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s_agr_2017a_2017-02-16t13:30:01z1 Hearing Summary

Date: 02/16/2017

Location: SCR 357

Final

BILL SUMMARY for SB17-105



SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, & ENERGY


Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.002, as amended. The motion pass

Refer Senate Bill 17-105, as amended, to the Commi

This is a conceptual amendment. Amend Amendment L.
Pass Without Objection

PASS







03:32 PM -- SB 17-105



Senator Garcia, prime sponsor, described the provisions of Senate Bill 17-105 concerning the consumer's right to know electric utility charges and distributed Amendment L.001 (Attachment B). This bill requires investor-owned utilities (i.e. Xcel Energy and Black Hills Energy) to provide comprehensive billing statements, as set forth in the bill, to their customers. Beginning January 1, 2018, the Public Utilities Commission is required to review and approve the new format during the utility's rate filing, and again whenever a change is made.



03:35 PM



Senator Sonnenberg distributed Amendment L.002 (Attachment C), Amendment L.005 (Attachment D), Amendment L.006 (Attachment E), Amendment L.007 (Attachment F), and Amendment L.008 (Attachment G)



170216 AttachC.pdf170216 AttachC.pdf170216 AttachD.pdf170216 AttachD.pdf170216 AttachE.pdf170216 AttachE.pdf170216 AttachF.pdf170216 AttachF.pdf170216 AttachG.pdf170216 AttachG.pdf



The following persons testified on the bill:



03:40 PM --
Heidi Morgan, Black Hills Energy, spoke in opposition to the bill and identified information included in customers' bills. She also expressed concern about the cost of implementing the bills and the timeline to address billing deficiencies. In response to questions from the committee, Ms. Morgan commented on the proposed amendments.



03:48 PM



Jenifer Berman, Office of Legislative Legal Services, discussed the proposed amendments to the bill.



03:57 PM --
Cindy Schonhaut, Director, Office of Consumer Counsel, spoke in support of the bill.



04:01 PM --
Terry Hart, Pueblo County Board of Commissioners, spoke in support of the bill.



04:04 PM --
Amy Cooke, Executive Vice President, Independence Institute, spoke in support of the bill and discussed the increase in utility rates. Ms. Cooke responded to questions from the committee about the bill and information currently included in billing statements.



04:12 PM



The chair closed testimony on the bill and Senator Garcia closed his remarks.


BILL: SB17-105
TIME: 04:14:08 PM
MOVED: Sonnenberg
MOTION: This is a conceptual amendment. Amend Amendment L.002, line 22, strike "NINETY" and substitute "SIXTY". The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Cooke
Coram
Donovan
Fenberg
Fields
Garcia
Jones
Marble
Scott
Baumgardner
Sonnenberg
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION:


BILL: SB17-105
TIME: 04:14:43 PM
MOVED:
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.002, as amended. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Cooke
Coram
Donovan
Fenberg
Fields
Garcia
Jones
Marble
Scott
Baumgardner
Sonnenberg
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL: SB17-105
TIME: 04:15:04 PM
MOVED: Garcia
MOTION: Refer Senate Bill 17-105, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 8-3.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Cooke
Yes
Coram
No
Donovan
Yes
Fenberg
Yes
Fields
Yes
Garcia
Yes
Jones
Yes
Marble
Yes
Scott
Yes
Baumgardner
No
Sonnenberg
No
Final YES: 8 NO: 3 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS







04:16 PM



The committee recessed.










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