This bill amends the 1939 Public Act 3, which regulates public and private utilities in Michigan, by introducing new provisions aimed at enhancing employee protections during transitions in electric utility ownership. It mandates that electric utilities establish an industry worker transition program that includes skills upgrades, training programs, and job placement assistance for employees affected by ownership changes. The bill also requires that any acquiring entity must hire a sufficient number of nonsupervisory employees from the existing workforce and maintain their wage rates and benefits for at least 30 months post-transfer, unless mutually agreed otherwise.

Additionally, the bill outlines the responsibilities of the Michigan Public Service Commission in setting service quality and reliability standards for electric utilities. It emphasizes the need for annual reporting on compliance with these standards and allows the commission to impose financial penalties on utilities that fail to meet them. The bill also includes provisions for the commission to create benchmarks for utilities to improve power quality and efficiency, ensuring that customer interests are prioritized in the regulatory process.

Statutes affected:
House Introduced Bill: 460.10