Relating to matters under the purview of the utilities division of the department of commerce

This bill relates to matters under the purview of the utilities division of the department of commerce. The bill provides the Iowa utilities board with authority to employ or appoint an independent administrative law judge to preside over any hearing or proceeding before the board. Certain provisions applicable to the employment or appointment of administrative law judges by state agencies do not apply to appointments by the board. Current law requires the board to deduct all amounts charged directly to any person subject to the jurisdiction of the board for providing utility services from the total annual expenses of the board and the consumer advocate. The board may assess the remaining amount on a quarterly basis to all persons providing service over which the board has jurisdiction in proportion to their respective gross operating revenues. The bill strikes the requirement that these assessments be made on a quarterly basis and allows the board to make the assessments to some or all persons providing service over which the board has jurisdiction. The bill establishes that, for providers of telecommunications service required to register with the board that are exempted from rate regulation, the remainder of the assessments shall be computed at one-half the rate used in computing assessments for other persons. Current law allows the board to impose a civil penalty of up to $100,000 for each violation of Code chapter 479, relating to pipelines and underground gas storage, or any rule or order issued pursuant to the Code chapter, provided that the maximum penalty does not exceed $1 million for any related series of violations. The bill removes these maximum amounts and instead provides that a civil penalty levied by the board shall be in accordance with specified federal law. Current law requires pipeline companies operating pipelines or underground gas storage under Code chapter 479A to pay the board an annual inspection fee of cents for each mile of pipeline located in Iowa. The bill removes this set fee and instead allows the board to charge pipeline companies with annual inspection fees that are directly attributable to the costs of conducting inspections.96, which included definitions for “competitive local exchange service provider” and “local exchange carrier”, and provides new definitions for such terms. “Competitive local exchange service provider” is defined as any person, including a municipal utility, that provides local exchange services, other than a local exchange carrier or a non-rate-regulated wireline provider of local exchange services under an authorized certificate of public convenience and necessity within a specific geographic area described in maps filed with the board as of September 30, 1992. “Local exchange carrier” is defined as any person that was the incumbent and historical rate-regulated wireline provider of local exchange services or any successor to such person that provides local exchange services under an authorized certificate of public convenience and necessity within a specific geographic area described in maps filed with the board as of September 30, 1992.3, subsection 47A, to modify the definitions of “central office equipment” and “transmission equipment”. The bill provides “central office equipment” includes ancillary equipment and apparatus which enable central office equipment to accomplish its function. Additionally, the bill provides “transmission equipment”, including ancillary equipment and apparatus which enable transmission equipment, to accomplish its function.3, subsection 47A, as any person, including a municipal utility, that provides local exchange services, other than a local exchange carrier or a non-rate-regulated wireline provider of local exchange services under an authorized certificate of public convenience and necessity within a specific geographic area described in maps filed with the board as of September 30, 1992.3, subsection 47A, as any person that was the incumbent and historical rate-regulated wireline provider of local exchange services or any successor to such person that provides local exchange services under an authorized certificate of public convenience and necessity within a specific geographic area described in maps filed with the board as of September 30, 1992. Current law requires wireless carriers and wireline local exchange carriers providing telecommunications service in the state to remit the amounts assessed to fund the dual party relay service to a special fund on a quarterly basis. The bill provides that these remittances will be made as determined by the board.