Committee backs bill to expand RUCO intervention standard after testimony on capacity limits

Representative (sponsor) introduced House Bill 21‑13, which would instruct the director of the Residential Utility Consumer Office (RUCO) to intervene in public service corporation rate cases if the proposed rate increase to residential customers is 100% or more.

Cynthia Zwick, director of RUCO, said the office has nine staff and a $1.9 million budget and currently focuses on large companies that affect residential customers statewide. “We have 9 staff people, myself, a deputy director, 2 lawyers, 4 analysts, and an office administrator, and our budget's $1,900,000,” Zwick said, and warned that RUCO lacks the capacity to take every small, high‑percentage case without additional resources. She also said the bill may create unintended consequences, including a potential conflict with ARS section 44‑64A2 related to cooperatives, and that involving RUCO in many small cases could raise costs for customers by triggering full hearings.

Committee members repeatedly raised concerns about rural representation and asked whether RUCO could be given additional funding or FTEs to expand coverage. The sponsor and several members pressed for continued conversations about prioritization and resource needs; one member asked RUCO to consider refocusing to take more rural cases.

After discussion the committee moved and returned HB 21‑13 with a due‑pass recommendation; members asked staff and the sponsor to continue dialogue about resource needs and rural representation.