This bill aims to amend the Code of West Virginia by making the rules and regulations of the Public Service Commission subject to legislative rule-making review procedures. Specifically, it modifies section 24-1-7 by removing previous provisions that exempted the commission's rules from such review and establishes that all rules must be promulgated in accordance with the provisions of 29A-3-1 et seq. Additionally, it ensures that any rules and regulations previously established remain effective unless altered in accordance with the new provisions.

Furthermore, the bill introduces a new article, 24-9-1, which includes legislative findings regarding the impact of data centers on electricity rates for consumers, definitions of what constitutes a data center, and stipulates that all new technology services, including data centers, must propose rules following the legislative rule-making process. This oversight aims to enhance transparency and accountability in the agreements made between utilities and data center companies, particularly as major tech firms expand their operations in West Virginia.

Statutes affected:
Introduced Version: 24-1-7, 24-9-1