED DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/UTILITIES DIVISION BILL)

A BILL FOR

An Act increasing civil penalties applicable to specified pipeline safety violations.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 479.31, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   A person who violates this chapter or any rule or order issued pursuant to this chapter shall be subject to a civil penalty levied by the board not to exceed ten
 
one hundred thousand dollars for each violation. Each day that the violation continues shall constitute a separate offense. However, the maximum civil penalty shall not exceed five hundred thousand
 
one million dollars for any related series of violations. Civil penalties collected pursuant to this section shall be credited to and are appropriated for the Iowa energy center created in section 266.39C.
EXPLANATION
   This bill increases civil penalties applicable to violations of Code chapter 479, relating to pipelines and underground gas storage. Currently, violations of the Code chapter, or an administrative rule or order relating to the Code chapter, are subject to a civil penalty levied by the Iowa utilities board not to exceed $10,000 per violation, subject to a $500,000 maximum. The bill increases these limits to $100,000 and $1 million, respectively. Civil penalties collected for violations of the Code chapter are credited to and appropriated for the Iowa energy center created in Code section 266.39C.