2024-02-12                     Senate Journal                      Page 1590
SB 224                                                                                                                        
SENATE BILL NO. 224 BY THE SENATE RULES COMMITTEE                                                                               
BY REQUEST OF THE GOVERNOR, entitled:                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
            "An Act relating to the calculation of the regulatory                                                              
           cost charge for public utilities and pipeline carriers;                                                             
          and providing for an effective date."                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
was read the first time and referred to the Labor and Commerce and                                                              
Finance Committees.                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                                

2024-02-12                     Senate Journal                      Page 1591
The following fiscal information was published today:                                                                           
 Fiscal Note No. 1, Department of Commerce, Community,                                                                          
          and Economic Development                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
Governor's transmittal letter dated February 8:                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
Dear President Stevens:                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
Under the authority of Article III, Section 18 of the Alaska                                                                    
Constitution, I am transmitting a bill to increase the statutory cap for                                                        
the regulatory cost charge established to fund the activities of the                                                            
Regulatory Commission of Alaska (RCA) and the Department of                                                                     
Law’s Regulatory Affairs and Public Advocacy unit. The regulatory                                                               
cost charge is charged to regulated pipeline carriers and public utilities                                                      
providing telecommunications services, natural gas and storage,                                                                 
electricity, steam heat, water and wastewater, and refuse.                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Passage of this bill will allow the RCA to continue its important                                                               
mission without requiring additional State funding. Currently, the                                                              
RCA is operating near its statutory cap and would potentially need                                                              
additional appropriations in the future to continue its regulation and                                                          
rate setting activities. Increasing the regulatory cost charge allows the                                                       
RCA to continue to function based on the funds collected from                                                                   
regulatory entities.                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
I urge your prompt and favorable action on this measure.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Sincerely,                                                                                                                      
/s/                                                                                                                             
Mike Dunleavy                                                                                                                   
Governor