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Legislators with BillsLegislators(170)
Referred Bills (219)
Carbon.
Surplus interconnection service.
Utility service enhancement improvement costs.
Electric utility affordability.
Nuclear facility permits.
Recognizing Solar Opportunities Indiana.
Land use and development.
Carbon sequestration.
Plug-in home solar units.
Competitive electric supply service.
Protection of underground facilities.
Carbon dioxide.
Energy utility matters.
Base rate cases for electricity suppliers.
Electricity rate increases due to data centers.
Community energy facilities.
Zoning overlay districts for solar projects.
Data center development.
Electric utility affordability; TDSIC plans.
Sales tax on utility service.
Utilities matters.
Utility disconnections and customer data reports.
Electric generation asset reports.
Election of IURC commissioners.
Various utility matters.
Energy generation resources.
Attachments to utility poles.
Energy production zones.
Small modular nuclear reactor pilot program.
Water matters.
Water and wastewater utility asset management.
Ground water emergencies.
Small modular nuclear reactor development costs.
Construction of data center by foreign adversary.
Natural gas and propane as a clean energy resources.
Water utilities.
IURC matters.
Advanced transmission technologies.
Urging regional transmission organizations, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the United States Department of Energy, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and the United States
Community solar facilities.
Carbon sequestration.
Carbon dioxide.
Purchase of coal fired generation facilities.
Utility disconnections and customer data reports.
Utility customer assistance programs.
Extension of water services.
Nonjurisdictional water utilities.
Utility transparency and reporting.
Ground water.
Natural gas and electric utility infrastructure.
Water management authority.
Data center development.
State administration of federal BEAD program.
IURC and office of energy development matters.
Live transmission and archiving of IURC meetings.
Underground facility protection.
Voting by small water and wastewater utilities.
Certificates of public convenience and necessity.
Water and wastewater utility infrastructure.
Lead water line replacement and lead remediation.
Major ground water withdrawal facilities.
Utility disconnections and customer data reports.
Extension of water service to schools.
Water resource management.
Natural gas and electric utility infrastructure.
Election of two IURC members.
Carbon sequestration.
Electric transmission facilities.
Assessment of wind power devices.
Allocation of wastewater utility costs.
Utility deferred costs and accounting practices.
Energy production and resources.
Electric utility service.
Utility infrastructure improvement charges.
Small modular nuclear reactors.
Solar panel and wind power equipment disposal study.
Receivership for past due utility bills.
Regional water, sewage, or solid waste districts.
Energy audit of state government campus.
Energy utilities.
Communications infrastructure in utility easement.
Residential utility customer protections.
Alternative energy property tax deductions.
Summer utility service assistance.
Connections to water and sewer systems.
Small modular nuclear reactors.
Underground pumped storage hydropower.
Indiana geological and water survey advisory council.
Electric vehicles and electricity pricing.
Commercial solar and wind energy.
Utility regulatory commission reporting and rules.
Financing of water and wastewater utility assets.
Regional water or sewer district service areas.
Wastewater infrastructure.
Agricultural land used for wind or solar energy.
Attachments to electric distribution poles.
Distributed energy generation.
Community solar facility program.
Net metering for electricity generation.
811 utility location program.
Mandatory utility base rate cases.
Annual customer reports by utilities.
Various utility matters.
Energy matters.
Water or wastewater service.
Broadband development.
Broadband projects.
Wastewater task force.
21st century energy policy development task force.
Broadband development.
Financing, transfer, and improvement of utility assets.
Broadband development.
Cost securitization for electric utility assets.
Electric utility reliability adequacy metrics.
Commercial wind and solar standards and siting.
Broadband capacity infrastructure study.
Net metering for electricity generation.
Moratorium on utility shut-offs.
Distributed generation.
Reporting of stranded electric utility costs.
Conservancy districts providing sewer service.
Permits for wireless communications facilities.
Pole attachment fees.
Electric generation.
Telephone solicitation and consumer credit.
Utility matters.
Locating underground utility infrastructure.
Municipally owned utilities.
Water and wastewater utilities.
Rural communications cooperatives.
Administration of the broadband ready program.
Leasing of broadband capacity infrastructure.
Interim study committee on utility taxes and fees.
Underground utility facilities.
Municipal electric utilities.
Broadband grant program.
