AB389-AA10,3,2421
c. A person that, in any chain of successive ownership, directly or indirectly as
22a beneficial owner, owns, controls or holds 5% or more of the outstanding voting
23securities or other voting interest of a person specified in subd. 1. a., with the
24unconditional power to vote the securities or interest.
AB389-AA10,4,3
12. "Out-of-state utility" does not include a person specified in subd. 1. a. that
2is, or is owned or wholly operated by, a municipal electric company, municipality or
3cooperative association.
AB389-AA10,4,44
(c) 1. "Public utility" means any of the following:
AB389-AA10,4,75
a. A person that is engaged in the production, transmission, delivery or
6furnishing of heat, light, power or natural gas either directly or indirectly to or for
7the use of the public in this state.
AB389-AA10,4,98
b. A lessee, trustee or court-appointed receiver of a person specified in subd.
91. a.
AB389-AA10,4,1210
2. "Public utility" does not include a person specified in subd. 1. a. that is, or
11is owned or wholly operated by, a municipal electric company, municipality or
12cooperative association.
AB389-AA10,4,1313
(d) "Public utility affiliate" has the meaning given in s. 196.795 (1) (L).
AB389-AA10,4,14
14(2) In general. Except as provided in subs. (2g), (2m), (3) and (5):
AB389-AA10,4,1615
(a) A public utility may not engage in an activity related to the sale, leasing or
16service of appliances.
AB389-AA10,4,2017
(b) A public utility may not engage in the performance of a plumbing, electrical,
18heating, ventilating, air conditioning or sheet metalworking contracting service
19unless the service is performed in or on exempt real property, as defined in s. 196.795
20(1) (fm).
AB389-AA10,5,5
21(2g) Contracting services. (a) Except as provided in par. (b), a public utility
22may perform plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilating, air conditioning or sheet
23metalworking contracting services in a calendar year if the number of hours in which
24the services are performed in the calendar year does not exceed the number of hours
25in which the public utility performed such services in calendar year 1997, 1998 or
11999. For purposes of this paragraph, "contracting services" include employe travel
2time, on-premises services, truck stocking, cost estimating and repeat calls to
3customers. A public utility that performs contracting services under this paragraph
4shall report to the commission the number of hours in which the public utility
5performed such services in calendar years 1997, 1998 and 1999.
AB389-AA10,5,96
(b) A public utility may perform contracting services specified in par. (a) in a
7calendar year in excess of the number of hours specified in par. (a) by an amount that
8reflects the percentage increase in the number of customers served by the public
9utility in the calendar year.
AB389-AA10,5,11
10(2m) Street lighting. A public utility may provide, operate or maintain
11lighting systems on public streets on behalf of a municipality.
AB389-AA10,5,16
12(3) Emergency services. A public utility shall respond to emergency service
13requests related to gas odor or pressure, carbon monoxide, fire or other
14circumstances that reasonably appear to the public utility to endanger property or
15human health or life and may engage in emergency appliance service work in
16response to such requests.
AB389-AA10,5,19
17(5) Contracts or arrangements with affiliated interests. Except as provided
18in sub. (6), a public utility may provide services to an affiliated interest pursuant to
19a contract or arrangement approved under s. 196.52.
AB389-AA10,5,21
20(5m) Voting securities. A public utility may acquire the voting securities or
21other voting interest of an affiliated interest only in exchange for cash.
AB389-AA10,5,23
22(6) Separation between public utilities and affiliated interests. (a)
In
23general. 1. A public utility may not do any of the following:
AB389-AA10,5,2524
a. Except as provided in subd. 4. a., share with or lease, sell or transfer to an
25affiliated interest any building, office space, equipment or research.
AB389-AA10,6,3
1am. Share with or lease, sell or transfer to an affiliated interest any service or
2system related to appliances or any plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilating, air
3conditioning or sheet metalworking contracting service or system.
AB389-AA10,6,54
b. Allow an affiliated interest access to the public utility's computer or other
5information systems.
AB389-AA10,6,76
c. Share or subsidize the costs of an affiliated interest's research and
7development activities.
AB389-AA10,6,88
d. Jointly purchase with an affiliated interest any goods or services.
AB389-AA10,6,109
e. Jointly use with an affiliated interest any system for support or corporate
10oversight or governance.
AB389-AA10,6,1111
1m. An affiliated interest may not do any of the following:
AB389-AA10,6,1412
a. Except as provided in subd. 4. b., share with or lease, sell or transfer to a
13public utility or out-of-state utility any building, office space, equipment or research
14in this state.
