Senate committee adopts resolution to study West Virginia Public Service Commission and reports it to full Senate
Get AI-powered insights, summaries, and transcripts
Subscribe
Summary
The Senate Workforce Committee adopted an originating resolution directing the Joint Committee on Government Finance to study the effectiveness, transparency and organizational structure of the West Virginia Public Service Commission and reported the resolution to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass.
The Senate Workforce Committee on [date not specified in transcript] voted to adopt an originating resolution requesting that the Joint Committee on Government Finance study the effectiveness and efficiency of the West Virginia Public Service Commission.
Counsel summarized the scope of the study: "whether the commission adequately regulates public utilities that are under its jurisdiction in a manner serving the interests of West Virginia ratepayers," the effectiveness and timeliness of rate-review procedures, the transparency and consistency of deliberations, commission staffing and organizational structure, accountability of utilities, and "whether the members of the commission would be more accountable to the public and better able to carry out their duties if they were elected by the voters of the state instead of being appointed by the governor," among other statutory or administrative changes under consideration. (Counsel)
Committee members asked clarifying questions; the chair and counsel emphasized that the resolution is a study request and "doesn't have any direct impact" upon the commission or regulated utilities upon adoption. The senator from Upshur asked whether the committee could examine commissioner selection by district as an alternative to statewide appointment; counsel said the joint committee could consider such topics but any change to appointment or election processes would require separate legislation.
After debate and no amendments, the committee approved the resolution by voice vote and agreed to report it to the full Senate with a recommendation that it pass. The chair told members present that, unless they asked staff not to be listed, everyone in attendance would be added as a sponsor.
The committee's action is procedural: it sends the study resolution to the Joint Committee on Government Finance for examination; it does not itself change PSC law or regulation.
What happens next: the resolution will be transmitted to the full Senate and the Joint Committee on Government Finance for study and potential follow-up legislation.