Senate Bill No. 1004

(By Senator Craigo)

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[Introduced April 23, 2001]


A BILL to amend and reenact section three, article one, chapter twenty-four of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended; and to further amend said article by adding thereto a new section, designated section ten, all relating to continuing the public service commission.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That Section three, article one, chapter twenty-four of the code of West Virginia, one thousand nine hundred thirty-one, as amended, be amended and reenacted; and that said article be further amended by adding thereto a new section, designated section ten, all to read as follows:
CHAPTER 24. PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.

ARTICLE 1. GENERAL PROVISIONS.
§24-1-3. Commission continued; membership; chairman; compensation.
(a) The public service commission of West Virginia is continued and directed as provided by this chapter, chapter twenty- four-a, chapter twenty-four-b and chapter twenty-four-d of this code. After having conducted a performance audit through its joint committee on government operations, pursuant to section nine, article ten, chapter four of this code, the Legislature hereby finds and declares that the public service commission should be continued and reestablished. Accordingly, notwithstanding the provisions of section five, article ten, chapter four of this code, the public service commission shall continue to exist until the first day of July, two thousand three. The public service commission may sue and be sued by that name. The public service commission shall consist of three members who shall be appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. The commissioners shall be citizens and residents of this state and at least one of them shall be duly licensed to practice law in West Virginia, with not less than ten years' actual work experience in the legal profession as a member of a state bar. No more than two of the commissioners shall be members of the same political party. Each commissioner shall, before entering upon the duties of his or her office, take and subscribe to the oath provided by section five, article IV of the constitution of this state. The oath shall be filed in the office of the secretary of state. The governor shall designate one of the commissioners to serve as chairman at the governor's will and pleasure. The chairman shall be the chief administrative officer of the commission. The governor may remove any commissioner only for incompetency, neglect of duty, gross immorality, malfeasance in office or violation of subsection (c) of this section.
(b) The unexpired terms of members of the public service commission at the time this subsection becomes effective are continued. Upon expiration of the terms, appointments are for terms of six years, except that an appointment to fill a vacancy is for the unexpired term only. The commissioners whose terms are terminated by the provisions of this subsection are eligible for reappointment.
(c) No person while in the employ of, or holding any official relation to, any public utility subject to the provisions of this chapter, or holding any stocks or bonds of a public utility subject to the provisions of this chapter, or who is pecuniarily interested in a public utility subject to the provisions of this chapter, may serve as a member of the commission or as an employee of the commission. Nor may any commissioner be a candidate for or hold public office, or be a member of any political committee, while acting as a commissioner; nor may any commissioner or employee of the commission receive any pass, free transportation or other thing of value, either directly or indirectly, from any public utility or motor carrier subject to the provisions of this chapter. In case any of the commissioners becomes a candidate for any public office or a member of any political committee, the governor shall remove him or her from office and shall appoint a new commissioner to fill the vacancy created.
(d) The salaries of members of the public service commission and the manner in which they are paid established by the prior enactment of this section are continued. Effective the first day of July, two thousand one the annual salary of each commissioner provided in section two-a, article seven, chapter six of this code shall be paid in monthly installments from the special funds in the percentages that follow:
(1) From the public service commission fund collected under the provisions of section six, article three of this chapter, eighty percent;
 (2) From the public service commission motor carrier fund collected under the provisions of section six, article six, chapter twenty-four-a of this code, seventeen percent; and
 (3) From the public service commission gas pipeline safety fund collected under the provisions of section three, article five, chapter twenty-four-b of this code, three percent.
In addition to the salary provided for all commissioners in section two-a, article seven, chapter six of this code, the chairman of the commission shall receive five thousand dollars per annum to be paid in monthly installments from the public service commission fund collected under the provisions of section six, article three of this chapter.
§24-1-10. Termination of commission.
The public service commission shall terminate on the first day of July, two thousand three, pursuant to the provisions of article ten, chapter four of this code unless sooner terminated, continued or reestablished pursuant to the provisions of that article.