AB389-AA10,6,1815
am. Share with or lease, sell or transfer to a public utility or out-of-state utility
16any service or system in this state related to appliances or plumbing, electrical,
17heating, ventilating, air conditioning or sheet metalworking contracting service or
18system in this state.
AB389-AA10,6,2019
b. Allow a public utility or out-of-state utility access to the affiliated interest's
20computer or other information systems in this state.
AB389-AA10,6,2221
c. Share or subsidize the costs of the research and development activities in this
22state of a public utility or out-of-state utility.
AB389-AA10,6,2423
d. Jointly purchase with a public utility or out-of-state utility any goods or
24services for use in this state.
AB389-AA10,7,2
1e. Jointly use in this state with a public utility or out-of-state utility any
2system for support or corporate oversight or governance.
AB389-AA10,7,43
3. An affiliated interest and a public utility or out-of-state utility shall
4maintain separate books and records.
AB389-AA10,7,65
4. a. A public utility may sell real property to an affiliated interest only by a
6public sale or by offering the real property to the highest qualified bidder.
AB389-AA10,7,97
b. An affiliated interest may sell real property in this state to a public utility
8or out-of-state utility only by a public sale or by offering the real property to the
9highest qualified bidder.
AB389-AA10,7,1010
(b)
Restrictions on employes. 1. A public utility may not do any of the following:
AB389-AA10,7,1111
a. Lease any of its employes to an affiliated interest.
AB389-AA10,7,1212
b. Employ the employes or officers of an affiliated interest.
AB389-AA10,7,1613
c. Except as provided in par. (bg) 1., employ a person who was formerly
14employed by an affiliated interest during the 6-month period immediately prior to
15the person's employment by the public utility if the person was not employed by the
16affiliated interest for the entire 6-month period.
AB389-AA10,7,1717
1m. An affiliated interest may not do any of the following:
AB389-AA10,7,1918
a. Lease any of its employes in this state to a public utility or out-of-state
19utility.
AB389-AA10,7,2120
b. Employ in this state the employes, board members or officers of a public
21utility or out-of-state utility.
AB389-AA10,8,222
c. Except as provided in par. (bg) 2., employ a person in this state who was
23formerly employed by a public utility or out-of-state utility with which the affiliated
24interest is affiliated during the 6-month period immediately prior to the person's
1employment by the affiliated interest if the person was not employed by the public
2utility or out-of-state utility for the entire 6-month period.
AB389-AA10,8,53
3. A public utility shall provide an annual report to the commission that
4describes its employment of persons formerly employed by an affiliated interest of
5the public utility.
AB389-AA10,8,116
(bg)
Employment exception. 1. A public utility may employ a person who was
7formerly employed by an affiliated interest if the person's primary occupation during
8his or her former employment was the performance of plumbing, electrical, heating,
9ventilating, air conditioning or sheet metalworking contracting services for the
10affiliated interest's customers on no more than 10 separate occasions during a
11calendar year.
AB389-AA10,8,1712
2. An affiliated interest may employ a person who was formerly employed by
13a public utility or out-of-state utility with which the affiliated interest is affiliated
14if the person's primary occupation during his or her former employment was the
15performance of plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilating, air conditioning or sheet
16metalworking contracting services for the public utility's or out-of-state utility's
17customers on no more than 10 separate occasions during a calendar year.
AB389-AA10,8,2118
(bm)
Exception for director, chief executive officer and certain personnel. 19Notwithstanding par. (b), a public utility may share a member of a board of directors,
20a chief executive officer or any personnel engaged solely in legal, accounting or
21payroll services with an affiliated interest.
AB389-AA10,8,2222
(c)
Marketing activities. 1. A public utility may not do any of the following:
AB389-AA10,8,2323
a. Promote or advertise its affiliation with an affiliated interest.
AB389-AA10,8,2424
b. Use the brand name, trademark or logo of an affiliated interest.
AB389-AA10,9,2
1c. Use any type of marketing identification that resembles a type used by an
2affiliated interest.
AB389-AA10,9,33
d. Provide any information about its customers to an affiliated interest.
AB389-AA10,9,64
e. Participate with an affiliated interest in any marketing activity, including
5advertising, sales calls, proposals to existing or potential customers or trade shows,
6conferences or similar events.
AB389-AA10,9,77
1m. An affiliated interest may not do any of the following:
AB389-AA10,9,118
a. Use the corporate or trade name or a portion of the corporate or trade name
9of the public utility with which it is affiliated in the affiliated interest's corporate or
10trade name, except that an affiliated interest may indicate its affiliation, if any, with
11a holding company, as defined in s. 196.795 (1) (h).
AB389-AA10,9,1312
b. Use in this state the brand name, trademark or logo of a public utility or
13out-of-state utility.
