00                            HOUSE BILL NO. 193                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to timelines of the Regulatory Commission of Alaska; and relating to                                   
02 the function of public advocacy for regulatory affairs within the Department of Law."                                   
03 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                                
04    * Section 1. AS 42.05.175(b) is amended to read:                                                                   
05            (b)  Notwithstanding a suspension ordered under AS 42.05.421, the                                            
06       commission shall issue a final order not later than 270 days after a complete tariff                              
07       filing is made [FOR A TARIFF FILING THAT DOES NOT CHANGE THE                                                      
08       UTILITY'S REVENUE REQUIREMENT OR RATE DESIGN].                                                                    
09    * Sec. 2. AS 42.05.175(h) is amended to read:                                                                      
10            (h)  If the commission does not issue and serve a final order regarding an                                   
11       application or suspended tariff under (a) or (b) [SECTION (a), (b), OR (c)] of this                           
12       section within the applicable timeline specified, and if the commission does not extend                           
13       the timeline in accordance with (f) of this section, the application or suspended tariff                          
14       filing shall be considered approved and shall go into effect immediately.                                         

01    * Sec. 3. AS 44.23.020(e) is amended to read:                                                                      
02            (e)  There is established within the Department of Law the function of public                                
03       advocacy for regulatory affairs. The attorney general shall participate as a party and                        
04       independently investigate all relevant issues in a matter that comes before the                               
05       Regulatory Commission of Alaska when the attorney general determines that                                         
06       participation is in the public interest. When considering whether participation is in the                         
07       public interest, the attorney general shall consider                                                              
08                 (1)  the issues the Regulatory Commission of Alaska must take into                                  
09       consideration under AS 42.05.141(d);                                                                          
10                 (2)  the interest of consumers in balancing the need for the lowest                                 
11       reasonable rates to include a fair and reasonable return, calculated to attract                               
12       necessary capital and the best quality of service;                                                            
13                 (3)  the unique interests of the particular consumers of a utility                                  
14       when that utility has a filing before the commission;                                                         
15                 (4)  the interest of the general public in obtaining information                                    
16       concerning the utilities and pipeline carriers that serve the general public;                                 
17                 (5)  the public interest in developing appropriate market structures                                
18       that are fair to competitors and protect the consumer interest in affordable, safe,                           
19       and reliable service;                                                                                         
20                 (6)  consumer or public interests identified in a proceeding that the                               
21       private parties to a case are unlikely to represent or articulate.                                            
22    * Sec. 4. AS 42.05.175(c) is repealed.