H.F. 714 Section 1. Section 478.6A, subsection 2, Code 2023, is 1 amended to read as follows: 2 2. Notwithstanding section 478.21 , in addition to any 3 other applicable requirements pursuant to this chapter , if a 4 petition for a franchise to construct a merchant line that 5 is proposed to be constructed above ground and involves the 6 taking of property under eminent domain is not approved by the 7 board and a franchise granted within three years following the 8 date the petition is filed with the board pursuant to section 9 478.3 , the board shall reject the petition and make a record 10 of the rejection. If the hearing on the petition conducted 11 pursuant to section 478.4 has been held within the three-year 12 period following the date the petition is filed, but the board 13 has not completed its deliberations within that three-year 14 period, the three-year period may be extended by the board to 15 allow completion of deliberations. A petitioner shall not file 16 a petition for the same or a similar project that has been 17 rejected within sixty months following the date of rejection 18 if the rejection was for failure to be approved within three 19 years following the date the petition was filed as provided in 20 this subsection . 21 EXPLANATION 22 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 23 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 24 This bill relates to merchant line franchise petition 25 requirements. 26 The bill specifies that if a proposed aboveground merchant 27 line involving the use of eminent domain fails to be approved 28 by the Iowa utilities board within three years following the 29 submission of the franchise’s petition, the board shall reject 30 the petition. Current law does not restrict this provision to 31 aboveground merchant lines. 32 -1- LSB 2562HV (1) 90 es/rn 1/ 1