AB389-AA10,9,1514
c. Use in this state any type of marketing identification that resembles a type
15used by a public utility or out-of-state utility.
AB389-AA10,9,1716
d. Provide any information about its customers in this state to a public utility
17or out-of-state utility.
AB389-AA10,9,2018
e. Participate with a public utility or out-of-state utility in any marketing
19activity in this state, including advertising, sales calls, proposals to existing or
20potential customers or trade shows, conferences or similar events.
AB389-AA10,9,2321
2. A public utility may not provide an affiliated interest with advertising or
22promotional space on any form of communication, including a bill envelope, to a
23customer or potential customer of the public utility.
AB389-AA10,10,3
1(d)
Nondiscrimination. 1. A public utility may not treat its customers who are
2also customers of an affiliated interest any differently than the public utility treats
3its customers who are not also customers of an affiliated interest.
AB389-AA10,10,74
2. An affiliated interest may not treat its customers in this state who are also
5customers of a public utility or out-of-state utility with which the affiliated interest
6is affiliated any differently than the affiliated interest treats its customers who are
7not customers of the public utility or out-of-state utility.
AB389-AA10,10,118
(e)
Providing certain information to customers. Except as directed by the
9commission, a public utility may not provide its customers with any information
10about persons who provide heating, ventilating, air conditioning, plumbing or
11electrical services or who sell, lease or repair appliances.
AB389-AA10,10,1612
(f)
Applicability. 1. In this paragraph, "plan approval date" means the date on
13which the commission approves or modifies a plan submitted by a public utility
14under subd. 2., except that if the commission fails to approve or modify a plan within
15the deadline specified under subd. 2., "plan approval date" means the first day of the
166th month beginning after the date on which the plan is received by the commission.
AB389-AA10,10,2217
2. No later than the first day of the 6th month beginning after the effective date
18of this subdivision .... [revisor inserts date], a public utility may submit a plan to the
19commission that describes the actions necessary for the public utility and its
20affiliated interests to comply with pars. (a) to (e). No later than the first day of the
216th month beginning after the date on which a plan under this subdivision is received
22by the commission, the commission shall approve or modify the plan.
AB389-AA10,11,323
3. Paragraphs (a) to (e) first apply to a public utility on the first day of the 6th
24month beginning after the effective date of this subdivision .... [revisor inserts date],
25except that if a public utility submits a plan to the commission under subd. 2., pars.
1(a) to (e) first apply to the public utility on the first day of the 6th month beginning
2after the plan approval date. Paragraphs (a) to (e) first apply to an affiliated interest
3of a public utility on the date on which pars. (a) to (e) first apply to the public utility.
AB389-AA10,11,8
4(7) Private cause of action and forfeiture. A public utility or affiliated
5interest that violates this section is liable to any person injured by the violation for
63 times the amount of damages incurred as a result of the violation, together with
7costs and, notwithstanding s. 814.04 (1), reasonable attorney fees, and shall forfeit
8$2,000 for each violation. Each day of violation is a separate violation.".
AB389-AA10,11,11
10"
Section 68b. 196.52 (3) (a) of the statutes, as affected by 1999 Wisconsin Act
11.... (this act), is renumbered 196.52 (3) (a) (intro.) and amended to read:
AB389-AA10,11,1212
196.52
(3) (a) (intro.) In this subsection
, "contract:
AB389-AA10,11,22
131. "Contract or arrangement" means a contract or arrangement providing for
14the furnishing of management, supervisory, construction, engineering, accounting,
15legal, financial, research, development or similar services and any contract or
16arrangement for the purchase, sale, lease or exchange of any property, right, or thing,
17or for the furnishing of any service, property, right, or thing, other than management,
18supervisory, construction, engineering, accounting, legal, financial or similar
19services, but "contract or arrangement" does not include a contract or arrangement
20under which a transmission utility, as defined in s. 196.485 (1) (i), sells or transfers
21securities, as defined in s. 196.485 (1) (fe), that have been issued by a transmission
22company, as defined in s. 196.485 (1) (ge).
