General Assembly Raised Bill No. 1193 proposes significant amendments to the governance and operational structure of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) within the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. The bill reduces the number of commissioners from five to three, with each commissioner required to be an elector of the state and appointed by the Governor with the General Assembly's advice and consent. It also stipulates that no more than two commissioners can belong to the same political party and establishes a four-year term for new appointees starting after May 1, 2020. The selection process for the chairperson and vice-chairperson will now occur biennially, and matters before the authority will be assigned to a single commissioner rather than a panel.

Additionally, the bill introduces new provisions to enhance the authority's operational integrity, including prohibiting commissioners and certain employees from disclosing confidential information for personal gain and restricting their employment with lobbying entities for one year post-tenure. It allows for private communication among commissioners assigned to specific matters without being classified as a meeting and mandates that the authority's decisions align with established energy strategies. The bill also updates operational hours and record-keeping practices, ensuring proper documentation of communications and official acts. The effective date for these changes is set for October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Raised Bill: 16-2, 16-6