| 2009 Legislative Summary |
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2009 BILLS
HB 2252 which continues the RSPF program through 2020, passed. The Program was set to expire on 1/1/10.
SB 197 from the Administrative Hearing Division passed and extends the temporary appointment authority of Law Clerks to 24 months.
HB 2253 from the Utility Program died in committee. This bill would have required consumer-owned utilities, telecommunications cooperatives and cable operators to pay a PUC fee to defray expenses of hearings, oversight and enforcement of the National Electrical Safety Code Rules. This bill did not pass.
HB 2097 passed and sets up a process under which an incumbent local exchange carrier (ILEC) can request that its carrier of last resort (COLR) obligations be waived. The COLR requires that they serve anyone in their allocated service territory. Once a waiver of the COLR has been granted, any effected person within the territory can request that the COLR obligations be reinstated. Should the Commission determine that the COLR obligations should be reinstated, the bill allows the ILEC to recover certain costs associated with extending service to those customers.
HB 2186 passed making Oregon the second state in the country to enact a low carbon fuel standard. Providers are to determine how to meet the standard that will require a 20% reduction by 2020.
HB 2405 related to services that use Internet Protocol and Internet Protocol-enabled service. This bill died in Committee.
HB 2472 reduces tax credits available for developing wind projects. This bill passed.
HB 2613 passed and will prohibit landlords from charging rates to tenants that are greater than the rates the utility is charging the landlord.
HB 2626 directs the State Department of Energy to administer a loan program which encourages investments in energy efficiency, renewable energy and energy conservation. This bill passed.
HB 3036 would have provided that rates, terms, conditions, charges and fees for telecommunications services provided by electing telecommunications utilities not are subject to regulation by PUC. This bill died in Committee.
HB 3039 establishes a pilot solar feed-in tariff, which would pay individuals and businesses for the energy produced by newly installed solar systems. It also establishes a requirement for the three investor-owned electric utilities to have 20 MW of large solar projects on-line by 2020. This bill passed.
HB 3153 passed and requires utility facility providers to consult with the owner of high-valued farmland for the purpose of locating and constructing transmission lines in a manner that minimizes impact on farming operations.
HB 3199 passed and allows PUC to use OUSF money for the State matching portion of federal stimulus funding for Broadband mapping.
SB 76 passed and provides a mechanism for payment of costs associated with removal of Klamath River dams. The bill allows the PUC to redirect monies collected from PacifiCorp customers for dam removal to other uses that would benefit customers if later federal and state decisions do not support removal.
SB 80 would have directed the Environmental Quality Commission to adopt a cap-and-trade system to achieve greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. In addition, the bill would have required application to cap-and-trade system to all energy facilities. This bill died in Committee.
SB 101 makes a legislative finding regarding global warming and electricity, and requires the Commission and the Department of Energy to establish greenhouse gas emissions performance standards for generating facilities that produce baseload electricity. It also directs the Commission to study the rate impacts of meeting various standards for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in 2020. This bill passed.
SB 269 passed and prescribes the manner in which a public body may require a utility to relocate facilities located on a public highway. This is a more structured approach in notifying and planning for utility facility relocation projects than exists today. Finally, it provides a process under which a utility may request reimbursement costs associated with required facilities relocation projects.
SB 300 passed, which allows the Department of Revenue to share telecommunication carrier information with the RSPF program.
SB 623 requires the PUC to establish a higher maximum rate threshold for when customers may petition for rate regulation for metered water utilities with fewer than 500 customers. This bill passed
SB 849 would have required the PUC to transfer $30,000 next biennium to the State Library. Those funds would have been used to administer the audio newspaper service telecommunications program for individuals who are blind or print-disabled. This bill did not pass.
SB 929 requires landlords of manufactured parks with 200 or more spaces to use a billing method that determines charges through sub metering when assessing tenant utility or service charges for water. This bill passed.
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