Telephone solicitation. Adds to the list of telephone calls that are exempt from the "do not call" statute any telephone call made to a consumer by a caller that: (1) is: (A) a communications service provider that offers broadband internet service; or (B) a financial institution or a person licensed by the department of financial institutions to engage in first lien mortgage transactions or consumer credit transactions; and (2) has an established business relationship with the consumer. Requires the consumer protection division of the attorney general's office (division) to notify Indiana residents of the following: (1) The prohibition under federal law against a person making any call using an: (A) automatic telephone dialing system; or (B) artificial or prerecorded voice; to any telephone number assigned to a mobile telecommunications service. (2) The prohibition under federal law against a person initiating any telephone call to any residential telephone line using an artificial or prerecorded voice to deliver a message without the prior consent of the called party. (3) Information concerning the placement of a telephone number on the National Do Not Call Registry operated by the Federal Trade Commission. Allows the division to use the consumer protection division telephone solicitation fund (fund) to: (1) administer the statutes concerning: (A) the registration of telephone solicitors; and (B) the regulation of automatic dialing machines; and (2) reimburse county prosecutors for expenses incurred in extraditing violators of these and other state and federal statutes concerning telephone solicitations. (Current law provides that the fund may be used only to administer: (1) the state's "do not call" statute; (2) the federal statute concerning restrictions on the use of telephone equipment; and (3) the state statute concerning misleading or inaccurate caller identification (caller ID statute).) Provides that certain civil penalties recovered by the attorney general for violations of the statutes concerning: (1) the registration of telephone solicitors; and (2) the regulation of automatic dialing machines; shall be deposited in the fund. Defines "executive" for purposes of the "do not call" statute, and provides that an executive of a person that violates the "do not call" statute commits a separate deceptive act actionable by the division. Provides that the attorney general can collect attorney fees and costs in a civil action for a violation of the caller ID statute. Amends the definition of "seller" for purposes of the statute requiring telephone solicitors to register with the division, so that the definition includes any person making a telephone solicitation. (Current law includes only persons making specified false representations in a telephone solicitation.) Provides that all sellers that make telephone solicitations must register with the division. (Under current law, registration is required only if the seller makes a solicitation involving consideration of more than $100 and less than $50,000.) Makes technical changes to the deceptive consumer sales act concerning violations of the caller ID statute. Allows the attorney general to collect a civil penalty of not more than: (1) $10,000 for the first violation; and (2) $25,000 for each subsequent violation; of the statute regulating automatic dialing machines. Urges the legislative council to assign to the interim study committee on corrections and criminal code the task of studying the following: (1) Whether existing criminal penalties for violations of specified telephone solicitation statutes should be increased. (2) The potential effects of increasing criminal penalties for violations of the statutes on: (A) the ability of the office of the attorney general to enforce compliance with the statutes; and (B) the state's criminal justice system. (3) Reconciling state and federal laws concerning the Do Not Call registry and other telephone privacy laws.
Utility matters. Provides that an order affecting rates of service may be entered by the utility regulatory commission (IURC) without a formal public hearing in the case of any public or municipally owned utility that either: (1) serves less than 8,000 customers; or (2) has initiated a rate case on behalf of a single division of the utility and that division: (A) serves less than 5,000 customers; and (B) has an IURC-approved schedule of rates and charges that is separate and independent from that of any other division of the utility. (Current law permits the IURC to enter a service rate order without a public hearing only in the case of a utility that itself serves less than 5,000 customers.) Changes the term "distressed utility" to "offered utility" for purposes of statutory provisions regarding the acquisition of water or wastewater utilities. Makes the following changes for purposes of the statutory provisions under which a utility that acquires property from another utility at a cost differential may petition the IURC to include the cost differential in the acquiring utility's rate base: (1) Provides conditions for applicability of the rebuttable presumption that the cost differential is reasonable. (2) Amends the findings the IURC must make in order to approve the petition. (3) Provides that notice of the filing of the petition may be provided to customers of the acquiring utility company in a billing insert. (4) Requires the acquiring utility company to submit with its petition to the IURC a written description of how the acquiring utility will identify and make reasonable and prudent improvements necessary to provide safe and reliable service to customers of the offered utility. Provides, for purposes of the requirement that a municipality that plans to sell or dispose of nonsurplus municipally owned utility property must appoint appraisers in a writing that is a public record, that a written contract with the appraisers or the appraisers' firms satisfies this requirement. Provides that the municipality must hold a public hearing regarding the appraisal and proposed sale not later than 180 days (rather than 90 days, under current law) after the appraisal is complete. Amends the factors the IURC must consider in deciding whether the sale or disposition is in the public interest. Provides that if, within a county containing a consolidated city: (1) a main sewer line is extended for the purpose of connecting one or more residential or commercial properties to a sanitary sewer system; and (2) the extension, when completed, will be located within a certain distance of the property line of a residential property served by a septic system; the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County (corporation) or its board may not order that the residential property served by a septic system be connected to the extension. Provides, however, that the connection of a residential property served by a septic system to such an extension may be ordered if: (1) the state department of health; or (2) the corporation or its board; determines that the septic system serving the residential property is failing. Specifies that these provisions do not affect a septic tank elimination program approved by the IURC. Urges the legislative council to assign to an appropriate interim study committee the task of studying, on a statewide basis, the connection of unserved properties to sanitary sewer systems owned or operated by various public and private entities.
