COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH
OVERSIGHT DIVISION
FISCAL NOTE
L.R. No.: 0728-03
Bill No.: SB 246
Subject: Public Service Commission; Utilities
Type: Original
Date: January 23, 2003
FISCAL SUMMARY
| FUND AFFECTED | FY 2004 | FY 2005 | FY 2006 |
| Total Estimated
Net Effect on General Revenue Fund |
$0 | $0 | $0 |
| FUND AFFECTED | FY 2004 | FY 2005 | FY 2006 |
| Total Estimated
Net Effect on Other State Funds |
$0 | $0 | $0 |
Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses.
This fiscal note contains 4 pages.
| FUND AFFECTED | FY 2004 | FY 2005 | FY 2006 |
| Total Estimated
Net Effect on All Federal Funds |
$0 | $0 | $0 |
| FUND AFFECTED | FY 2004 | FY 2005 | FY 2006 |
| Local Government | $0 | $0 | $0 |
ASSUMPTION
Officials from the Department of Economic Development, Office of Public Counsel assume this proposal would not fiscally impact their agency.
Officials from the Department of Economic Development, Public Service Commission (PSC) assume this proposal would shift the resources from staff as a party in contested cases to Commissioner advisors. The proposal establishes ex parte contacts procedures and authorizes extra hearing proceedings during agenda meeting sessions. PSC assumes this proposal would not fiscally impact their agency.
| FISCAL IMPACT - State Government | FY 2004
(10 Mo.) |
FY 2005 | FY 2006 |
| $0 | $0 | $0 | |
| FISCAL IMPACT - Local Government | FY 2004
(10 Mo.) |
FY 2005 | FY 2006 |
| $0 | $0 | $0 |
FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business
No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.
DESCRIPTION
This proposal changes certain requirements regarding the Public Service Commission. This proposal would remove the limitation on the residence of commissioners; however, commissioners would still be required to live within the State of Missouri.
This proposal also gives the PSC Commissioners authority to have a technical advisory staff. This staff would consist of a pool of up to six full time employees and each commissioner could hire up to one personal advisor. Before these employees could be hired, the Commission would have to correspondingly eliminate positions within Commission staff to accommodate the hiring of the technical advisory staff such that there would be no net gain of employees to the PSC as a whole. The technical advisory staff would render advice and assistance to the commissioners and provide relevant updates to the Commission. Each of the technical advisory staff would be subject to the same ex parte communication and conflict of interest requirements as the commissioners. No person could be hired as part of the technical advisory staff within two years of employment with certain divisions of the PSC, corporations regulated by the PSC or the Office of Public Counsel. The technical advisory staff will never be a party to proceedings before the PSC.
The proposal also delineates standards for the PSC regarding ex parte communications. Commissioners may confer with members of the public, any public utility or similar commission and the act sets forth the procedural guidelines for these communications.
This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Department of Economic Development
Public Service Commission
Office of Public Counsel
Mickey Wilson, CPA
Director
January 23, 2003