03/30/2022 09:00 AM Senate FINANCE

SENATE BILL NO. 190                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
     "An Act extending the termination date of the                                                                              
     Regulatory Commission of Alaska; and providing for an                                                                      
     effective date."                                                                                                           
                                                                                                                                
9:03:52 AM                                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop  relayed that it  was the third  hearing for                                                                    
SB  190.   The  committee  had  opened   and  closed  public                                                                    
testimony  on  March  21,  2022.   It  was  the  committee's                                                                    
intention to  consider a  committee substitute  (CS), review                                                                    
the fiscal notes, and look to the will of the committee.                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
9:04:18 AM                                                                                                                    
AT EASE                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
9:04:40 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair   Stedman  MOVED   to   ADOPT  proposed   committee                                                                    
substitute  for SB  190,  Work  Draft 32-LS1525\W  (Ambrose,                                                                    
3/25/22).                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair Bishop OBJECTED for discussion.                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
ERIN  SHINE,  STAFF,  SENATOR CLICK  BISHOP,  discussed  the                                                                    
changes reflected in the CS.  She explained that the changes                                                                    
between  the  previous  CS the  committee  had  adopted  and                                                                    
Version  W before  the  committee  was on  page  1, lines  8                                                                    
through  11.  The  change  added  intent  language  for  the                                                                    
Regulatory Commission  of Alaska (RCA) to  adopt regulations                                                                    
specific  to refuse  utilities,  to  provide for  sufficient                                                                    
public  notice, and  time for  rate  payers to  meaningfully                                                                    
comment on rate filings.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wielechowski commented  that he was glad  to see the                                                                    
intent language  included in the  proposed CS.  He discussed                                                                    
legislative  history  and  intent   pertaining  to  RCA.  He                                                                    
relayed   that  that   current   regulations  for   electric                                                                    
cooperatives would  be different  than the  regulations that                                                                    
would  be  needed  for electric  utilities,  in  large  part                                                                    
because  the coops  were owned  by the  rate payers  whereas                                                                    
refuse  coops were  for-profit  organizations. He  continued                                                                    
that  the intent  was to  ensure the  public had  sufficient                                                                    
notice and  an opportunity  to meaningfully comment  on rate                                                                    
findings,  in  particular  for the  simplified  rate  filing                                                                    
procedure.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Bishop  WITHDREW  his OBJECTION.  There  being  NO                                                                    
further OBJECTION, it was so ordered.  The CS for SB 190 was                                                                    
ADOPTED.                                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
Senator Wielechowski  discussed a  new fiscal note  from the                                                                    
Department of  Commerce, Community and  Economic Development                                                                    
with  OMB  Component 2417.  The  appropriation  was for  the                                                                    
Regulatory  Commission  of  Alaska.  For  the  years  FY  23                                                                    
through FY  28, the appropriation was  for $9,735,900 funded                                                                    
by  regulatory surcharge  and  considered  to be  Designated                                                                    
General Funds (DGF).                                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
Co-Chair  Stedman MOVED  to  report CSSB  190  (FIN) out  of                                                                    
Committee   with   individual    recommendations   and   the                                                                    
accompanying fiscal note.                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
CSSB 190(FIN) was  REPORTED out of committee  with three "do                                                                    
pass"    recommendations,    three    "no    recommendation"                                                                    
recommendations  and  a  new fiscal  impact  note  from  the                                                                    
Department of Commerce, Community and Economic Development.                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
9:07:55 AM                                                                                                                    
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9:08:54 AM                                                                                                                    
RECONVENED