Wisconsin 2023-2024 Regular Session

Wisconsin Assembly Bill AB676 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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3	3	2023 - 2024 LEGISLATURE
4	4	2023 ASSEMBLY BILL 676
5	5	November 27, 2023 - Introduced by Representatives NEYLON, GUSTAFSON, TITTL,
6	6	BALDEH, GREEN, KRUG, MURPHY, O'CONNOR, PENTERMAN, RETTINGER, ROZAR,
7	7	SPIROS and TRANEL, cosponsored by Senators COWLES, STROEBEL, BALLWEG,
8	8	JACQUE and NASS. Referred to Committee on Energy and Utilities.
9	9	*AUTHORS SUBJECT TO CHANGE*
10	10	AN ACT to create 196.03 (7) and (8) of the statutes; relating to: notice to public
11	11	utility customers of potential and final rate changes.
12	12	Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
13	13	Under current law, a public utility may not change the rates that it charges to
14	14	customers without first applying to the Public Service Commission for approval of
15	15	the change.
16	16	This bill requires a public utility that supplies gas or electricity to its customers
17	17	to provide notice to those customers with their utility bills if the utility submits a rate
18	18	change application to PSC or if the utility submits an amendment to such an
19	19	application that would change a proposed rate by 1 percent or more. If PSC approves
20	20	such a rate change, the bill also requires the public utility to provide notice of the rate
21	21	change to customers with their utility bills. The bill requires the public utility to
22	22	provide notice of a proposed or final rate change as an insert to a paper bill or in the
23	23	email by which a digital bill is sent. The bill requires a notice of a proposed or final
24	24	rate change to include a number of items, such as the impact of the rate change on
25	25	customers, represented as a percentage increase or decrease and as a dollar increase
26	26	or decrease for the average customer in each class of customers; the amount that a
27	27	rate increase will generate in revenue annually for the public utility; and a
28	28	comparison of current and proposed or new rates with average rates across the
29	29	Midwest, as calculated by PSC. The bill also requires a notice of a proposed rate
30	30	change to include information to facilitate consumer access to and public comments
31	31	on the rate case.
32	32	The bill requires the public utility to submit to PSC a copy of the notice and
33	33	requires PSC to include it as a record in the docket. However, the bill allows PSC to
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36	36	EHS:emw
37	37	ASSEMBLY BILL 676
38	38	require the public utility to provide a new notice if it determines the notice does not
39	39	meet the requirements under the bill or is not easily comprehensible by a typical
40	40	customer. The bill also requires the public utility to make the notice or a link to the
41	41	notice available on the home page of its website or on a web page used by customers
42	42	to view and pay bills online, or both, for at least 90 days beginning on the day the first
43	43	notice is provided to customers.
44	44	Under the bill, PSC may not open a public comment period or issue a final
45	45	decision on a proposed rate change until a copy of the required notice of an initial rate
46	46	change application is submitted to PSC and may not close a public comment period
47	47	or issue a final decision on a proposed rate change until a copy of the required notice
48	48	of an amendment to such an application is submitted to PSC.
49	49	The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
50	50	enact as follows:
51	51	SECTION 1. 196.03 (7) and (8) of the statutes are created to read:
52	52	196.03 (7) All of the following apply when a public utility that supplies gas or
53	53	electricity to its customers submits to the commission an application to change rates
54	54	or an amendment to such an application that changes a proposed rate by 1 percent
55	55	or more:
56	56	(a) The public utility shall provide notice of the rate change application with
57	57	the first bill issued to each customer after the commission issues a notice opening a
58	58	docket on the application, and the public utility shall provide notice of an amendment
59	59	to such an application that changes a proposed rate by 1 percent or more with the first
60	60	bill issued to each customer after it submits this amendment to the commission. If
61	61	the customer receives a paper bill, the notice shall be included as an insert with the
62	62	bill on a separate sheet of paper. If the customer receives a digital bill by email, the
63	63	notice shall be included in that email. The notice shall include all of the following:
64	64	1. The impact of the proposed rate change on customers, represented as a
65	65	percentage increase or decrease and as a dollar increase or decrease for the average
66	66	customer in each class of customers.
