AB150-ASA, s. 5243 Section 5243. 196.36 (1m) of the statutes is created to read:

AB150-ASA,1590,16 196.36 (1m) Transcripts from tapes. The commission shall receive into evidence a transcribed copy of an audiotape or videotape of the evidence and proceedings, or any specific part of the evidence and proceedings, of any investigation or hearing that is recorded if the transcriber certifies that the copy is a true and correct transcription from the audiotape or videotape of all the testimony or of the testimony of a particular witness, or of any other specific part of the investigation or hearing and that the copy is a correct statement of the evidence presented and proceedings held in the investigation or hearing. The certified copy shall have the same effect as if the transcriber were present and testified to the correctness of the copy.

AB150-ASA, s. 5244 Section 5244. 196.36 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150-ASA,1590,23 196.36 (2) (title) Copies. A copy of a transcript under this section shall be furnished on demand free of cost to any party to the investigation or hearing from which the transcript is taken. Upon request, the commission shall furnish a copy of an audiotape or videotape to any party to the investigation or hearing from which the audiotape or videotape is taken. The commission may charge a reasonable price for the tape.

AB150-ASA, s. 5245 Section 5245. 196.491 (2) (g) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150-ASA,1591,22 196.491 (2) (g) Within 180 days after the plan is filed, the commission shall hold a hearing thereon. The hearing shall be held in an administrative district, established by executive order 22, issued August 24, 1970, which the commission determines will be significantly affected by facilities proposed in the plan to be constructed in the following 3 years. The commission may thereafter adjourn the hearing to other locations or may conduct the hearing by interactive video conference or other electronic method. Notice of such hearing shall be given by class 1 notice, under ch. 985, published in the official state newspaper and such other regional papers of general circulation as may be designated by the commission. At such hearing the commission shall briefly describe the plan and give all interested persons an opportunity, subject to reasonable limitations on the presentation of repetitious material, to express their views on any aspect of the plan. The presentation of such views need not be under oath nor subject to cross-examination. The commission shall advise all persons present of their right to express their views orally or in writing, under oath or otherwise, and of the legal effect of each such form of testimony. A written record of unsworn testimony shall be made and considered by the commission as comments on the plan under par. (e). Persons presenting such views shall not be parties. The utility, any state agency, county, municipality, town, or any person whose substantial rights may be adversely affected by the testing for or construction of facilities described in an advance plan, shall, upon filing written notice setting forth its interest at least 10 days in advance, be afforded all the rights of a party in a contested case.

AB150-ASA, s. 5245e Section 5245e. 196.85 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150-ASA,1592,13 196.85 (3) If any public utility, sewerage system or power district is billed under sub. (1) or (2) and fails to pay the bill within 30 days or fails to file objections to the bill with the commission, as provided in this subsection, the commission shall transmit to the state treasurer secretary of administration a certified copy of the bill, together with notice of failure to pay the bill, and on the same day the commission shall mail by registered mail to the public utility, sewerage system or power district a copy of the notice which it has transmitted to the state treasurer secretary of administration. Within 10 days after the receipt of notice and certified copy of the bill the state treasurer secretary of administration shall levy the amount stated on the bill to be due, with interest, by distress and sale of any property, including stocks, securities, bank accounts, evidences of debt, and accounts receivable belonging to the delinquent public utility, sewerage system or power district. The levy by distress and sale shall be governed by s. 74.10, 1985 stats., except that it shall be made by the state treasurer secretary of administration and that goods and chattels anywhere within the state may be levied upon.

AB150-ASA, s. 5245m Section 5245m. 196.85 (4) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150-ASA,1593,2 196.85 (4) (d) If any bill against which objections have been filed shall not be paid within ten days after notice of a finding that such objections have been overruled and disallowed by the commission has been mailed to the objector as herein provided, the commission shall give notice of such delinquency to the state treasurer secretary of administration and to the objector, in the manner provided in sub. (3). The state treasurer secretary of administration shall then proceed to collect the amount of said bill as provided in sub. (3). If an amended bill is not paid within ten days after a copy thereof is mailed to the objector by registered mail, the commission shall notify the state treasurer secretary of administration and the objector as in the case of delinquency in the payment of an original bill. The state treasurer secretary of administration shall then proceed to collect the amount of said bill as provided in the case of an original bill.

