The 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, 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 Public Service Commission (PSC) in setting service quality and reliability standards for electric utilities. It includes specific requirements for billing services, such as prohibiting excessive fees for credit card payments and ensuring at least one cost-free payment method for residential customers. The PSC is tasked with analyzing utility performance against these standards and may impose financial penalties on utilities that fail to comply. Overall, the bill aims to protect workers during transitions and improve service quality for consumers.

Statutes affected:
Senate Introduced Bill: 460.10