Broadband development. Establishes the rural broadband fund for the purpose of awarding grants: (1) before August 1, 2019, under the existing statute governing grants for qualified broadband projects for unserved areas in Indiana; and (2) after July 31, 2019, under new procedures governing grants for eligible broadband projects for rural areas in Indiana. Requires the office of community and rural affairs (office) to establish procedures for the awarding of grants from the fund after July 31, 2019, by state agencies to eligible broadband service providers for eligible broadband projects in rural areas of Indiana. Provides that the procedures established by the office must establish specified priorities for the awarding of grants, based on the available Internet speeds in a particular area. Provides that the procedures established by the office may not permit the awarding of a grant from the fund for any proposed broadband project in an area in which eligible broadband service is available. Provides that the procedures established by the office may not permit the office to award a grant from the fund for any project in a rural area for which funding has been allocated from certain federal funding programs. Provides that the procedures established by the office must establish a system of priorities for awarding grants, weighted as determined by the office in guidelines adopted by the office, that gives preference to eligible broadband projects that meet certain specified criteria. Requires an eligible broadband service provider awarded a grant to sign with the office a grant agreement that: (1) outlines a start date and an end date for completion of the project; and (2) conditions the release of any grant funds on the progressive completion of the project. Beginning in 2020, requires the office to submit to the general assembly an annual report on the awarding of grants under these procedures during the most recent state fiscal year. Provides that every three years, beginning in 2021, the state board of accounts shall conduct an audit of the awarding of grants from the fund during the most recent three state fiscal years. Provides that a communications service provider that holds a certificate of territorial authority shall be designated as a public utility solely as that term is used in federal law that allows a state to exempt a public utility from the federal law's requirement that the state must charge fair market value for the use of real property acquired by the state using federal transportation funding. Provides that the department of transportation (INDOT) may not charge an access rate or any other recurring charge or recurring fee for communications infrastructure that is located before May 1, 2019, in any rights-of-way that are owned or controlled by INDOT. Specifies that INDOT may charge routine right-of-way permit fees to enter INDOT's rights-of-way for the maintenance of existing facilities. Provides that the department may create a broadband corridor program to manage communications infrastructure along or within limited access highway rights-of-way. Specifies that for purposes of the broadband corridor program, "communications infrastructure" does not include privately owned vertical structures used primarily for providing wireless communications service. Provides that: (1) INDOT may not unreasonably discriminate among entities requesting access to broadband corridors or other INDOT controlled rights-of-way; and (2) the bill's provisions prohibiting INDOT from discriminating among such entities do not abrogate or limit INDOT's statutory authority to safely and efficiently manage and operate the state highway system and associated highway rights-of-way. Provides that, before July 1, 2020, INDOT shall adopt rules to provide that, as used throughout the department's administrative code regarding utility facility relocation for purposes of construction contracts, "utility" has the meaning set forth in federal law concerning utility relocations, adjustments, and reimbursement.
Municipally owned utilities. Provides that all rates, charges, and other fees for services rendered by a municipally owned utility (other than services rendered by a municipally owned sewer utility or by a department of public utilities for a consolidated city) to property occupied by someone other than the owner are payable by the person occupying the property if the account or other customer or billing records maintained by the utility for the property indicate that: (1) the property is occupied by someone other than the owner; and (2) the person occupying the property is responsible for paying the rates, charges, and fees. Provides that upon applying for utility service from a municipally owned utility, the person occupying the property shall provide the utility with the name and contact information of the owner or manager of the property. Provides that rates, charges, and fees assessed by a municipally owned utility with respect to property occupied by someone other than the owner do not constitute a lien against the property. Specifies that these provisions do not: (1) prohibit a municipal legislative body from imposing any requirement to: (A) ensure payment by; or (B) the creditworthiness of; the person occupying the property; or (2) abrogate or limit the authority of the owner of a multi-unit building to engage in electrical submetering.
Utility transmission improvements and costs. Amends the statute concerning transmission, distribution, and storage system improvements charges (TDSIC) for electric and gas utilities to provide that for purposes of the statute, "eligible transmission, distribution, and storage system improvements" include: (1) projects that do not include specific locations or exact numbers; and (2) advanced technology investments. Provides that a public utility's required plan under the statute (defined under the new provisions as a "TDSIC plan") must cover a period of: (1) at least five years; and (2) not more than seven years. Requires a utility to update its TDSIC plan at least annually. Provides that an update to a TDSIC plan may include new projects or improvements. Specifies that a targeted economic development project may include a project related to the provision of electric service. Provides that a utility may: (1) terminate a TDSIC plan upon 60 days notice to the utility regulatory commission (IURC); and (2) petition the IURC for approval of a new TDSIC plan. Provides that a utility that terminates a TDSIC plan must petition the IURC for review and approval of the public utility's basic rates and charges with respect to the same type of utility service before the original expiration date of the terminated plan. Provides that eligible transmission, distribution, and storage improvements receiving TDSIC treatment before termination of the plan shall continue to receive TDSIC treatment after termination of the plan until a final order in the public utility's next general rate case is issued. Provides that for purposes of the provision prohibiting the IURC from approving a TDSIC that would result in an average aggregate increase in a public utility's total retail revenues of more than 2% in a 12 month period, the IURC shall consider the combined 12 month revenue impact of the TDSIC approved under the terminated plan and the TDSIC approved under any new TDSIC plan. Changes the amount of time in which the IURC must hold a hearing and issue an order on a public utility's petition for a TDSIC from 90 days to 120 days. Sets forth required findings of the IURC in an order concerning new: (1) projects or improvements; or (2) targeted economic development projects; included in a utility's updated TDSIC plan.
Gas and oil well assessment. Provides for the imposition of a monetary penalty against owners of oil or gas interests who fail to timely file a property schedule for gas and oil well assessments.
