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WHEREAS, telecommunications services and energy services and sources are vital to the economic vitality and well-being of the state of Missouri; and
WHEREAS, there is a nationwide trend toward deregulation of telecommunications services and energy services and sources which will likely create competitive markets and make available new services and customer choices; and
WHEREAS, the state and political subdivisions have imposed taxes, fees and other assessments on various telecommunications and energy services, and such taxes vary widely based upon locality and, within a locality, such taxes may vary widely between increasingly related and competitive services, such as telephone and cable television; and
WHEREAS, there is currently a nationwide trend toward competition in the production, distribution and sale of energy, including electricity and other energy sources, and this trend has both potential benefits and potential adverse effects on energy producers, distributors, retailers, customers and the citizens of this state; and
WHEREAS, ensuring adequate and affordable telecommunications services and energy services and sources will necessitate a fair and equitable structure of taxes across different telecommunications and energy services and across different regions of the state; and
WHEREAS, the issue of whether governmental entities should expend public resources to compete with private telecommunications and energy entities should be explored;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Eighty-ninth General Assembly, the Senate concurring therein, that a joint legislative study committee of the General Assembly be created to be composed of seven members of the Senate, to be appointed by the President Pro Tem of the Senate, and seven members of the House of Representatives, to be appointed by the Speaker of the House, and that said committee be authorized to function during the interim between the first and second regular sessions of the Eighty-ninth General Assembly; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that said committee conduct an in-depth study and make appropriate recommendations concerning financial, legal, social, taxation, environmental, technological and economic issues of telecommunications and energy services taxation, competition between governmental entities and private telecommunication entities, the need to maintain and sufficiently fund emergency telephone services ("911") in light of the increased use of cellular phones and any other issues the committee deems relevant; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that said committee conduct an in-depth study and make appropriate recommendations concerning financial, legal, social, taxation, environmental, technological and economic issues of deregulation and increasing competition in energy production, distribution and sale including consideration of the effects on residential customers, small business customers, large business customers, utility shareholders and other stakeholders and any other issues the committee deems relevant; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee prepare a report, together with its recommendations for any legislative action it deems necessary for submission to the General Assembly prior to the commencement of the Second Regular Session of the Eighty-ninth General Assembly; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the committee may solicit any input and information necessary to fulfill its obligations from the Missouri Public Service Commission, the Department of Economic Development, the Division of Energy within the Department of Natural Resources, the Office of Public Counsel, political subdivisions of this state, telecommunications and energy service providers, energy utilities and representatives of all telecommunications and energy customer groups; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee on Legislative Research, Senate Research and House Research shall provide such legal, research, clerical, technical and bill drafting services as the committee may require in the performance of its duties; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the actual and necessary expenses of the committee, its members and any staff personnel assigned to the committee incurred in attending meetings of the committee or any subcommittee thereof shall be paid from the Joint Contingent Fund.