SB 379 - Currently, the Public Service Commission is required to have an independent technical advisory staff. This act states that the Commission may retain, rather than shall have, such technical advisory staff. The act allows, rather than requires, each commissioner of the Public Service Commission to retain one personal advisor, who shall no longer be deemed a member of the technical advisory staff.
The Commission shall only establish technical advisory staff and personal advisor positions when there is an elimination of a comparable staff position such that the hiring is done on a cost-neutral basis.
The act also specifies that communications with technical advisory staff and personal advisors regarding deliberations by the Public Service Commission or matters that arise during the course of Commission proceedings are protected from disclosure. Any technical advisory staff member or personal advisor who previously worked for an entity regulated by or appearing before the Commission may not advise the Commission on cases in which the technical advisory staff member or personal advisor participated while employed by the entity.
Additionally, personal advisors shall never be a party to any cases before the Commission.
This act is identical to provisions in the truly agreed SCS/HB 355 (2019) and similar to HCS/HB 481 (2019).
JAMIE ANDREWS