S-1665.1  _______________________________________________

                    SUBSTITUTE SENATE BILL 5113

          _______________________________________________

State of Washington      56th Legislature     1999 Regular Session

By Senate Committee on Energy, Technology & Telecommunications (originally sponsored by Senator T. Sheldon)

Read first time 02/26/1999.

Requiring a formal hearing on proposed water company rate increases when requested by affected customers. 

    AN ACT Relating to the process for considering proposed water company rate increases at the utilities and transportation commission; adding a new section to chapter 80.28 RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

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

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 80.28 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) Notwithstanding the thirty-day time limit in RCW 80.28.060, when the commission elects to consider a water company's filing for a proposed change in rates or charges at an open meeting in lieu of a hearing, and receives public comment at the open meeting in opposition to the recommended changes, the commission shall suspend the proposed changes for up to fourteen days from the date of the open meeting for the limited purpose of:

    (a) Receiving additional written comments, which shall be due within seven days, in response to commission staff recommendations or the company's testimony presented at the open meeting; and

    (b) Considering public comment received at the open meeting and filed within seven days after the open meeting, prior to taking final action on the proposed changes.

    (2) The commission shall provide, upon request of a customer affected by a water company's filing for a proposed change in rates or charges, a customer information document that explains the following in a clear and concise manner:

    (a) The types of complaints about a water company's service over which the commission does and does not have the authority to act;

    (b) The standards by which the commission must determine whether a water company is entitled to a proposed change in its rates or charges;

    (c) The process and timelines in which the commission must act on a water company's proposed change in its rates or charges, including:  (i) The ways in which a customer can effectively participate in the process prior to the commission issuing its final order on the proposed changes; and (ii) the process by which a customer can appeal a final order.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.  (1) The utilities and transportation commission shall prepare the customer information document by September 1, 1999, with the participation of the office of the attorney general public counsel and the department of health.

    (2) This section expires January 1, 2000.

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