00CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 169(L&C)                                                                                        
01 "An Act relating to electric and telephone cooperatives, including expansion                                            
02 activities and political activities of electric and telephone cooperatives; and                                         
03 providing for an effective date."                                                                                       
04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
05    * Section 1.  AS 10.25.010 is amended by adding new subsections to read:                                           
06  (c)  An electric or telephone cooperative may only include the cost of                                                
07 expansion activity in its rates to a member if the cooperative, in advance,                                             
08   (1)  advised its members that a portion of the rates would be used for                                               
09 expansion activities;                                                                                                   
10   (2)  identified for members how much of the rate would be used for                                                   
11 expansion activities;                                                                                                   
12   (3)  advised members that the cooperative would not discriminate                                                     
13 against or refuse to serve a member who opposed including the cost of expansion                                         
14 activity in rates; and                                                                                                  

01   (4)  received approval of a majority of the cooperative's board of                                                   
02 directors for including the cost of expansion activity in rates.                                                        
03  (d)  An electric or telephone cooperative may only include the cost of political                                      
04 activity in its rates to a member if the cooperative, in advance,                                                       
05   (1)  advised its members that a portion of the rates would be used for                                               
06 political activities;                                                                                                   
07   (2)  identified for members how much of the rate would be used for                                                   
08 political activities;                                                                                                   
09   (3)  advised members that the cooperative would not discriminate                                                     
10 against or refuse to serve a member who opposed including the cost of political                                         
11 activity in rates; and                                                                                                  
12   (4)  received approval of a majority of the cooperative's board of                                                   
13 directors for including the cost of political activity in rates.                                                        
14  (e)  This section may not be construed to modify or change the provisions of                                          
15 AS 15.13.074 or AS 42.05.381(a).                                                                                        
16  (f)  In this section,                                                                                                 
17   (1)  "expansion activity" means an activity that is intended to attract                                              
18 customers for service to an electric or telephone cooperative from customers of another                                 
19 public utility;                                                                                                         
20   (2)  "political activity" means an activity intended to advocate for a                                               
21 political or policy position not directly related to the certificated services of the                                   
22 cooperative.                                                                                                            
23    * Sec. 2.  AS 42.05.381 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:                                             
24  (k)  A telephone or electric cooperative may only include the cost of expansion                                       
25 activity or political activity, as defined in AS 10.25.010, in its rates if it has complied                             
26 with AS 10.25.010.                                                                                                      
27    * Sec. 3.  This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).