1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to agriculture; requiring Public Utilities Commission to submit to the 
1.3 	legislature proposed legislation establishing protocol for investigating complaints 
1.4 	of stray voltage on dairy and livestock operations; creating a task force.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. STRAY VOLTAGE; TASK FORCE; PROPOSED LEGISLATION.
 1.7 		Subdivision 1.Task force. By July 1, 2011, the Minnesota Public Utilities 
1.8 	Commission shall appoint, unless otherwise specified below, and convene members of a 
1.9 	Stray Voltage Advisory Task Force to make recommendations to the commission with 
1.10 	respect to the rulemaking authorized in subdivision 2. The task force members must 
1.11 	include representatives from:
1.12 	(1) the Minnesota Milk Producers Association;
1.13 	(2) the Minnesota Livestock Breeders Association;
1.14 	(3) the Minnesota Rural Electric Cooperative Association;
1.15 	(4) an investor-owned utility providing electric service to a significant number of 
1.16 	dairy farms or livestock operations;
1.17 	(5) the Minnesota Department of Agriculture;
1.18 	(6) the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission;
1.19 	(7) the Minnesota Office of Energy Security;
1.20 	(8) the University of Minnesota extension service;
1.21 	(9) the Minnesota Farmers Union;
1.22 	(10) an electrical engineer who has served as a consultant on stray-voltage issues;
1.23 	(11) two farmers who have filed complaints with the commission on stray-voltage 
1.24 	issues;
2.1 	(12) two members of the house of representatives, appointed by the speaker; and
2.2 	(13) two members of the senate appointed by the president of the senate.
2.3 	The commission shall provide technical and administrative staff to the task force.
2.4 		Subd. 2.Proposed legislation. By March 1, 2012, the commission shall submit 
2.5 	to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with primary 
2.6 	responsibility for energy policy and agricultural policy proposed legislation governing 
2.7 	procedures a utility must undertake to investigate and remediate complaints from 
2.8 	customers receiving electric service who suspect that stray voltage may be adversely 
2.9 	affecting their dairy or livestock operations.  The proposed legislation must address, at a 
2.10 	minimum, the following:
2.11 	(1) creation of a uniform stray voltage complaint form that all utilities must use;
2.12 	(2) creation of a comprehensive definition of "stray voltage" that addresses customer 
2.13 	concerns;
2.14 	(3) a protocol for on-site investigation by a utility of a stray voltage complaint, 
2.15 	including:
2.16 	(i) investigating wiring that is a potential source of stray voltage; 
2.17 	(ii) testing and measuring requirements, and the conditions under which testing 
2.18 	must be conducted; and
2.19 	(iii) specifying the timing of testing procedures, both in terms of length and in 
2.20 	relation to peak daily demand of the customer and the utility; and
2.21 	(4) remediation of conditions causing stray voltage and who will pay for the 
2.22 	remediation.

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