Water or sewer service for condominiums. Amends existing law to provide that: (1) a landlord; (2) a condominium association; or (3) a homeowners association; that distributes water or sewage disposal service from a water or sewer utility to one or more tenants, condominium units, or homeowners association members, as applicable, is not a public utility solely by reason of engaging in this activity if the landlord or association complies with certain billing and disclosure requirements. (Current law provides this exemption from public utility status only with respect to landlords distributing water or sewer utility services to tenants.)
Water infrastructure assistance fund and program. Provides that money from certain sources in the water infrastructure assistance fund (fund) is continuously appropriated for the purposes of the law concerning the water infrastructure assistance program. Authorizes the authority to establish: (1) the interest rate; or (2) parameters for establishing the interest rate; on each loan made from the fund. Provides that a participant, to receive a loan, grant, or other financial assistance from the fund: (1) must have an asset management program; and (2) must demonstrate to the authority that it has a plan to participate with one or more other participants in cooperative activities. Provides that a participant, after receiving a loan or grant from the fund, must maintain its asset management program: (1) as long as the loan remains unpaid; or (2) during the useful life of the asset financed with the loan or grant. Requires a participant, if appropriate, to conduct or participate in efforts to determine and eliminate the causes of non-revenue water in its water distribution system. Requires the authority to establish a project prioritization system and project priority list for the purposes of awarding loans and grants from the fund. Requires the authority to set aside 40% of the fund for purposes of providing grants, loans, and other financial assistance to or for the benefit of utilities serving less than 3,200 customers. Authorizes the authority to provide advisory services to participants in connection with loans from the fund. Provides that, if appropriate, the authority shall require a participant receiving a loan or other financial assistance from the fund to establish and maintain sufficient user charges, fees, taxes, special assessments, or revenues to: (1) operate and maintain; and (2) pay the obligations of; its water or wastewater collection and treatment system. Authorizes the authority to make loans or provide other financial assistance from the fund to or for the benefit of a participant to establish guaranties, reserves, or sinking funds or for other purposes. Authorizes the authority, as an alternative to making loans or providing other financial assistance to participants, to use the money in the fund to provide a leveraged loan program and other financial assistance programs to or for the benefit of participants.
Water and wastewater utilities and runoff. Establishes a storm water management task force to study issues related to storm water management systems. Provides for the task force to consist of: (1) two members of the senate; (2) two members of the house; and (3) other members appointed by the governor. Requires the task force to issue a report setting forth its findings and recommendations not later than December 1, 2019. Provides that the Indiana finance authority (IFA) shall coordinate the executive branch activities related to the state's water programs. Prescribes the duties of the authority in serving in this role. Requires the IFA to divide Indiana into study areas and to hold annual meetings with the officers and employees of the water and wastewater utilities located in each study area. Authorizes the utilities within a study area to meet voluntarily to determine area water and wastewater priorities, promote cooperation among the utilities, and consider other matters. Requires biennial reports from the utilities of each study area and from the IFA on the cooperative activities of the utilities. Provides that a utility applying to the IFA for a loan, a grant, or other financial assistance must demonstrate that its officers and employees have participated in study area activities. Requires every water utility, at least once in each calendar year, to perform an audit of its water distribution system to determine the causes of the water utility's "non-revenue water" (the difference between the amount of water entering the utility's distribution system and the amount of water received by the water utility's customers). In even-numbered years, requires the results of the annual audit to be verified by an independent evaluator and reported to the IFA and requires the IFA to issue a report concerning the audit results. Specifies that: (1) customer specific data, including information excluded from public access under Indiana's access to public records act; and (2) a required cybersecurity plan; submitted in connection with an application for a permit for a public water system or a wastewater treatment plant is exempt from the requirement that certain required analyses and plans must be made publicly available. Amends the definition of "customer lead service line improvement".
Utility relocation for road projects. Codifies Indiana department of transportation (INDOT) rules prescribing the administrative process for the relocation of a utility's facilities for a road construction contract. Provides that if a utility authorizes an INDOT contractor to perform required utility relocation work as part of a road improvement project, INDOT shall indemnify the utility for any: (1) damage to the property or facilities of the utility or the utility's customers; (2) loss of utility service to the utility's customers; or (3) interruption of service to the utility's customers; caused by the INDOT contractor's work. Provides that if a utility does not perform the utility's relocation duties imposed by a final work plan within the time set forth in the final work plan, INDOT may: (1) relocate, or cause the relocation of, the utility's facilities; or (2) file a complaint in court for an emergency order to compel the utility to relocate the facilities. Provides that if INDOT relocates, or causes the relocation of the facilities, INDOT: (1) may recover from the utility the costs of the relocation; and (2) shall indemnify the utility for any: (A) damage to the property or facilities of the utility or the utility's customers; (B) loss of utility service to the utility's customers; or (C) interruption of service to the utility's customers; caused by INDOT's or an INDOT's contractor's relocation of the facilities. Provides that if INDOT prevails in a court action to compel a utility to relocate the utility's facilities or customer service facilities, the court shall order the utility to: (1) reimburse INDOT for INDOT's reasonable litigation expenses, including court costs and reasonable attorney's fees; and (2) pay to INDOT a civil penalty of not less than $20,000. Provides that if a utility prevails in a court action to compel the utility to relocate the utility's facilities or customer service facilities, the court shall order INDOT to pay: (1) the costs of any relocation of the utility's facilities in connection with the project; and (2) the reasonable litigation expenses, including court costs and reasonable attorney's fees, incurred by the utility. Provides that these same procedures apply with respect to the relocation of utility customer service facilities in connection with construction projects involving the state highway system. Provides that if a county executive determines that the location of a utility's facilities will interfere with a planned road, highway, or bridge project under the jurisdiction of the county: (1) the county executive may order the utility to relocate the utility's facilities in accordance with the procedures used by INDOT for projects involving the state highway system; and (2) if the county executive elects to use those procedures: (A) the county executive has all of the authority granted to, and the obligations of, INDOT under that statute, to the extent applicable; and (B) the utility has all of the obligations and rights of a utility under that statute, to the extent applicable.
