No. HB 225
Filed under Local Government.
Consumer Fairness in Utility Rates; Requires certain municipalities to impose same utility rates, fees, & charges on consumers within its municipal boundaries & boundaries of recipient municipality; prohibits such municipalities from imposing surcharges on consumers within boundaries of recipient municipality unless certain conditions are met; prohibits certain use of such surcharges; requires such municipalities to hold certain public hearings; requires certain municipalities to file specified reports with PSC; requires PSC to review certain consumer disputes & make certain determinations.
Plain English Summary
AI-GENERATEDA city operating a water or sewer utility with any facility, even a single well or pump station, located in another municipality must charge that municipality's customers the same base rates, fees, and charges as its own residents.
It may not add a surcharge on those out-of-town customers unless the charge is tied to documented service, maintenance, or infrastructure costs and disclosed in writing on the bill.
Surcharge money cannot be used as general revenue or profit. Before changing any rate, fee, or surcharge, the city must hold a public hearing open to residents on both sides of the border.
Each utility must file an annual report on surcharge revenue with the Public Service Commission, which will also rule on consumer disputes over rates, fees, or surcharges.
AIA municipality with a water or sewer utility facility located in another city must charge that city's customers the same base rates, fees, and charges as its own in-city customers.
AIA city may not charge consumers in a recipient municipality a surcharge unless it is tied to documented service, maintenance, or infrastructure costs and disclosed in writing on the bill.
AIThe Public Service Commission must review consumer disputes over rates, fees, or surcharges and determine whether the municipality's charges are fair and comply with this section.
AIEven a properly documented and disclosed surcharge cannot be treated as a general revenue source or a profit margin for the utility.
AIBefore setting or adjusting rates, fees, or surcharges, the municipality must hold a public hearing open to input from both its own residents and the recipient municipality's residents.
AIThe utility must file a yearly report with the Public Service Commission describing how it used surcharge revenue collected under this section.