S-2560.1
SENATE BILL 5921
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State of Washington | 65th Legislature | 2017 Regular Session |
By Senators O'Ban and Zeiger
Read first time 04/07/17. Referred to Committee on Energy, Environment & Telecommunications.
AN ACT Relating to clarifying that a city or town is prohibited from using electric rates to subsidize telecommunication services; amending RCW
35.92.050; and making an appropriation.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec. 1. RCW 35.92.050 and 2002 c 102 s 3 are each amended to read as follows:
(1) A city or town may ((also)) construct, condemn and purchase, purchase, acquire, add to, alter, and maintain and operate works, plants, and facilities for the purpose of furnishing the city or town and its inhabitants, and any other persons, with gas, electricity, and other means of power and facilities for lighting, including streetlights as an integral utility service incorporated within general rates, heating, fuel, and power purposes, public and private, with full authority to regulate and control the use, distribution, and price thereof, together with the right to handle and sell or lease, any meters, lamps, motors, transformers, and equipment or accessories of any kind, necessary and convenient for the use, distribution, and sale thereof; authorize the construction of such plant or plants by others for the same purpose, and purchase gas, electricity, or power from either within or without the city or town for its own use and for the purpose of selling to its inhabitants and to other persons doing business within the city or town and regulate and control the use and price thereof.
(2) Notwithstanding subsection (1) of this section, a city or town may not use any moneys collected in electric rates from electric utility customers to subsidize or otherwise fund, directly or indirectly, any commercial telecommunication services provided by the city or town. A city or town providing commercial telecommunication services must separately account for any revenues and expenditures for these services pursuant to standards applicable to local government accounting under chapter 43.09 RCW. For the purposes of this section, "commercial telecommunication services" means cable television and internet access. NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. The sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or as much thereof as may be necessary, is appropriated for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2018, from the general fund to the state auditor for the purposes of conducting a review of cities and towns offering telecommunication services to determine whether they are in compliance with local government accounting procedures under chapter 43.09 RCW. --- END ---