Energy And Public Utilities Legislation

SENATE FILE 429 - Local Exchange Carrier Regulation - Rate Changes

SENATE FILE 2086 - Electric Transmission Line Franchises

HOUSE FILE 2310 - Statewide Underground Facilities Notification Center - Vendor Contracts

HOUSE FILE 2341 - Electric Transmission Lines - Extensions of Franchises

HOUSE FILE 2587 - Energy and Environmental Research and Development - Iowa Energy Center - Alternative Energy Revolving Loan Program

Related Legislation

SENATE FILE 2051 - State Interagency Missouri River Authority

SENATE FILE 2140 - Appropriations - Energy Conservation Programs Funding

SENATE FILE 2275 - Substantive Code Corrections

HOUSE FILE 2418 - State Building Code - Minimum Energy Standards

HOUSE FILE 2582 - Federal Block Grant Appropriations

HOUSE FILE 2623 - Compensation for Public Employees and Additional Provisions

SENATE FILE 429 - Local Exchange Carrier Regulation - Rate Changes Full Text of Bill
By Committee on Commerce.

This Act amends Code Section 476.97, by providing that a price-regulated local exchange carrier with fewer than 500,000 access lines in this state may increase rates for basic communications services following the initial 12-month period after electing to become price-regulated. The rate of the change in its aggregate revenue weighted prices cannot exceed the most recent annual change in the Gross Domestic Product Price Index published by the federal government. The Act also provides for adoption of alternative formulas and measures to account for the rate of inflation under certain circumstances.

The Act limits the time the Utilities Board has to review and approve or reject a proposed rate change by a local carrier with fewer than 500,000 access lines.

Code Section 476.97 provides that as the result of a review of carrier operations by the Utilities Board, a local exchange carrier with fewer than 500,000 access lines in this state, the Consumer Advocate, or any other person may propose, and the Utilities Board may approve, any reasonable modifications to the price-regulation requirements, subject to certain limitations. The Code section requires, and this Act continues, the limitation that such modifications shall not require a reduction in the rates for any basic communications service or a return to rate-base, rate-of-return regulation. The Act limits such proposals for modification made as part of a review of carrier operations to no more than one every three years. The Utilities Board is limited in the time it has to review and approve or reject the proposed rate change, and the Act also provides issues for the Utilities Board to consider in reviewing a carrier's proposal. (See Appropriations for H.F. 2623, section 36, which amends the time limitations under this Act that are applicable to the Utilities Board.)

The Act also provides that the carrier may request temporary authority to place in effect 75 percent or less of the requested increase in rates or charges by filing with the board a bond conditioned upon refund, subject to interest, in a manner prescribed by the board, of any amounts collected from any customer class in excess of amounts which would have been collected under rates or charges finally approved by the board. The Utilities Board shall decide upon the request within 30 days, and the decision is effective immediately.

The Act requires the board to determine the rate of interest to be paid by a public utility to persons receiving refunds, within parameters established in the Act.

The Act also authorizes the Utilities Board and the Consumer Advocate to employ additional temporary staff or services to respond to proposals for modifications or rate changes or to review a carrier's operations. Such costs are assessed to the local exchange carrier pursuant to existing Code provisions.

The Act takes effect April 4, 2002.

SENATE FILE 2086 - Electric Transmission Line Franchises Full Text of Bill
By Freeman.

This Act increases the transmission line franchise requirement threshold from 34.5 kilovolts to 69 kilovolts.

The Act takes effect April 1, 2002.

HOUSE FILE 2310 - Statewide Underground Facilities Notification Center - Vendor Contracts Full Text of Bill
By Committee on Commerce and Regulation.

This Act amends Code Section 480.3, relating to the establishment of a single statewide underground facility notification center, more commonly known as "one-call." The center is organized as a nonprofit corporation governed by a board of directors. The Act eliminates an obligation requiring the board to review vendor contracts at least every three years, and gives the board the option to extend a contract for up to three years.

The contract may still be modified by the parties, and is subject to competitive bid at the conclusion of the contract.

