HF 492

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 02/02/2015 01:39pm

A bill for an act
relating to energy; modifying the assessment mechanism used by the Legislative
Energy Commission; requiring a yearly expense report; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2014, section 3.8851, subdivision 7.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 3.8851, subdivision 7, is amended to read:

Subd. 7.

Assessment; appropriation.

(a) Upon request by the cochairs of the
commission, the commissioner of commerce shall assess the amount requested for the
operation of the commission, not to exceed $250,000 in a fiscal year, from the following
sources:

(1) deleted text begin 50 deleted text end new text begin 33 new text end percent of the assessment must come from all public utilities, municipal
utilities, electric cooperative associations, generation and transmission cooperative electric
associations, and municipal power agencies providing electric or natural gas services
in Minnesota; deleted text begin and
deleted text end

(2) deleted text begin 50 deleted text end new text begin 33 new text end percent of the assessment must come from all bulk terminals located in this
state from which petroleum products and liquid petroleum gas are dispensed deleted text begin . deleted text end new text begin ; and
new text end

new text begin (3) 34 percent must come from companies that manufacture and sell eligible energy
technologies, as defined in section 216B.1691.
new text end

(b) The commissioner of commerce shall apportion the assessment amount requested
among the entities in paragraph (a), clause (1), in proportion to their respective gross
operating revenues from energy sold within the state during the most recent calendar year.

(c) The commissioner of commerce shall apportion the assessment amount requested
equally among the referenced entities in paragraph (a), deleted text begin clause deleted text end new text begin clauses new text end (2) new text begin and (3) new text end .

(d) The entities in paragraph (a), clause (1), must provide information to the
commissioner of commerce to allow for calculation of the assessment.

(e) The assessments under this subdivision are in addition to assessments made
under section 216B.62. The amount assessed under this section must be deposited in
the Legislative Energy Commission account in the special revenue fund. Funds in the
Legislative Energy Commission account are appropriated to the director of the Legislative
Coordinating Commission for the purposes of this section, and are available until
expended. Utilities selling gas and electric service at retail must be assessed and billed
in accordance with the procedures provided in section 216B.62, to the extent that these
procedures do not conflict with this subdivision.

new text begin (f) The commission shall provide a detailed report of its income and expenses in the
prior calendar year by January 1 of each year to the standing committees of the house of
representatives and the senate with jurisdiction over energy issues.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin The amendment made in section 1 to Minnesota Statutes
2014, section 3.8851, subdivision 7, by adding clause (3), is effective the day following
final enactment and applies to an eligible energy technology company formed on or after
that date.
new text end