Elimination of net metering phase out. Eliminates provisions under which net metering (an arrangement under which an electric utility's customer who has equipment for the production of electricity and who intermittently supplies electricity from that equipment to the electric utility is credited for the electricity that the customer supplies to the electric utility) would be partially ended by 2032 and completely ended by 2047. Eliminates a limit on the aggregate amount of an electric utility's net metering facility nameplate capacity that can be made available for customers' participation in net metering. Provides instead that the net metering facility nameplate capacity that an electric utility makes available for customers' participation in net metering must be at least 3% of the electric utility's most recent summer peak load. Provides that, of the net metering facility nameplate capacity made available for customers' participation in net metering, 30% must be reserved for participation by residential customers and not more than 5% must be reserved for participation by customers that install net metering facilities that use organic waste biomass.
Broadband access grants. Provides that the office of community and rural affairs (office) may award a grant from the rural economic development fund to an Internet service provider (ISP) that provides Internet service with a transmission speed of: (1) not less than three megabits per second upstream; and (2) not less than 25 megabits per second downstream; in an unserved area. Provides that the amount of the grant is equal to $750 for each customer in an unserved area who subscribes to the ISP's broadband Internet service for one year under subscription terms established by the office, subject to reporting and verification rules developed by the office and approved by the state director of broadband opportunities.
Storm water fee exemptions. Provides that the board of a municipal department of storm water management, the board of a county department of storm water management, or the board of public works of a consolidated city may not assess or collect user fees for the operation and maintenance of a storm water system with respect to: (1) property where religious services are held regularly; (2) property that belongs to a school corporation and is used for educational purposes; or (3) property that is assessed as agricultural land for property tax purposes. Provides that the drainage board of a county that does not have a department of storm water management may not assess or collect fees for services provided to address issues of storm water quality and quantity with respect to: (1) property where religious services are held regularly; (2) property that belongs to a school corporation and is used for educational purposes; or (3) property that is assessed as agricultural land for property tax purposes.
Feed-in tariff for renewable energy facilities. Requires the utility regulatory commission (IURC) to adopt rules to establish an electric utility feed-in tariff (FIT) program. Provides that the rules adopted must do the following: (1) Require all jurisdictional municipally owned electric utilities (utilities) to offer a FIT to eligible customers (including persons that are not existing customers of the electric utility) not later than July 1, 2020. (2) Require utilities, upon the request of an eligible customer, to enter into a contract, for a term of at least 10 years, for the purchase of electricity generated by a renewable energy facility (facility) located in Indiana at a site at which the utility provides, or will provide, retail electric service to the eligible customer. (3) Allow an electric utility to do the following, subject to the approval of the IURC: (A) Require a minimum size or capacity, not to exceed one megawatt, for facilities participating in the program. (B) Establish a cap with respect to the maximum aggregate capacity for all participating facilities under the electric utility's FIT program. (C) Establish a maximum size or capacity limit, which may not be less than 20 megawatts, for a participating facility. (4) Establish appropriate standards for interconnections between facilities and utilities' electric systems. (5) Establish appropriate FITs for participating facilities, with separate rates for electricity generated from each type of qualifying renewable energy resource under the program. (6) Require that any renewable energy credit or clean energy credit earned by a utility under the program be retired. (7) Prohibit an electric utility from requiring that a person that otherwise qualifies to participate in the electric utility's FIT program to be a customer of the electric utility for any period of time before enrolling in the electric utility's FIT program. Requires the IURC to ensure that the program complies with certain federal laws, regulations, and orders. Requires the IURC to develop and make available a standard contract for use by utilities in entering into contracts with eligible customers under the program. Requires the IURC to include certain information concerning the program in its annual report to the interim study committee on energy, utilities, and telecommunications.
Broadband development funding. Provides that a state agency that awards a grant to a broadband service provider for purposes of extending broadband service to unserved areas must follow procedures established and guidelines adopted by the office of community and rural affairs for the award of such grants. Provides that a state agency may not award a grant of more than $5,000,000 for any one qualified broadband project. Establishes the rural broadband fund (fund) for the purpose of awarding grants for funding of deployment of broadband infrastructure in unserved areas. Provides that the office of community and rural affairs may make grants from the fund for the purpose of awarding grants for funding of deployment of broadband infrastructure in unserved areas. Makes technical corrections.