AB150-ASA, s. 5245s Section 5245s. 196.85 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150-ASA,1593,14 196.85 (5) No suit or proceeding may be maintained in any court to restrain or delay the collection or payment of any bill rendered under subs. (1) and (2). Every public utility, sewerage system or power district that is billed shall pay the amount of the bill, and after payment may in the manner provided under this section, at any time within 2 years from the date the payment was made, sue the state to recover the amount paid plus interest from the date of payment, upon the ground that the assessment was excessive, erroneous, unlawful or invalid in whole or in part. If the court finds that any part of the bill for which payment was made was excessive, erroneous, unlawful or invalid, the state treasurer secretary of administration shall make a refund to the claimant as directed by the court. The refund shall be charged to the appropriations to the commission.

AB150-ASA, s. 5246 Section 5246. 196.856 (1) and (2) of the statutes are amended to read:

AB150-ASA,1593,21 196.856 (1) The commission shall annually assess against the major utilities, as defined under s. 144.386 (1) (f), the total, not to exceed $400,000, of the amounts amount appropriated under ss. s. 20.370 (2) (cj) and 20.505 (1) (jm) for acid deposition studies, including the nitrogen oxide study under s. 144.389 (3), and evaluation and monitoring activities conducted by the department of natural resources and the department of administration.

AB150-ASA,1594,2 (2) The commission shall, with the cooperation of the department of natural resources and the department of administration, promulgate rules establishing a method for assessing each major utility an amount that is proportionate to its fraction of the total amount of sulfur dioxide emissions from major utilities in this state.

AB150-ASA, s. 5247 Section 5247. 196.857 (title) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB150-ASA,1594,4 196.857 (title) Assessment for stray Stray voltage program.

AB150-ASA, s. 5248 Section 5248. 196.857 (1) (intro.), (a) and (b) of the statutes are renumbered 196.857 (1m) (intro.), (a) and (b), and 196.857 (1m) (intro.) and (a), as renumbered, are amended to read:

AB150-ASA,1594,17 196.857 (1m) (title) Assessments. (intro.) The commission shall establish and administer a program to provide to farmers on-site technical assistance related to stray voltage. In cooperation with the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the commission shall investigate the causes of stray voltage on individual farms, recommend to farmers solutions to stray voltage problems and evaluate the effectiveness of on-site technical assistance. The commission shall assess annually all of the following amounts to public utilities which produce electricity and which have annual gross operating revenues related to electricity in excess of $100,000,000 in proportion to their respective electric gross operating revenues during the last calendar year, derived from intrastate operations:

AB150-ASA,1594,21 (a) The amount appropriated under s. 20.155 (1) (L), less any amount received under s. 20.155 (1) (Lb) and less any fees received under sub. (2k) and credited to the appropriation under s. 20.155 (1) (L). The amounts received under this paragraph shall be credited to the appropriation made in s. 20.155 (1) (L).

AB150-ASA, s. 5249 Section 5249. 196.857 (1) (c) of the statutes is repealed.

AB150-ASA, s. 5250 Section 5250. 196.857 (1g) of the statutes is created to read:

AB150-ASA,1595,3 196.857 (1g) Program elements. (a) The commission shall establish and administer a stray voltage program. The program shall focus on regulation, education, inspection and investigation relating to stray voltage.

AB150-ASA,1595,6 (b) The commission shall identify standardized test procedures check lists and equipment to be used by public utilities to investigate stray voltage. The commission may audit the results of investigations.

AB150-ASA,1595,8 (c) The commission shall conduct classroom and on-farm stray voltage training sessions for public utilities, cooperatives, electricians or other interested parties.

AB150-ASA,1595,13 (d) The commission shall conduct unannounced spot checks of on-farm stray voltage testing done by public utilities if the farmer gives permission for the check at the time the farm is visited. The commission may inspect the operation of public utility stray voltage programs to ensure that proper equipment and procedures are being used and to ensure that investigators are properly trained.

AB150-ASA,1595,17 (e) In cooperation with the department of agriculture, trade and consumer protection, the commission shall investigate the causes of stray voltage on individual farms, recommend to farmers solutions to stray voltage problems and evaluate the effectiveness of on-site technical assistance.

AB150-ASA, s. 5251 Section 5251. 196.857 (2) of the statutes is amended to read: