PRINTER'S NO. 3849
No. 695 Session of 2006
INTRODUCED BY FLICK, PRESTON, BARRAR, REICHLEY, SAINATO, ADOLPH,
ARGALL, BAKER, BALDWIN, BENNINGHOFF, BEYER, BIRMELIN, BOYD,
BUXTON, CALTAGIRONE, CASORIO, CAUSER, CAWLEY, CIVERA, CLYMER,
CORNELL, COSTA, CRAHALLA, DENLINGER, DeWEESE, ELLIS,
FABRIZIO, FAIRCHILD, FICHTER, FLEAGLE, FRANKEL, FREEMAN,
GABIG, GILLESPIE, GINGRICH, GOOD, GOODMAN, GRELL, HANNA,
HARHART, HARPER, HASAY, HENNESSEY, HERSHEY, HESS, HICKERNELL,
HUTCHINSON, JAMES, KAUFFMAN, M. KELLER, W. KELLER, KENNEY,
KILLION, LaGROTTA, LEH, MACKERETH, MAHER, MAJOR, MANDERINO,
MANN, MARSICO, McILHATTAN, METCALFE, MICOZZIE, MILLARD,
R. MILLER, MUNDY, MUSTIO, MYERS, NAILOR, NICKOL, O'NEILL,
PALLONE, PARKER, PAYNE, PETRARCA, PETRI, PHILLIPS, PYLE,
QUIGLEY, RAPP, READSHAW, REED, ROHRER, ROONEY, RUBLEY,
SATHER, SAYLOR, SCHRODER, SEMMEL, SHAPIRO, SOLOBAY, SONNEY,
R. STEVENSON, STURLA, TANGRETTI, E. Z. TAYLOR, TIGUE, TRUE,
TURZAI, VITALI, WALKO, WATSON, WRIGHT, YEWCIC, YUDICHAK AND
PICKETT, APRIL 4, 2006
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON CONSUMER AFFAIRS, APRIL 4, 2006
A RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to
2 conduct a performance audit of the Pennsylvania Public
3 Utility Commission.
4 WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission is
5 established by law as an independent administrative commission
6 to regulate rates and services of monopoly utility service
7 providers; and
8 WHEREAS, Although the Legislative Budget and Finance
9 Committee has conducted four performance audits in discrete
10 areas under the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission's
11 jurisdiction in recent years, a comprehensive performance audit
1 is needed; therefore be it
2 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the
3 Legislative Budget and Finance Committee to conduct a
4 comprehensive review of Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
5 activity in the following areas:
6 (1) Electric, to include:
7 (i) Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
8 responsiveness to the recommendations contained in the
9 June 2002 report by the Legislative Budget and Finance
10 Committee assessing the reliability of Pennsylvania's
11 electric transmission and distribution system.
12 (ii) Updating performance measures reported by this
13 Commonwealth's major distribution companies.
14 (iii) Whether the Pennsylvania Public Utility
15 Commission is conducting activities that may no longer be
16 relevant in a deregulated environment.
17 (2) Alternative energy portfolio standards, to include a
18 determination as to whether the Pennsylvania Public Utility
19 Commission is on schedule and meeting the requirements of the
20 act of November 30, 2004 (P.L.1672, No.213), known as the
21 Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act.
22 (3) Telephone, to include:
23 (i) Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
24 monitoring and enforcing of incumbent local exchange
25 carriers network modernization plans and the commission's
26 assessment of the carriers' progress in implementing the
27 plans.
28 (ii) An update of reporting requirements under 66
29 Pa.C.S. Ch. 30.
30 (4) Natural gas, to include a determination as to
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1 whether State regulation of natural gas distribution is an
2 important public endeavor for safety or economic reasons and
3 whether the commission's regulatory efforts in this area are
4 efficient and effective.
5 (5) Water, to include an assessment of the efficiency
6 and effectiveness of the Pennsylvania Public Utility
7 Commission's efforts to ensure the safety, reliability and
8 affordability of water supplied by water companies in this
9 Commonwealth.
10 (6) Transportation, to include:
11 (i) An update of information related to roadside
12 truck safety checks.
13 (ii) A review of the rail safety program.
14 (iii) A review of the Pennsylvania Public Utility
15 Commission's rate-setting process relating to
16 transportation.
17 (iv) Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission
18 responsiveness to the recommendations contained in the
19 December 2001 report by the Legislative Budget and
20 Finance Committee dealing with regulation of taxicab and
21 limousine services.
22 (7) Consumer education and outreach, to include the
23 length of time for complaint resolution, assessment of
24 consumer satisfaction with the complaint process and
25 complaint resolution and the system the Pennsylvania Public
26 Utility Commission uses to receive complaints.
27 (8) Other issues, to include:
28 (i) A comparison of Pennsylvania to other states in
29 terms of electric, gas, telephone and water costs to
30 consumers.
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1 (ii) A comparison of Pennsylvania to other states in
2 terms of budget, staff and funding sources of the
3 Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission.
4 (iii) Identification of important utility issues by
5 the commissioners of the Pennsylvania Public Utility
6 Commission, members of the Consumer Protection and
7 Professional Licensure Committee of the Senate, members
8 of the Consumer Affairs Committee of the House of
9 Representatives, the Consumer Advocate, the Small
10 Business Advocate, utility associations and consumer
11 groups.
12 (iv) A review of performance audits of similar
13 agencies in other states to identify issues that may be
14 relevant to public utilities in Pennsylvania;
15 and be it further
16 RESOLVED, That the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee
17 report its findings, together with recommendations for remedial
18 legislation or other appropriate action, to the House of
19 Representatives within seven months of the passage of this
20 resolution.
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