Use of state funds for broadband projects. Defines a "qualified broadband project" as a project for the deployment of broadband infrastructure to provide broadband service for connections to the Internet at specified speeds, regardless of the delivery technology, in unserved areas in Indiana. Defines an "unserved area" as a geographic area of Indiana in which there is not at least one provider of terrestrial broadband service at the designated speeds. Provides that after June 30, 2019, the following apply with respect to grants made by state agencies (awarding agencies) for broadband infrastructure: (1) An awarding agency may not award a new state broadband grant unless the grant is for a qualified broadband project. (2) An awarding agency may allocate or release state funds for a state broadband grant awarded to a recipient before July 1, 2019, subject to certain conditions. (3) In awarding a new state broadband grant, an awarding agency must either: (A) evaluate all grant applications and determine all grant recipients and award amounts in accordance with the criteria set forth in the statute authorizing the office of community and rural affairs (office) to award broadband grants for qualified broadband service in unserved areas; or (B) submit all grant applications received to the office for: (i) evaluation; and (ii) the determination of grant recipients and award amounts, or the recommendation of grant recipients and award amounts; in accordance with the criteria set forth in the statute. Sets forth requirements for: (1) an awarding agency that elects to perform its own evaluations and determinations with respect to the agency's state broadband grants; and (2) an agency that elects to submit its grant applications to the office for: (A) evaluation; and (B) the determination or recommendation of grant recipients and award amounts. Makes a conforming amendment to the definition of "broadband services" set forth in the statute concerning the broadband ready communities development center.
Water infrastructure task force. Establishes a water infrastructure task force (task force) consisting of: (1) two members of the senate; (2) two members of the house of representatives; and (3) the following individuals appointed by the governor: (A) Officers or employees of the state. (B) Individuals representing operators of drinking water, wastewater management, or storm water management systems. (C) Engineers or professionals experienced in the design and construction of such systems. (D) Individuals representing ratepayers and others constituting the funding sources for such systems. (E) Members of the general public. Requires the task force to comply with the public meetings
Broadband grants and high speed Internet service. Authorizes the office of community and rural affairs (office) to award grants to qualified broadband providers in connection with qualified broadband projects involving the deployment of infrastructure to provide qualified broadband service in unserved areas in Indiana. Defines "qualified broadband service" as a connection to the Internet at an actual speed of at least 10 megabits per second downstream and at least one megabit per second upstream, regardless of the technology used. Defines an "unserved area" as a geographic area in Indiana in which there is not at least one provider of terrestrial
Registration of underground utility excavation contractors. Provides that a contractor that will perform one or more excavations or demolitions in Indiana under a contract with: (1) a communications service provider; or (2) a utility; must include in an entity filing filed with the secretary of state a statement that the contractor and its employees will comply with Indiana's 811 statute. Provides that a contractor that is a filing entity under the Uniform Business Organizations Code (Code) shall provide documentation of the contractor's compliance with the registration requirement to a communications service provider or a utility before entering into a contract
Distressed utilities. Amends a provision in the statute concerning the acquisition of distressed water or wastewater utilities to require that, upon filing a petition with the utility regulatory commission (IURC) to include the cost differentials of the transaction as part of the acquiring utility company's rate base, the acquiring utility company must provide notice to its customers that the petition has been filed. (Current law requires the acquiring utility company to provide notice to its customers if the proposed acquisition will increase the utility company's rates by an amount that is greater than 1% of the utility company's base annual
Rural utility cooperatives. Amends the statutes concerning rural telephone cooperative corporations (cooperative corporations) as follows: (1) Specifies that for purposes of the statute, a "member" of a cooperative corporation means a person admitted to membership both under law and under the cooperative corporation's bylaws. (Current law provides that a member means a person admitted to membership under law or the cooperative corporation's bylaws.) (2) Allows for electronic notice of a meeting of the cooperative corporation's members. (3) Authorizes a cooperative corporation to include a provision in its articles of incorporation or its bylaws to allow any votes cast: (A) after
Broadband grants for unserved areas. Authorizes the office of community and rural affairs (office) to award grants to qualified broadband providers in connection with qualified broadband projects involving the deployment of infrastructure to provide qualified broadband service in unserved areas in Indiana. Defines "qualified broadband service" as a connection to the Internet at an average speed of at least ten 10 megabits per second downstream and at least one megabit per second upstream, regardless of the technology used. Defines an "unserved area" as a geographic area in Indiana in which there is not at least one provider of terrestrial broadband
Wireless communications support structures. Provides that, for purposes of the statute concerning the local permitting of support structures for wireless communications services, with respect to the construction, placement, or use of a small cell facility and the associated supporting structure, a permit authority may prohibit the placement of a new utility pole or new wireless support structure in a right-of-way within an area that is designated strictly for underground or buried utilities, if the designation is made before April 15, 2017, and if certain other conditions are met. (Current law provides that the designation concerning underground or buried utilities must
Renewable energy standards. Requires an electricity supplier to supply a certain percentage of its total electricity supply from renewable energy resources. Establishes the renewable energy resources fund to receive penalties paid by electricity suppliers that fail to supply electricity from renewable energy resources. Continuously appropriates money in the fund. Requires the utility regulatory commission to adopt guidelines to assist electricity suppliers that participated in the voluntary clean energy portfolio standard (CEPS) program in complying with the new renewable energy standards. Repeals IC 8-1-37 (voluntary CEPS program).
Wireless support structures. Makes the following changes to the statute concerning the local permitting of wireless support structures: (1) Amends the definition of "small cell facility" to: (A) increase the maximum specified antenna volume from three cubic feet to six cubic feet per antenna; (B) eliminate the maximum specified total volume for all antennas; and (C) increase the maximum specified primary equipment enclosure volume from 17 cubic feet to 28 cubic feet. (2) Amends the definition of "utility pole" to: (A) mean a structure that is designed or used for certain specified purposes (versus existing statutory language defining the term
Distributed generation. Requires: (1) the utility regulatory commission (IURC) to post a summary of the results of the IURC's most recent periodic review of the basic rates and charges of an electricity supplier on the IURC's Internet web site; and (2) the electricity supplier subject to the review to provide a link on the electricity supplier's Internet web site to the IURC's posted summary. Amends the statute concerning alternate energy production, cogeneration, and small hydro facilities to: (1) include in the definition of a "private generation project" certain cogeneration facilities that: (A) are located on the same site as the
Utility easements. Establishes a framework for resolving disputes between electricity suppliers and property owners regarding the attachment or installation of communications infrastructure within an electric easement. Provides that the procedures apply only to an electricity supplier that is a rural electric membership corporation. Provides specified exemptions from the procedures. Specifies that the bill's provisions provide the exclusive remedy to a property owner with respect to the attachment or installation of communications infrastructure on above ground electric facilities within an electric easement. Specifies that the bill's provisions do not provide the exclusive remedy to a property owner if the terms of:
Rural electric membership corporation governance. Amends the statute governing rural electric membership corporations (corporations) as follows: (1) Specifies that for purposes of the statute: (A) a "law" includes the statute itself; and (B) a "member" of a corporation means a person admitted to membership under law and the corporation's bylaws. (Current law provides that a member means a person admitted to membership under law or the corporation's bylaws.) (2) Allows for electronic notice of a meeting of the corporation's members. (3) Authorizes a corporation to include a provision in its articles of incorporation or its bylaws to allow any votes
IN211 program. Transfers from the utility regulatory commission (IURC) to the housing and community development authority (authority) the responsibility for administering the statute concerning the administration of the 211 dialing code used to provide access to human services information and referrals. For purposes of the statute, expands the definition of "human services" to include assistance concerning: (1) emotional and physical abuse (including sexual assault); (2) specified public health issues; (3) food programs and nutrition education; (4) safe and affordable housing; (5) occupational and vocational training; and (6) reentry programs for persons leaving certain facilities. Caps the amount that the authority
Requests to locate underground utility facilities. Amends the statute concerning the locating and marking of underground utility facilities (Indiana's 811 law) to allow a person responsible for: (1) a construction project; or (2) any other project or operation; that will involve an excavation or demolition operation to provide a voluntary design information notice to the association known as the Indiana Underground Plant Protection Service (association) before commencing preliminary engineering studies or construction planning activities in the project area that will be affected by the excavation or demolition. Provides that a design information notice must be received by the association at
Infrastructure development zone utility service. Provides that facilities used by a wastewater utility in the collection or treatment of wastewater constitute "eligible infrastructure" for purposes of the law providing a property tax exemption to a person who invests in eligible infrastructure located in an infrastructure development zone. Authorizes a public utility that provides water utility service to petition the utility regulatory commission (IURC) for approval of a plan (plan) to develop a future source of water source supply. Requires the IURC to approve the plan if the IURC finds that the plan is reasonable and prudent for the provision of
Joint agency matters. Makes the following changes to the statute concerning joint agencies formed by municipalities for the purpose of undertaking the planning, financing, ownership, and operation of certain projects to supply electric power for present or future energy needs: (1) Eliminates the requirements that for purposes of the statute, a municipality must be located in Indiana. (2) Specifies that a joint agency is considered a governmental entity for purposes of the statute governing tort claims against governmental entities and public employees. (3) Provides that a person may not serve as a commissioner on the board of commissioners of a
Study of universal service for telecommunications. Provides that a local governmental unit (unit) that wishes to be certified as a broadband ready community must establish a procedure (procedure) under which the unit promotes increasing the number of subscribers to broadband services in the unit after the unit is certified as a broadband ready community. Specifies criteria for the procedure. Prohibits: (1) discrimination among communication service providers with respect to broadband adoption in the unit; and (2) imposition of a fee on communications service providers to fund promotion of broadband adoption in the unit; under the procedure established to promote broadband
Storm water fee exemptions. Provides that a municipality or county may not assess storm water fees with respect to: (1) property where religious services are held regularly; (2) property that belongs to a school corporation and is used for educational purposes; or (3) property that is assessed as agricultural land for property tax purposes.
