HB 1493 -- WATER AND ELECTRIC TERRITORIAL AGREEMENTS

SPONSOR:  Rector (Emery)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee on
Communications, Energy and Technology by a vote of 20 to 0.

Current law requires that territorial agreements specify the
boundaries of the water service area of each water supplier and
the electric service area of each electric service supplier.  In
cases where the parties cannot agree, they may petition the
Missouri Public Service Commission to designate the boundaries of
the service areas to be served by each party.  This bill
clarifies that the commission can only be petitioned when the
parties cannot agree upon the boundaries of the service areas
that are not specified in the agreement.

Current law states that the commission must hold an evidentiary
hearing when receiving any petition, when determining whether or
not a territorial agreement should become effective, and when
complaints involving any commission-approved territorial
agreement are presented.  The bill states that these hearings can
be waived if the matter is resolved by a stipulation and an
agreement that is submitted to the commission.  All parties must
agree to waive the hearing.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2005, FY 2006, and
FY 2007.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill will simplify the
process when a petition to resolve a territorial dispute is
submitted to the Missouri Public Service Commission.  Allowing
the hearing to be waived if all parties agree to the boundary
change and if the commission approves the boundaries will save
time and money because no one will be required to travel to
Jefferson City.  In particular, this will help small water
companies when they want to change their boundaries.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Emery; and Missouri
Public Service Commission.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Alice Hurley, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
92nd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 23, 2004 at 11:15 am