AB389-AA10,12,7
23(am) Except as provided under par. (b), unless and until the commission gives
24its written approval, any contract or arrangement is not valid or effective if the
1contract or arrangement is made between a public utility and an affiliated interest
2after June 7, 1931. Every public utility shall file with the commission a verified copy
3of any contract or arrangement, a verified summary of any unwritten contract or
4arrangement, and any contract or arrangement, written or unwritten, which was in
5effect on June 7, 1931. The commission
shall may approve a contract or arrangement
6made or entered into after June 7, 1931, only if
it shall clearly appear and be
7established upon all of the following conditions are met:
AB389-AA10,12,21
82. After investigation
, the commission determines that
it the contract or
9arrangement is reasonable and consistent with the public interest
and does not
10result in a violation of s. 196.035 (6) or 196.795 (5) (f). The commission may not
11approve any contract or arrangement unless satisfactory proof is submitted to the
12commission of the cost to the affiliated interest of rendering the services or of
13furnishing the property or service to each public utility or of the cost to the public
14utility of rendering the services or of furnishing the property or service to each
15affiliated interest. No proof is satisfactory under this
paragraph subdivision unless
16it includes the original
(or verified copies
) of the relevant cost records and other
17relevant accounts of the affiliated interest, or an abstract of the records and accounts
18or a summary taken from the records and accounts if the commission deems the
19abstract or summary adequate. The accounts shall be properly identified and duly
20authenticated. The commission, where reasonable, may approve or disapprove a
21contract or arrangement without submission of the cost records or accounts.
AB389-AA10,12,2423
196.52
(3) (a) 2. "Exempt real property" has the meaning given in s. 196.795
24(1) (fm).
AB389-AA10,13,5
1196.52
(3) (am) 1. If the contract or arrangement involves an activity related
2to the sale, lease or service of appliances, as defined in s. 196.795 (1) (b), or the
3performance of plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilating, air conditioning or sheet
4metalworking contracting services, the activity or service is performed in or on
5exempt real property.
AB389-AA10,13,187
196.52
(3) (b) 1.
The Except for a contract or arrangement specified in par. (am)
81. that involves an activity or service that is performed on exempt real property, the 9requirement for written approval under par.
(a) shall
(am) does not apply to
any a 10contract or arrangement if the amount of consideration involved is not in excess of
11$25,000 or 5% of the equity of the public utility, whichever is smaller. The
12requirement under par.
(a) (am) also does not apply to a telecommunications utility
13contract or arrangement or to contracts or arrangements with joint local water
14authorities under s. 66.0735. Regularly recurring payments under a general or
15continuing arrangement which aggregate a greater annual amount may not be
16broken down into a series of transactions to come within the exemption under this
17paragraph. Any transaction exempted under this paragraph shall be valid or
18effective without commission approval under this section.
AB389-AA10,13,2120
196.52
(3) (c) 1. May not waive the requirement of the submission of cost
21records or accounts under par.
(a) (am);
AB389-AA10,13,2523
196.52
(3) (c) 2. Shall review the accounts of the affiliated interest as they relate
24to the contract or arrangement prior to the commission approving or disapproving
25the contract or arrangement under par.
(a) (am); and
AB389-AA10,14,112
196.52
(3) (d) On the effective date of this paragraph .... [revisor inserts date],
3each public utility and affiliated interest that, before the effective date of this
4paragraph .... [revisor inserts date], have entered into a contract or arrangement that
5involves an activity related to the sale, lease or service of appliances, or that involves
6the performance of plumbing, electrical, heating, ventilating, air conditioning or
7sheet metalworking contracting services, shall terminate the contract or
8arrangement if the activity or service is not performed in or on exempt real property.
9In this paragraph, "public utility" does not include a public utility that is, or is owned
10or wholly operated by, a municipal electric company, as defined in s. 66.073 (3) (d),
11or a city, village or town.
AB389-AA10,14,1913
196.52
(4) (a) In any proceeding, whether upon the commission's own motion
14or upon application or complaint, involving the rates or practices of any public utility,
15the commission may exclude from the accounts of the public utility any payment or
16compensation to or from an affiliated interest for any services rendered or property
17or service furnished under an existing contract or arrangement with an affiliated
18interest under sub. (3)
(a) unless the public utility establishes the reasonableness of
19the payment or compensation (am).
AB389-AA10,15,621
196.52
(6) If the commission finds upon investigation that a public utility, other
22than a telecommunications utility, is giving effect to a contract or arrangement
23without the commission's approval under this section, the commission shall issue a
24summary order directing that public utility to cease and desist from making any
25payments, receiving compensation, providing any service or otherwise giving any
1effect to the contract or arrangement until the contract or arrangement receives the
2approval of the commission. The circuit court of Dane county may enforce the order
3to cease and desist by appropriate process, including the issuance of a preliminary
4injunction, upon the suit of the commission
and may require a public utility to forfeit
5$2,000 for each day that the public utility has given effect to a contract or
6arrangement without the commission's approval.
AB389-AA10,15,118
196.52
(7m) A public utility who violates sub. (3) (am) is liable to any person
9injured as a result of the violation for 3 times the amount of damages incurred as a
10result of the violation, together with costs and, notwithstanding s. 814.04 (1),
11reasonable attorney fees.