1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to the Public Utilities Commission; providing for legislative appointments 
1.3 	to the Public Utilities Commission;amending Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 
1.4 	216A.03, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 216A.03, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subdivision 1.Members. (a) The Public Utilities Commission shall consist consists of 
1.8 	five members. The terms of members shall be six years and until their successors have been 
1.9 	appointed and qualified. Each commissioner shall be appointed by the governor by and with 
1.10 	the advice and consent of the senate. Not more than three commissioners shall belong to 
1.11 	the same political party. At least one commissioner must have been domiciled at the time 
1.12 	of appointment outside the seven-county metropolitan area. If the membership of the 
1.13 	commission after July 31, 1986, does not consist of at least one member domiciled at the 
1.14 	time of appointment outside the seven-county metropolitan area, the membership shall 
1.15 	conform to this requirement following normal attrition of the present commissioners. The 
1.16 	governor When selecting commissioners, the appointing authorities under paragraph (c)
1.17 	shall give consideration to persons learned in the law or persons who have engaged in the 
1.18 	profession of engineering, public accounting, property and utility valuation, finance, physical 
1.19 	or natural sciences, production agriculture, or natural resources as well as being representative 
1.20 	of the general public.
1.21 	(b) For purposes of this subdivision, "seven-county metropolitan area" means Anoka, 
1.22 	Carver, Dakota, Hennepin, Ramsey, Scott, and Washington Counties.
1.23 	(c) The legislature and the governor shall appoint members of the commission as follows:
2.1 	(1) the speaker of the house shall appoint one member;
2.2 	(2) the leader of the majority caucus in the senate shall appoint one member;
2.3 	(3) the leader of the minority caucus in the house of representatives shall appoint one 
2.4 	member;
2.5 	(4) the leader of the minority caucus in the senate shall appoint one member; and
2.6 	(5) the governor shall appoint one member.

2.7 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.

2.8 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2016, section 216A.03, is amended by adding a subdivision to 
2.9 	read:
2.10 		Subd. 1b.Transition. (a) This subdivision governs the membership of the commission 
2.11 	between July 1, 2017, and July 1, 2019.
2.12 	(b) On or before July 1, 2017, the leaders of the senate majority and minority caucuses 
2.13 	shall each appoint one commissioner to serve a term ending July 1, 2023, to replace 
2.14 	commissioners whose terms expire in 2022 and 2023.
2.15 	(c) On or before February 1, 2019, the governor shall appoint a commissioner to serve 
2.16 	a term ending July 1, 2025, to replace a commissioner whose term ends in 2021.
2.17 	(d) On or before July 1, 2019, the leaders of the house of representatives majority and 
2.18 	minority caucuses shall each appoint one commissioner to serve a term ending July 1, 2025, 
2.19 	to replace commissioners whose terms expire in 2019 and 2020.

2.20 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.