HOUSE BILL REPORT

SB 5022

BYSenators Benitz and Williams; by request of Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission

Modifying utilities and transportation commission reporting requirements.

House Committe on Energy & Utilities

Majority Report:  Do pass. (7)

      Signed by Representatives Nelson, Chair; Cooper, Jacobsen, Jesernig, May, Miller and H. Myers.

House Staff:Fred Adair (786-7113)

AS PASSED HOUSE APRIL 10, 1989

BACKGROUND:

Public service companies in Washington are required to report detailed financial, operational and contractual information to the Utilities and Transportation Commission (UTC) annually within three months of year's end.  Because this falls before the tax deadlines, most firms routinely miss the filing deadline.  The Commission wishes to specify the filing deadline by rule so that a realistic deadline may be established.

Public service companies are also required to submit an annual budget to the commission for review.  The current exemption level (less than $25,000 gross revenues) was set in 1961 and because of inflation has become unreasonably low.  In addition, some utilities, such as competitive telecommunications companies, may not require the same level of budget scrutiny as other utilities.  The commission is seeking rulemaking authority to set guidelines for exempting utilities in whole or in part from budget filing requirements.

SUMMARY:

The Commission shall specify annual report filing deadlines and criteria to exempt utilities from budget filing by rule.

Fiscal Note:      Not Requested.

House Committee ‑ Testified For:    Steve McLellan, Washington Utilities & Transportation Commission.

House Committee - Testified Against:      None Presented.

House Committee - Testimony For:    The current filing deadline is difficult because it precedes tax filing deadlines and requires all filings at one time.  The filing dollar threshold is unreasonably low.

House Committee - Testimony Against:      None Presented.