Bill Text: HI SB577 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Public Utilities; Salary Increases; Administration
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 4-1)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2009-05-11 - Carried over to 2010 Regular Session. [SB577 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2010-SB577-Introduced.html
Report Title:
Public Utilities; Salary Increases; Administration
Description:
Increases the salary of the public utilities commissioners; allows for the appointment of hearing officers without regard to chapter 76; allows for the suspension and reinstatement of the public utility fee paid by public utilities.
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THE SENATE |
S.B. NO. |
577 |
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TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2009 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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A BILL FOR AN ACT
relating to public utilities.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Section 269-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (b) to read as follows:
"(b) Effective July 1, [2005,] 2009,
the chairperson of the commission shall be paid a salary set at [eighty-seven]
one hundred per cent of the salary of the director of [human
resources development,] commerce and consumer affairs and each of
the other commissioners shall be paid a salary equal to ninety-five per cent of
the chairperson's salary. The commissioners shall be exempt from chapters 76
and 89 but shall be members of the state employees retirement system and shall
be eligible to receive the benefits of any state or federal employee benefit
program generally applicable to officers and employees of the State, including
those under chapter 87A.
The commission is placed within the department of budget and finance for administrative purposes."
SECTION 2. Section 269-3, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:
"(a) The chairperson of the public utilities commission may appoint and employ clerks, stenographers, agents, engineers, accountants, and other assistants for the public utilities commission as the chairperson finds necessary for the performance of the commission's functions and define their powers and duties. The chairperson may appoint and, at pleasure, dismiss a chief administrator and hearings officers as may be necessary. Notwithstanding section 103D-209, the chairperson shall appoint one or more attorneys independent of the attorney general who shall act as attorneys for the commission and define their powers and duties and fix their compensation. The chief administrator, chief of policy and research, chief of administrative support, chief of consumer affairs and compliance, utility analysts, and attorneys shall be exempt from chapter 76. Research assistants, economists, hearing officers, legal secretaries, legal assistants, and enforcement officers may be appointed with or without regard to chapter 76. Other employees shall be appointed as may be needed by the chairperson in accordance with chapter 76."
SECTION 3. Section 269-33, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended as follows:
1. By amending its title to read:
"§269-33 Public utilities
commission special fund[.]; suspension of collection of public
utility fees."
2. By amending subsection (d) to read:
"(d) [All moneys in excess of
$1,000,000 remaining on balance in the public utilities commission special fund
on June 30 of each year shall lapse to the credit of the state general fund.]
Based on the public utilities commission's assessment of its fiscal
allotment and of the actual and projected amount in the public utilities
commission special fund, the public utilities commission may temporarily
suspend the collection of public utility fees to be paid by a public utility
pursuant to section 269-30, and may reinstate the collection of a suspended public
utility fee; provided that the temporary suspension shall not apply to a public
utility paying a fee of $30 pursuant to section 269‑30(b). The public
utility shall file amended rates, fares, charges, classifications, schedules,
rules, or practices that conform to the action taken by the public utilities
commission under this subsection. Notwithstanding any other provision to the
contrary, the suspension or reinstatement of the collection of fees payable
into the public utilities commission special fund, and the filing of amended
rates, fares, charges, classifications, schedules, rules, or practices by the
public utility in conformance with an action taken by the public utilities
commission under this subsection shall not be subject to any requirement in
this chapter relating to the publication of public notice, or the convening of
a public or contested case hearing, except that the amended rates, fares,
charges, classifications, schedules, rules, or practices shall be effective
only after notice has been provided to the public utilities commission pursuant
to sections 269-12(b) and 269-16(a) and (b)."
SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2009.
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INTRODUCED BY: |
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