<div class="xtend">
         <div class="xtend_ce"><a id="pl.1.1"></a><var>1.1</var>A bill for an act<br />
            		
         </div><a id="pl.1.2"></a><var>1.2</var>relating to public utilities; requiring disclosure of public utility's travel, <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.3"></a><var>1.3</var>entertainment, and related expenses included in rate change request;amending <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.4"></a><var>1.4</var>Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 216B.16, by adding a subdivision.<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.5"></a><var>1.5</var>BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:<br />
         		<br />
         		<a id="bill.0.1.0"></a><a id="pl.1.6"></a><var>1.6</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 216B.16, is amended by adding a <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.7"></a><var>1.7</var>subdivision to read:<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.8"></a><var>1.8</var>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Subd. 17. <b>Travel, entertainment, and related employee expenses.</b> (a) The <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.9"></a><var>1.9</var>commission may not allow as operating expenses a public utility's travel, entertainment, <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.10"></a><var>1.10</var>and related employee expenses that the commission deems unreasonable and unnecessary <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.11"></a><var>1.11</var>for the provision of utility service. In order to assist the commission in evaluating the <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.12"></a><var>1.12</var>travel, entertainment, and related employee expenses that may be allowed for ratemaking <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.13"></a><var>1.13</var>purposes, a public utility filing a general rate case petition shall include a schedule <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.14"></a><var>1.14</var>separately itemizing all travel, entertainment, and related employee expenses as specified <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.15"></a><var>1.15</var>by the commission, including but not limited to the following categories:<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.16"></a><var>1.16</var>(1) travel and lodging expenses;<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.17"></a><var>1.17</var>(2) food and beverage expenses;<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.18"></a><var>1.18</var>(3) recreational and entertainment expenses;<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.19"></a><var>1.19</var>(4) board of director-related expenses, including and separately itemizing all <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.20"></a><var>1.20</var>compensation and expense reimbursements;<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.21"></a><var>1.21</var>(5) expenses for the ten highest paid officers and employees, including and <br />
         		<a id="pl.1.22"></a><var>1.22</var>separately itemizing all compensation and expense reimbursements;<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.23"></a><var>1.23</var>(6) dues and expenses for memberships in organizations or clubs;<br />
         		<a id="pl.1.24"></a><var>1.24</var>(7) gift expenses;<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.1"></a><var>2.1</var>(8) expenses related to owned, leased, or chartered aircraft; and<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.2"></a><var>2.2</var>(9) lobbying expenses.<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.3"></a><var>2.3</var>(b) To comply with the requirements of paragraph (a), each applicable expense <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.4"></a><var>2.4</var>incurred in the two most recent fiscal years must be itemized separately, and each <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.5"></a><var>2.5</var>itemization must include the date of the expense, the amount of the expense, the vendor <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.6"></a><var>2.6</var>name, and the business purpose of the expense. The petitioning utility shall also provide <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.7"></a><var>2.7</var>a one-page summary of the total amounts for each expense category included in the <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.8"></a><var>2.8</var>petitioning utility's proposed test year.<br />
         		<a id="pl.2.9"></a><var>2.9</var>(c) All travel, entertainment, and related employee expenses provided by a public <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.10"></a><var>2.10</var>utility for ratemaking purposes as set forth in paragraphs (a) and (b) are to be construed as <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.11"></a><var>2.11</var>public data that does not meet the definition of nonpublic data or trade secret information <br />
         		<a id="pl.2.12"></a><var>2.12</var>under section 13.37, nor is it privileged data under rules of privilege recognized by law.<br />
         		
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