Committee introduces RS 31781 to remove outdated PUC code language

The State Affairs Committee voted to introduce RS 31781, part of the Red Tape Reduction Act, during a brief meeting; the motion to introduce the measure passed by voice vote.

The bill sponsor, Representative Joe Palmer, said the proposal ‘‘is part of the Red Tape Reduction Act’’ and that RS 31781 ‘‘takes out quite a few sections of code, for instance, dealing with aircraft.’’ Palmer said those topics ‘‘are all dealt with through the federal government’’ and that the measure is intended to remove provisions the sponsor considers outside the Public Utilities Commission’s authority.

The measure advanced to print after members voiced support for cutting unnecessary code but also raised concerns about removing ‘‘common carrier’’ references in two code provisions. Representative Achilles said he was ‘‘100% agreed with removing unnecessary code and cutting red tape, but I am concerned that we're reducing rather than modernizing the role of the PUC,’’ and specifically asked for an explanation of edits that remove the term ‘‘common carrier’’ from sections cited as 61,305 and 61,314.

Palmer acknowledged the committee did not have a PUC representative available at the meeting to answer technical questions and told members, ‘‘I don't have the answers to all those technical questions that you might. I'll take a shot if you'd like, but you'd get better information if we waited.’’ The committee chair asked for questions and then called the motion to introduce; members approved the introduction by voice vote. Earlier in the meeting the committee approved the minutes from the Jan. 8 session by voice vote.

The bill will return to a future committee meeting for further consideration; members indicated they expect technical representatives from the Public Utilities Commission to be available when the measure is scheduled for substantive review.