Z-0395.1 _______________________________________________
SENATE BILL 5447
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State of Washington 53rd Legislature 1993 Regular Session
By Senator Fraser; by request of Utilities & Transportation Commission
Read first time 01/28/93. Referred to Committee on Ecology & Parks.
AN ACT Relating to the review of solid waste collection company tariff filings by the utilities and transportation commission; and amending RCW 81.04.130 and 81.28.050.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 81.04.130 and 1984 c 143 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:
Whenever any public
service company, other than a railroad company, files with the commission any
schedule, classification, rule, or regulation, the effect of which is to change
any rate, fare, charge, rental, or toll previously charged, the commission has
power, either upon its own motion or upon complaint, upon notice, to hold a
hearing concerning the proposed change and the reasonableness and justness of
it. Pending the hearing and the decision the commission may suspend the
operation of the rate, fare, charge, rental, or toll, if the change is proposed
by a common carrier subject to the jurisdiction of the commission, other
than a solid waste collection company, for a period not exceeding seven
months, and, if proposed by a ((public service company other than such a
common carrier)) solid waste collection company, for a period not
exceeding ten months from the time the change would otherwise go into effect.
After a full hearing the commission may make such order in reference to the
change as would be provided in a hearing initiated after the change had become
effective.
At any hearing involving any change in any schedule, classification, rule, or regulation the effect of which is to increase any rate, fare, charge, rental, or toll theretofore charged, the burden of proof to show that such increase is just and reasonable is upon the public service company. When any common carrier subject to the jurisdiction of the commission files any tariff, classification, rule, or regulation the effect of which is to decrease any rate, fare, or charge, the burden of proof to show that such decrease is just and reasonable is upon the common carrier.
Sec. 2. RCW 81.28.050 and 1984 c 143 s 5 are each amended to read as follows:
Unless the commission otherwise orders, no change may be made in any classification, rate, fare, charge, rule, or regulation filed and published by a common carrier other than a rail carrier, except after thirty days' notice to the commission and to the public. In the case of a solid waste collection company, no such change may be made except after forty-five days' notice to the commission and to the public. The notice shall be published as provided in RCW 81.28.040 and shall plainly state the changes proposed to be made in the schedule then in force and the time when the changed rate, classification, fare, or charge will go into effect. All proposed changes shall be shown by printing, filing, and publishing new schedules or shall be plainly indicated upon the schedules in force at the time and kept open to public inspection. In the case of a change proposed by a rail carrier, except for changes to rail contracts between a rail carrier and a shipper authorized under RCW 81.34.070, which changes become effective in accordance with that section, a proposal resulting in a rate increase or a new rate shall not become effective for twenty days after the notice is published, and a proposal resulting in a rate decrease shall not become effective for ten days after the notice is published. The commission, for good cause shown, may by order allow changes in rates without requiring the notice and the publication time periods specified in this section. When any change is made in any rate, fare, charge, classification, rule, or regulation, attention shall be directed to the change by some character on the schedule. The character and its placement shall be designated by the commission. The commission may, by order, for good cause shown, allow changes in any rate, fare, charge, classification, rule, or regulation without requiring any character to indicate each and every change to be made.
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