Senate File 308 - Introduced



                                       SENATE FILE       
                                       BY  KREIMAN


    Passed Senate, Date               Passed House,  Date             
    Vote:  Ayes        Nays           Vote:  Ayes        Nays         
                 Approved                            

                                      A BILL FOR

  1 An Act relating to the utilities board, including board
  2    revocation of franchises for the construction or operation of
  3    electric transmission lines and the terms of service of
  4    members of the board.
  5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
  6 TLSB 2915XS 81
  7 kk/cf/24

PAG LIN



  1  1    Section 1.  Section 474.1, unnumbered paragraph 1, Code
  1  2 2005, is amended to read as follows:
  1  3    A utilities division is created within the department of
  1  4 commerce.  The policymaking body for the division is the
  1  5 utilities board which is created within the division.  The
  1  6 board is composed of three members appointed by the governor
  1  7 and subject to confirmation by the senate, not more than two
  1  8 of whom shall be from the same political party.  Each member
  1  9 appointed shall serve for six=year eight=year staggered terms
  1 10 beginning and ending as provided by section 69.19.  Vacancies
  1 11 shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term in the
  1 12 same manner as full=term appointments are made.
  1 13    Sec. 2.  Section 478.21, Code 2005, is amended to read as
  1 14 follows:
  1 15    478.21  NONUSE == REVOCATION OF FRANCHISE == EXTENSIONS OF
  1 16 TIME.
  1 17    1.  a.  If the improvement for which a franchise is granted
  1 18 is not constructed in whole or in part within two years from
  1 19 the date the franchise is granted, or within two years after
  1 20 final unappealable disposition of judicial review of a
  1 21 franchise order or of condemnation proceedings, the franchise
  1 22 shall be forfeited and the utilities board which granted the
  1 23 franchise shall revoke the franchise and make a record of the
  1 24 revocation, unless the person holding the franchise petitions
  1 25 the board for an extension of time.
  1 26    2.  b.  Upon a showing of sufficient justification for the
  1 27 delay of construction, the board may grant one or more
  1 28 extensions of time for periods up to two years for each
  1 29 extension.
  1 30    2.  The board may revoke a franchise granted pursuant to
  1 31 this chapter for good cause.
  1 32                           EXPLANATION
  1 33    This bill provides that the utilities board of the
  1 34 department of commerce may revoke a franchise granted pursuant
  1 35 to Code chapter 478 for the construction, maintenance, or
  2  1 operation of electric transmission lines for good cause.  The
  2  2 bill also increases the term of service for a member of the
  2  3 utilities board from six years to eight years.
  2  4 LSB 2915XS 81
  2  5 kk:nh/cf/24