00                            HOUSE BILL NO. 122                                                                          
01 "An Act relating to electric and telephone cooperatives, including expansion activities                                 
02 and political activities of electric and telephone cooperatives; and providing for an                                   
03 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, before including the cost                         
08       in the rates,                                                                                                     
09                 (1)  advised its members that a portion of the rates would be used for                                  
10       expansion activities;                                                                                             
11                 (2)  identified for members how much of the rate would be used for                                      
12       expansion activities;                                                                                             
13                 (3)  advised members that the cooperative would not discriminate                                        
14       against or refuse to serve a member who opposed including the cost of expansion                                   

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