Date: 04/29/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB15-1381

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION & ENERGY

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment M). The motion p
Refer House Bill 15-1381, as amended, to the Commi		Pass Without Objection
PASS



04:13 PM -- HB 15-1381

Representatives Esgar and Winter, co-prime sponsors, came to the table to present on House Bill 15-1381. The bill continues the Office of the Consumer Counsel (OCC) in the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) for 11 years until September 1, 2026. The OCC was established in 1984 to advocate for the public interest and the specific interests of residential, small business, and agricultural consumers in electric, gas, and telephone rate and rulemaking cases before the Public Utilities Commission (PUC), federal regulatory agencies, and in the courts. The OCC may also appeal any PUC decision to the Colorado courts. The OCC is a Type 1 agency in DORA, cash-funded through the Fixed Utility Fund (FUF). The Attorney General is charged with advising the OCC in all legal matters and providing representation in proceedings in which the OCC participates.

Representative Winter said the OCC is very important for the energy consumers of Colorado, and that for every $1 spent on the OCC, it has saved consumers $30. She noted that the PUC will be reviewing the results of telecom deregulation in 2018, so it is important that certain telecom services, such as 911, remain under the purview of the OCC. She noted that when the PUC makes decisions related to such services, the OCC should be at the table.

Amendment L.001 (Attachment M) was distributed to the committee.

150429 AttachM.pdf150429 AttachM.pdf

04:19 PM -- Cindy Schonhaut, representing the OCC, spoke in favor of the bill. Ms. Schonhaut provided the committee with a history and overview of the OCC and the Utilities Consumers' Board (UCB), and said that the OCC is the sole voice for the consumer when a utility wishes to raise its rates in Colorado. She responded to questions on whether the OCC has a vote that can influence PUC regulation of utilities, and how the OCC saves money for consumers.

04:24 PM -- Peter Kirchof, representing the Colorado Telecommunications Association (CTA), spoke in opposition to the bill. He said that the CTA is in opposition to the bill as long as it requires oversight of telephone utilities. He responded to questions on telecom deregulation and OCC oversight of telecom utilities.

04:31 PM -- Katie Dahl, representing Colorado Common Cause, spoke in favor of the bill. Ms. Dahl said that the OCC provides expert representation for consumers in front of the PUC. She spoke to industry representatives within the PUC versus consumer representation, and the need for a consumer advocate.

04:34 PM -- Ed Shackleford, representing the Colorado Senior Lobby, spoke in favor of the bill.

04:36 PM -- Bill Levis, representing the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), spoke in favor of the bill. Mr. Levis discussed the importance of the OCC in providing representation for the consumer in PUC cases. He said it is not true that telecoms have been totally deregulated and that there are still important services that are regulated by the PUC. He said that it is important that the OCC continue to have oversight of these telecoms services. He responded to questions on whether AARP membership had lost landlines in recent years.

04:42 PM

Representative Winter explained that Amendment L.001 includes the extension of the UCB in the bill alongside the OCC.
BILL:HB15-1381
TIME: 04:44:08 PM
MOVED:Esgar
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment M). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Winter
VOTE
Becker J.
Buck
Carver
Coram
Esgar
Kraft-Tharp
Melton
Moreno
Neville P.
Nordberg
Winter
Mitsch Bush
Tyler
Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


04:42 PM

Representatives Esgar and Winter made their closing comments on the bill, noting how continuing the OCC will ensure that consumers have representation within the PUC.
BILL:HB15-1381
TIME: 04:45:01 PM
MOVED:Esgar
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1381, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 7-6.
SECONDED:Winter
VOTE
Becker J.
No
Buck
No
Carver
No
Coram
No
Esgar
Yes
Kraft-Tharp
Yes
Melton
Yes
Moreno
Yes
Neville P.
No
Nordberg
No
Winter
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Tyler
Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

04:47 PM

The committee adjourned.