AB686: Bill Text

LRB-1255/1

MDK:jld:rs

2007 - 2008 LEGISLATURE

2007 Assembly BILL 686

January 11, 2008 - Introduced by Representatives Suder, Roth, Ballweg, A. Ott, Schneider, Vos, Kerkman, Pridemore, Musser, Albers, Hahn, Petrowski and Nerison, cosponsored by Senators Roessler and Olsen. Referred to Committee on Energy and Utilities.

AB686,1,4 An Act to amend 196.643 (title); and to create 196.643 (3) of the statutes; relating to: requiring notice for disconnection of public utility service to rental dwellings, providing an exemption from emergency rule procedures, and granting rule-making authority.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill requires a public utility to give written notice to the owner of a rental dwelling unit before the public utility disconnects service that it provides to the rental dwelling unit. The bill also requires the Public Service Commission to promulgate rules establishing requirements and procedures for giving the notice.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

AB686, s. 1 Section 1. 196.643 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB686,1,7 196.643 (title) Owner responsibility for service Service to rental dwelling unit.

AB686, s. 2 Section 2. 196.643 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

AB686,2,4 196.643 (3) Disconnection notices. Before disconnecting service to a rental dwelling unit, a public utility shall give written notice of the disconnection to the owner of the rental dwelling unit. The commission shall promulgate rules establishing requirements and procedures for giving the notice.

AB686, s. 3 Section 3. Nonstatutory provisions.

AB686,2,9 (1) The public service commission shall submit in proposed form the rules required under section 196.643 (3) of the statutes, as created by this act, to the legislative council staff under section 227.15 (1) of the statutes no later than the first day of the 7th month beginning after the effective date of this subsection.

AB686,2,18 (2) Using the procedure under section 227.24 of the statutes, the public service commission may promulgate rules required under section 196.643 (3) of the statutes, as created by this act, for the period before the effective date of the rules submitted under subsection (1), but not to exceed the period authorized under section 227.24 (1) (c) and (2) of the statutes. Notwithstanding section 227.24 (1) (a), (2) (b), and (3) of the statutes, the public service commission is not required to provide evidence that promulgating a rule under this subsection as an emergency rule is necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health, safety, or welfare and is not required to provide a finding of emergency for a rule promulgated under this subsection.

AB686, s. 4 Section 4. Effective date.

AB686,2,21 (1) This act takes effect on the first day of the 10th month beginning after publication.

AB686,2,22 (End)