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Committee advances bill limiting contractor markups, allowing optional developer-installed streetlights and capping review fees
Summary
House Bill 2381, as amended in committee, includes provisions preventing utilities from imposing markup on proprietary equipment sold to contractors, allows private entities to install streetlights without a utility/municipality requirement, and establishes a 10% cap on design review and inspection fees; the committee withdrew two amendments and advanced the bill 21-1.
Chairman Vaughn presented House Bill 2381 and explained the bill's core changes. He said the bill would prevent utilities from requiring contractors to buy proprietary equipment at a markup, allow private contractors or developers to install streetlights (while preserving that utilities or municipalities cannot require such purchases), and impose "a 10% cap on design review and inspection fees."
Leader Clemens asked how the cost cap would handle instances of labor or storage fees; Chairman Vaughn said the likely implementation would involve ordering through the utility or drop-shipping to the contractor, and that reasonable stocking fees could be ascertained later. After stakeholder consultation and the sponsor's decision to withdraw Amendments 2 and 3, the clerk recorded 21 ayes and 1 nay and the bill advanced to finance.
