S-1338               _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 3787

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senators Kreidler and Halsan

Read first time 2/6/85 and referred to Committee on Energy and Utilities.

AN ACT Relating to utility ratemaking; and adding new sections to chapter 80.20 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     The legislature finds that expenses associated with political information and political education activities of public service companies are properly allocated to investors in the public service company and should not be charged to ratepayers.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     (1) A public service company may not charge to its ratepayers any expenses associated with political information and political education activities.  Public service companies shall separately account for all costs associated with political information and political education activities, and shall allocate all such costs to investors.  Nothing in this section restricts the ability of the commission to modify, allow, or disallow other costs which are associated with political activities of public service companies.

          (2) For the purposes of this chapter, "political information and political education activities" include, but are not limited to, newsletters, seminars, advertising, employee or ratepayer notices, mailings, or other communications which:  (a) Encourage support or opposition for specific legislation, candidates, or office holders; (b) solicit support for political action committees; (c) gather data for political mailing lists; (d) recruit political campaign volunteers; or (e) are limited in distribution and not made accessible to all employees of the public service company.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     Sections 1 and 2 of this act shall be added as new sections to chapter 80.20 RCW.