S.B. 98-152 Electric utilities - restructuring of retail supply industry - study - appropriation. Declares a need for an objective evaluation of the existing regulatory structure governing the provision of retail electric service in Colorado. Commissions a study of the issues that should be included in such evaluation. Establishes a 30-member advisory panel to conduct the evaluation, provides for technical and research assistance to the advisory panel from the public utilities commission (PUC), and establishes a public hearing process to afford meaningful opportunity for public comment and input into the evaluation.
Creates the retail electricity policy development fund. Transfers $267,756 from the department of state cash fund to the new fund for purposes of funding the study and report.
Appropriates $50,000 to the office of consumer counsel and $161,220 to the PUC for implementation of the act.
APPROVED by Governor May 26, 1998
EFFECTIVE May 26, 1998
S.B. 98-177 Telecommunications - universal service - high cost funding mechanism - long bill adjustment. Authorizes the public utilities commission (PUC) to create and administer a high cost support mechanism under which providers of telecommunications service directly remit to each other any subsidies required to finance the provision of basic local exchange telephone service to areas of the state in which the cost of service is inordinately high. Allows providers to recover some or all of the cost of such subsidies through use of a rate element.
Repeals the existing high cost fund and transfers the unencumbered balance remaining on July 1, 1998, to a new fund, designated as the high cost administration fund, to pay the costs incurred by the PUC or its contractors in administering the high cost support mechanism. Directs the PUC to estimate, each year, the amount that will be necessary to pay such costs and to establish a nondiscriminatory, competitively neutral assessment on telecommunications providers for purposes of replenishing the administration fund.
Requires annual reporting to the general assembly of accounting information regarding the operation of the high cost support mechanism during the preceding year. Suspends any recommended increases in the rate element assessed upon customers until March 31 of the following year, and requires the PUC to justify any increases in the cost of residential basic service.
Decreases the 1998 long bill appropriation to the PUC for high cost fund payments (under earlier provisions being replaced by this act) by $17,746,170. Appropriates an additional $11,541 and 0.2 FTE to the PUC, and redesignates an existing $158,663 cash fund appropriation to note the change in the name of the cash fund.
APPROVED by Governor May 18, 1998
EFFECTIVE July 1, 1998
S.B. 98-200 Motor carriers - exemptions from regulation - luxury limousines - operational limitations. Augments the current definition of a "luxury limousine", which is strictly a vehicle- or equipment-based definition, with a definition of "luxury limousine service". Sets forth specific requirements for the provision of luxury limousine service, including both vehicle- and equipment-based requirements, such as seating capacity and television, telephone, and beverage service, and also operational requirements, such as the necessity that transportation be arranged in advance on behalf of a defined group of persons identified in a written manifest or charter order carried in the vehicle. Requires manifests and other documents evidencing compliance with these operational requirements to be provided upon demand to authorized representatives of the public utilities commission (PUC), airport authorities, and law enforcement agencies.
Increases luxury limousine insurance minimums from the current $1 million combined single limit liability to $1.5 million for vehicles with a passenger capacity of 15 to 31 and $5 million for vehicles with a passenger capacity of 32 or more.
Directs the PUC to assess civil penalties against, or revoke the registration of, luxury limousine companies that fail to comply with the requirements of this act. Makes repeat violators ineligible for reregistration for a period of at least 2 years. Authorizes formal complaints by any person and provides for monetary and injunctive relief for persons injured by violations of applicable law and rules.
APPROVED by Governor June 1, 1998
EFFECTIVE July 1, 1998
H.B. 98-1007 Public utilities commission - continuation under sunset law. Extends the automatic termination date of the public utilities commission to July 1, 2003, under the sunset law.
APPROVED by Governor April 21, 1998
EFFECTIVE July 1, 1998
H.B. 98-1074 Utility consumer's board - continuation under sunset law. Extends the automatic termination date of the utility consumers' board to July 1, 2008, pursuant to the provisions of the sunset law.
APPROVED by Governor March 23, 1998
EFFECTIVE July 1, 1998
H.B. 98-1078 Office of consumer counsel - continuation under sunset law. Extends the automatic termination date of the office of consumer counsel to July 1, 2008, pursuant to the provisions of the sunset law.
APPROVED by Governor March 23, 1998
EFFECTIVE July 1, 1998
H.B. 98-1405 Telecommunications - slamming - penalties - appropriation. Prohibits the practice of switching all or part of a telephone customer's account from one carrier to another without giving clear and adequate notice to the customer or receiving the customer's clearly expressed approval for the change, a practice commonly known as "slamming". Makes providers who slam a customer liable for the following damages:
Requires resellers of long distance service to register with the public utilities commission and authorizes the commission to proceed against such resellers if they engage in slamming. Requires the commission to hire independent contractors as needed to implement this prohibition.
Appropriates $42,891 to the public utilities commission from the fixed utilities cash fund for the costs of contractual services.
APPROVED by Governor May 26, 1998
EFFECTIVE May 26, 1998
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