Senate Bill 151

Actions | Amendments
Last Action received in Senate
Title AN ACT relating to Public Service Commission members.
Bill Documents Bill
Bill Request Number 1207
Sponsors R. Jones II, J. Turner, W. Blevins Jr.
Summary of Original Version Amend KRS 278.050 to expand membership of the Public Service Commission (PSC) from three to seven commissioners, one for each U.S. Congressional District and one for the state at large, who shall be elected for staggered four year terms beginning with the next regular election in even-numbered years for terms of four years, to begin on the first day of January of the year succeeding their election as follows: At the regular election to be held in November 2012, and every four years thereafter, there shall be elected for a term of four years one member of the Public Service Commission in each odd-numbered Congressional District and one state-at-large member in which the term of his or her predecessor in office will expire; and at the regular election to be held in November 2014, and every four years thereafter, there shall be elected for a term of four years one member of the Public Service Commission in each even-numbered Congressional District in which the term of his or her predecessor in office will then expire; provide that each member of the commission for retirement purposes shall be eligible to membership in the Kentucky Employees Retirement System as set forth in KRS 61.515 to 61.705 and the at-large commission member and a commission member designated by the Governor shall serve as co-chairs of the Public Service Commission; require that the Governor to appoint a new member of the commission to fill any vacancy; provide that all appointments made to the Public Service Commission by the Governor prior to or subsequent to the effective date of this Act shall expire on January 1, 2013; amend KRS 278.060 to require that each commissioner, including the at-large commission member, be a resident and qualified voter of this state and be no less than 25 years of age at the time of his or her election and shall have resided in this state and in his or her Congressional District for no less than three years prior to his or her election and shall not be qualified to run for commissioner if he or she holds any official relationship to any utility, or owns stocks or bonds thereof, or who has any pecuniary interest therein for three years prior to his or her election; require that members of the Public Service Commission be subject to the Executive Branch Code of Ethics in accordance with KRS 11A.001 to 11A.990; amend KRS 11A.010 to conform.
Index Headings of Original Version Administrative Regulations and Proceedings - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Energy - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Public Utilities - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
State Agencies - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Proposed Amendments Senate Committee Substitute 1
House Committee Substitute 1
House Committee Amendment 1
House Floor Amendment 1
House Floor Amendment 2
House Floor Amendment 3
House Floor Amendment 4
Votes Vote History

Actions

Top | Amendments
02/10/11
  • introduced in Senate
02/14/11
  • to Natural Resources and Energy (S)
02/16/11
  • reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute
02/17/11
  • 2nd reading, to Rules
02/18/11
  • posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Friday, February 18, 2011
  • 3rd reading
  • Committee Substitute withdrawn
  • passed 29-5
02/22/11
  • received in House
02/23/11
  • to Tourism Development & Energy (H)
  • posting waived
02/25/11
  • floor amendments (1) (2) and (3-title) filed
02/28/11
  • reported favorably, 1st reading, to Calendar with Committee Substitute, committee amendment (1-title)
  • floor amendment (4) filed to Committee Substitute
03/01/11
  • 2nd reading, to Rules
  • posted for passage in the Regular Orders of the Day for Wednesday, March 2, 2011
03/02/11
  • 3rd reading, passed 48-46 with Committee Substitute, committee amendment (1-title), floor amendment (4)
  • received in Senate

Proposed Amendments

Top | Actions
Amendment Senate Committee Substitute 1
Summary Delete all provisions of SB 151; direct the Legislative Research Commission to study the positive and negative effects of electing members of the Kentucky Public Service Commission; determine the impact of electing and expanding the number of commissioners on utility ratepayers and the cost of elections on the public; make recommendations on ways to protect the ratepayers, provide consumer input and consumer protections; complete the study by December 1, 2011 and report to the Legislative Research Commission.
Index Headings Administrative Regulations and Proceedings - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Energy - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Public Utilities - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
State Agencies - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of

Amendment House Committee Substitute 1
Summary Delete existing language; create task force to study utility rates, election of Public Service Commission members, and increasing ratepayer input.
Index Headings Administrative Regulations and Proceedings - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Energy - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Public Utilities - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
State Agencies - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of

Amendment House Committee Amendment 1
Sponsor L. Combs
Summary Make title amendment.
Index Headings Administrative Regulations and Proceedings - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Energy - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Public Utilities - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
State Agencies - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of

Amendment House Floor Amendment 1
Sponsor B. Farmer
Summary Retain original provisions, except amend KRS 278.050 to clearly state that candidates for election to the Public Service Commission shall comply with campaign finance regulations in KRS Chapter 121; amend KRS 121.150 to provide that candidates for election to the Public Service Commission cannot make expenditures greater than $1,000 in the aggregate in any one election.
Index Headings Administrative Regulations and Proceedings - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Energy - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Public Utilities - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
State Agencies - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of

Amendment House Floor Amendment 2
Sponsor B. Farmer
Summary Amend KRS 12.255 to require that the office of secretary for each program cabinets listed in KRS 12.250 be elected by the voters of the state rather than appointed by the Governor; include terms, qualifications, and requirements of cabinet secretaries; amend KRS 12.252, 18A.015, 18A.025, 151B.020, 154.10-040, and 174.020 to conform.
Index Headings Administrative Regulations and Proceedings - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Energy - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Public Utilities - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
State Agencies - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of

Amendment House Floor Amendment 3
Sponsor B. Farmer
Summary Make title amendment.
Index Headings Administrative Regulations and Proceedings - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Energy - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Public Utilities - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
State Agencies - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of

Amendment House Floor Amendment 4
Sponsor B. Farmer
Summary Add to the study the question of whether municipal utilities should be regulated by the Public Service Commission..
Index Headings Administrative Regulations and Proceedings - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Energy - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
Public Utilities - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of
State Agencies - Public Service Commission, membership, election and expansion of

Last updated: 1/16/2019 3:43 PM (EST)