HF 2798

1st Engrossment - 86th Legislature (2009 - 2010) Posted on 03/09/2010 12:42pm

A bill for an act
relating to public utilities; requiring disclosure of public utility's travel,
entertainment, and related expenses included in rate change request; amending
Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 216B.16, by adding a subdivision.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 216B.16, is amended by adding a
subdivision to read:

new text begin Subd. 17. new text end

new text begin Travel, entertainment, and related employee expenses. new text end

new text begin (a) The
commission may not allow as operating expenses a public utility's travel, entertainment,
and related employee expenses that the commission deems unreasonable and unnecessary
for the provision of utility service. In order to assist the commission in evaluating the
travel, entertainment, and related employee expenses that may be allowed for ratemaking
purposes, a public utility filing a general rate case petition shall include a schedule
separately itemizing all travel, entertainment, and related employee expenses as specified
by the commission, including but not limited to the following categories:
new text end

new text begin (1) travel and lodging expenses;
new text end

new text begin (2) food and beverage expenses;
new text end

new text begin (3) recreational and entertainment expenses;
new text end

new text begin (4) board of director-related expenses, including and separately itemizing all
compensation and expense reimbursements;
new text end

new text begin (5) expenses for the ten highest paid officers and employees, including and
separately itemizing all compensation and expense reimbursements;
new text end

new text begin (6) dues and expenses for memberships in organizations or clubs;
new text end

new text begin (7) gift expenses;
new text end

new text begin (8) expenses related to owned, leased, or chartered aircraft; and
new text end

new text begin (9) lobbying expenses.
new text end

new text begin (b) To comply with the requirements of paragraph (a), each applicable expense
incurred in the two most recent fiscal years must be itemized separately, and each
itemization must include the date of the expense, the amount of the expense, the vendor
name, and the business purpose of the expense. The petitioning utility shall also provide
a one-page summary of the total amounts for each expense category included in the
petitioning utility's proposed test year.
new text end

new text begin (c) All travel, entertainment, and related employee expenses provided by a public
utility for ratemaking purposes as set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) are to be construed as
public data that does not meet the definition of nonpublic data or trade secret information
under section 13.37, nor is it privileged data under rules of privilege recognized by law.
new text end