HOUSE FILE 2341 - Electric Transmission Lines - Extensions of Franchises Full Text of Bill
By Committee on Commerce and Regulation.

This Act provides for adoption of rules by the Utilities Board related to extension of utilities franchises, includes roadways as one of the preferred routes for new electric lines, provides that the franchise for an electric transmission line may only be considered forfeited two years after the final unappealable disposition of any judicial review of a franchise order or of any condemnation proceedings, and allows multiple extensions to be granted during the construction of a franchised electric line if the franchisee can justify the extension.

HOUSE FILE 2587 - Energy and Environmental Research and Development - Iowa Energy Center - Alternative Energy Revolving Loan Program Full Text of Bill
BY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS.

This Act provides that the limit on salary expenditures for the Iowa Energy Center shall be adjusted annually according to the salary adjustment approved by the State Board of Regents for professional and scientific employees at Iowa State University of Science and Technology.

The Act also provides that up to 50 percent of the interest earned on the Alternative Energy Revolving Fund shall be used for promotion and administration of the fund.

SENATE FILE 2051 - State Interagency Missouri River Authority
SEE NATURAL RESOURCES & OUTDOOR RECREATION.
   This Act creates a State Interagency Missouri River Authority to represent the State of Iowa as a member of the Missouri River Basin Association. The Chairperson of the Utilities Board is a member of the authority.

SENATE FILE 2140 - Appropriations - Energy Conservation Programs Funding
SEE APPROPRIATIONS.
   This Act appropriates moneys for FY 2002-2003 from the Energy Conservation Trust to the Division of Community Action Agencies of the Department of Human Rights for energy conservation programs for low-income persons and to the Department of Natural Resources for the State Energy Program and for administration of petroleum overcharge programs.

SENATE FILE 2275 - Substantive Code Corrections
SEE STATE GOVERNMENT.
   This Act contains statutory corrections that adjust language to reflect current practices, insert earlier omissions, delete redundancies and inaccuracies, delete temporary language, resolve inconsistencies and conflicts, update ongoing provisions, or remove ambiguities. Changes made in the area of energy and public utilities include qualifying a reference to a $10 fee in a provision relating to reports to the State Fire Marshal on aboveground petroleum storage tanks; citing Pub. L. No. 95-87 in a chapter on coal mining; correcting several references to the federal Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program; striking obsolete language relating to bringing existing utilities into compliance with the Customer Contribution Fund requirements; clarifying language relating to petitions regarding the issuance of bonds for storm water drainage; clarifying language describing acquisitions constituting a "major addition" for purposes of taxation of electricity and natural gas providers; correcting several references to the certifying of water treatment operators by the Director of the Department of Natural Resources; modifying a provision relating to prohibitions against depositing a regulated substance in an underground storage tank under certain circumstances; correcting the name of a fund relating to land quality and waste management; striking provisions involving completed one-time activities related to hazardous waste references to the Well Contractors' Council; correcting a Code section reference in provisions establishing the Groundwater Protection Fund; and, retroactively to July 1, 2000, correcting a clerical error in language relating to misrepresentation of a business name by a supplier of a service or product in a local telephone directory or directory assistance database.

HOUSE FILE 2418 - State Building Code - Minimum Energy Standards
SEE LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
   This Act relates to the minimum energy efficiency standards in the State Building Code.

HOUSE FILE 2582 - Federal Block Grant Appropriations SEE APPROPRIATIONS.
   This Act appropriates federal block grant and other nonstate moneys to state agencies for the federal fiscal year beginning October 1, 2002, and ending September 30, 2003. The Act includes funding for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, known as LIHEAP.

HOUSE FILE 2623 - Compensation for Public Employees and Additional Provisions SEE APPROPRIATIONS.
   This Act relates to compensation and benefits for public officials and employees, county mental health allowed growth, regulatory and other related matters of the state, and makes and reduces appropriations. The Act also permits the Utilities Board 180 days to consider certain rate changes, with one 60-day extension possible.