HB 911 -- Retail Energy Customer and Worker Protection

Co-Sponsors:  Carnahan, Wagner, Murphy, Hosmer, Green (15),
Boucher

This bill is the Missouri Retail Energy Customer and Worker
Protection Act.  The bill creates the Missouri Energy
Reliability Board to standardize the reliability, safety, and
customer services practices of investor- and consumer-owned
electric or gas companies.  In addition to its rulemaking
authority over electric or gas companies, the board will
institute procedures to prevent overloads on systems and
cost-shifting among regulated and competitive segments of the
utilities.  The board must report to the General Assembly every
2 years on the adequacy and reliability of the current and
future supply of electricity as well as on other required
matters.

The bill also requires the board to establish minimum
maintenance standards for electric or gas companies providing
service within the state and requires the companies to file an
annual preventive maintenance plan with the board, including
inspection schedules and certain record maintenance.

The board will establish minimal performance standards for all
electric or gas companies offering or providing service within
the state.  The bill also requires the board to establish
reliability and maintenance service standards for worker safety,
such as minimum skill sets and certification to perform critical
functions.  The board is authorized to determine an electric or
gas company's obligation to provide service and when the company
would be allowed to discontinue or refuse to provide service.

The board will also establish minimum customer service standards
for all electric or gas companies providing service in the
state, including sufficient personnel to meet customer needs,
timely action on requests for service and trouble reports,
accurate billing information, a toll-free hotline, and certain
information disclosures to retail customers upon request.

Any electric or gas company undertaking a sale or transfer,
significant downsizing, merger, or other similar transaction is
required to prepare a worker transition plan and file the plan
with the board within 180 days of the final date of the
transaction.  The company must inform affected employees prior
to filing the final plan; and once the plan is in effect, the
company is required to file notice with the board of any action
that will result in layoffs.  The plan must include such
benefits to workers as voluntary severance, retraining, and
outplacement services.

The bill also requires the succeeding entity to recognize and
work with a union representing the employees after the merger or
other transaction if the company is party to a collective
bargaining agreement recognized by federal or state law.  The
succeeding entity will refrain from making unilateral changes in
the employees' terms and conditions of employment for a period
of 3 years or until the existing contract expires, whichever is
later.

The bill has an emergency clause.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated September 13, 2001 at 2:04 pm