1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to public utilities; requiring disclosure of public utility's travel, 
1.3 	entertainment, and related expenses included in rate change request;amending 
1.4 	Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 216B.16, by adding a subdivision.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 216B.16, is amended by adding a 
1.7 	subdivision to read:
1.8 		Subd. 17.Travel, entertainment, and related employee expenses. (a) The 
1.9 	commission may not allow as operating expenses a public utility's travel, entertainment, 
1.10 	and related employee expenses that the commission deems unreasonable and unnecessary 
1.11 	for the provision of utility service. In order to assist the commission in evaluating the 
1.12 	travel, entertainment, and related employee expenses that may be allowed for ratemaking 
1.13 	purposes, a public utility filing a general rate case petition shall include a schedule 
1.14 	separately itemizing all travel, entertainment, and related employee expenses as specified 
1.15 	by the commission, including but not limited to the following categories:
1.16 	(1) travel and lodging expenses;
1.17 	(2) food and beverage expenses;
1.18 	(3) recreational and entertainment expenses;
1.19 	(4) board of director-related expenses, including and separately itemizing all 
1.20 	compensation and expense reimbursements;
1.21 	(5) expenses for the ten highest paid officers and employees, including and 
1.22 	separately itemizing all compensation and expense reimbursements;
1.23 	(6) dues and expenses for memberships in organizations or clubs;
1.24 	(7) gift expenses;
2.1 	(8) expenses related to owned, leased, or chartered aircraft; and
2.2 	(9) lobbying expenses.
2.3 	(b) To comply with the requirements of paragraph (a), each applicable expense 
2.4 	incurred in the two most recent fiscal years must be itemized separately, and each 
2.5 	itemization must include the date of the expense, the amount of the expense, the vendor 
2.6 	name, and the business purpose of the expense. The separate itemization required by this 
2.7 	paragraph may be provided using standard accounting reports already utilized by the utility 
2.8 	involved in the rate case, in a written format or an electronic format that is acceptable to 
2.9 	the commission. The petitioning utility shall also provide a one-page summary of the total 
2.10 	amounts for each expense category included in the petitioning utility's proposed test year.
2.11 	(c) All travel, entertainment, and related employee expenses provided by a public 
2.12 	utility for ratemaking purposes as set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) are to be construed as 
2.13 	public data that does not meet the definition of nonpublic data or trade secret information 
2.14 	under section 13.37, nor is it privileged data under rules of privilege recognized by law.