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85	85	SECTION 1
86	86	ASSEMBLY BILL 676
87	87	2. For a rate increase, the total amount that the public utility anticipates that
88	88	the rate increase will generate in revenue for the public utility annually.
89	89	3. A comparison between the public utility's current rates, the proposed rates,
90	90	and the average rates charged to customers across all other midwestern states using
91	91	figures provided by the commission under sub. (8). The comparison shall include the
92	92	percentage difference between these average rates for the same or similar class of
93	93	customers.
94	94	4. The proposed effective date of the rate change.
95	95	5. A list of all decisions issued by the commission under s. 196.371 since the
96	96	public utility's previous rate case and a discussion of the effect of those decisions on
97	97	the proposed rate change.
98	98	6. The docket number and information on how to view and access the records
99	99	from the docket.
100	100	7. A brief synopsis of how to engage in any public comment periods at the
101	101	commission, including online and by mail.
102	102	8. The dates of any commission hearings or prehearing conferences already
103	103	scheduled at the time of the notice and a description of how to learn of scheduling
104	104	changes or additions.
105	105	9. A brief synopsis of the reasons for the rate change application or amendment.
106	106	10. Other information deemed relevant by the public utility.
107	107	(am) If the commission issues a final decision approving a rate change under
108	108	par. (a) of 1 percent or more, the public utility must provide notice of the rate change
109	109	with a bill issued to each customer no later than 2 months after the commission
110	110	approves the rate change. If the customer receives a paper bill, the notice shall be
111	111	included as an insert with the bill on a separate sheet of paper. If the customer
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138	138	SECTION 1 ASSEMBLY BILL 676
139	139	receives a digital bill by email, the notice shall be included in that email. The notice
140	140	shall include all of the following:
141	141	1. The impact of the rate change on customers, represented as a percentage
142	142	increase or decrease and as a dollar increase or decrease for the average customer
143	143	in each class of customers.
144	144	2. For a rate increase, the total amount that the public utility anticipates that
145	145	the rate increase will generate in revenue for the public utility annually.
146	146	3. A comparison between the public utility's current rates, the new rates, and
147	147	the average rates charged to customers across all other midwestern states using
148	148	figures provided by the commission under sub. (8). The comparison shall include the
149	149	percentage difference between these average rates for the same or similar class of
150	150	customers.
151	151	4. The effective date of the rate change.
152	152	(b) The public utility shall submit to the commission a copy of a notice under
153	153	par. (a) or (am) that has been provided to customers, and the commission shall
154	154	include this as a record in the docket. The commission may require the public utility
155	155	to provide a new notice under par. (a) or (am) if it determines that the notice provided
156	156	does not comply with this subsection or is not easily comprehensible by a typical
157	157	customer.
158	158	(c) The public utility shall make a notice under par. (a) or (am), or a link to that
159	159	notice, available on the home page of its website or on a web page used by customers
160	160	to view and pay bills online, or both, for a period of no less than 90 days beginning
161	161	on the day that notice is first provided to customers.
162	162	(d) 1. Notwithstanding any other deadlines that apply to a rate case proceeding,
163	163	if the public utility fails to submit to the commission a copy of a notice of an initial
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191	191	SECTION 1
192	192	ASSEMBLY BILL 676
193	193	rate change application under par. (b), the commission may not open a public
194	194	comment period or issue a final decision on a proposed rate change until the notice
195	195	is provided to customers and a copy of the notice is submitted to the commission.
196	196	2. Notwithstanding any other deadlines that apply to a rate case proceeding,
197	197	if the public utility fails to submit to the commission a copy of a notice of an
198	198	amendment to a rate change application under par. (b), the commission may not close
199	199	a public comment period or issue a final decision on a proposed rate change until the
200	200	notice is provided to customers and a copy of the notice is submitted to the
201	201	commission.
202	202	(8) The commission shall calculate annually and provide on its website the
203	203	average rate charged by gas or electricity public utilities to customers across all other
204	204	midwestern states in each of 3 classes of customers: residential, small commercial
205	205	and industrial, and large commercial and industrial. In this section, “all other
206	206	midwestern states” includes Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota,
207	207	Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, and South Dakota.
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