Annual customer reports by energy utilities. Requires a public or municipally owned electric or natural gas utility to annually report to the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) certain data concerning customer accounts and low income customer accounts. Provides that: (1) a utility shall report all required information in the aggregate and in a manner that does not identify individual customers and low income customers; and (2) the IURC may not require utilities to disclose confidential and proprietary business information without adequate protection of the information. Authorizes the IURC to adopt rules and emergency rules to implement these provisions. Provides that,
Annual customer reports by energy utilities. Requires a public or municipally owned electric or natural gas utility to annually report to the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) certain data concerning customer accounts and low income customer accounts. Provides that: (1) a utility shall report all required information in the aggregate and in a manner that does not identify individual customers and low income customers; and (2) the IURC may not require utilities to disclose confidential and proprietary business information without adequate protection of the information. Authorizes the IURC to adopt rules and emergency rules to implement these provisions. Provides that,
Cogeneration. Amends the statute concerning alternate energy production, cogeneration, and small hydro facilities to: (1) include in the definition of a "private generation project" certain facilities that are sufficiently proximate in location to and integrated with the host operation; and (2) define an "eligible facility" and include within the definition the consuming elements of a host operation using the associated energy output for industrial, commercial, heating, or cooling purposes.
Integrated resource plans and energy efficiency. Requires a public utility to submit an integrated resource plan to the utility regulatory commission (IURC). Requires certain electricity suppliers to submit an energy efficiency plan to the IURC at least one time every three years. Provides that evaluation, measurement, and verification procedures required to be included in an electricity supplier's energy efficiency plan must include independent evaluation, measurement, and verification. Provides that the IURC may not require a third party administrator to implement an electricity supplier's energy efficiency program or plan. Provides that if the IURC finds an electricity supplier's energy efficiency plan
Utility infrastructure improvements. Amends the law on water and wastewater utility distribution system improvement charges so that the law applies to municipally owned utilities and not-for-profit utilities as well as to public utilities. Allows a municipally owned utility or not-for-profit utility that is under the jurisdiction of the utility regulatory commission (commission) for the approval of rates and charges to petition the commission for the adjustment of its basic rates and charges to provide for the recovery of infrastructure improvement costs. Provides that "infrastructure improvement costs", for a municipally owned utility, means debt service and depreciation expenses associated with eligible
Communications services and energy production. Eliminates the state requirement that a communications service provider allow a physical connection by other providers to its system. Establishes a uniform statewide procedure for applications for and issuance of permits for the construction and modification of structures and facilities for the provision of wireless communications service. Specifies that local planning and zoning laws apply to the issuance of permits for communications structures and facilities under the new provisions. Requires applications for permits to show evidence of compliance with criteria set forth in applicable zoning ordinances with respect to special exceptions, special uses, contingent uses,
Electricity suppliers' service areas. Provides that after May 19, 2015, a municipality that: (1) owns and operates an electric utility; and (2) annexes an area beyond the assigned service area of its municipally owned electric utility; may not petition the utility regulatory commission (IURC) to change the assigned service area of the municipally owned electric utility to include the annexed area according to certain procedures permitted under current law. Provides that the prohibition does not affect a petition that is: (1) filed with the IURC before May 20, 2015, according to the procedures permitted under current law; and (2) pending
Broadband ready communities. Establishes the broadband ready communities development center (center) within the Indiana economic development corporation to facilitate certain communications projects. Provides that the center may designate a unit of local government as a broadband ready community if the unit establishes a procedure to review applications and issue permits for the communications projects.
211 dialing code for human services information. Amends the statute concerning the telephone 211 dialing code for human services information to add assistance concerning: (1) domestic violence; (2) infant mortality; (3) veterans; (4) senior citizens; (5) vulnerable children; and (6) public health; to the enumerated services included within the term "human services". Requires the utility regulatory commission (IURC) to consult with the board of directors of Indiana 211 Partnership, Inc., in preparing the required annual plan for the expenditure of the money in the 211 services account (account). Provides that the plan must include a strategy or plan to address
Stormwater drain maintenance. Urges the legislative council to assign to an appropriate study committee the topic of the maintenance of stormwater drains in subdivisions not located within a municipality. Provides that if the topic is assigned to a committee, the committee shall issue a final report, including any recommendations for legislation, to the legislative council not later than November 1, 2015.
The Reliable, Affordable, and Safe Power Act. Provides that, in response to the federal Environmental Protection Agency Clean Power Plan regulatory activity: (1) the governor and attorney general shall take appropriate steps to protect the state's sovereignty and police power authority in light of the designed federalism under the federal Clean Air Act; (2) the department of environmental management may examine the implications of preparing and implementing proposed regulations, but may not prepare or implement a state implementation plan until completion of judicial review concerning the legality of regulations under the federal Clean Air Act for existing power plants has
Net metering for electric utility customers. Requires the utility regulatory commission (IURC) to adopt, not later than August 1, 2015, emergency rules amending the IURC's net metering and interconnection rules for electric utilities. Provides that the amended rules must do the following: (1) Require a municipally owned electric utility under the IURC's jurisdiction to: (A) offer a net metering program to all customers classes; and (B) allow all customer classes to interconnect a customer-generator facility with a distribution facility of the utility. (2) Allow: (A) a municipally owned utility not under the IURC's jurisdiction; or (B) a rural electric membership
Renewable energy standards. Requires an electricity supplier to supply a certain percentage of its total electricity supply from renewable energy resources. Establishes the renewable energy resources fund to receive penalties paid by electricity suppliers that fail to supply electricity from renewable energy resources. Continuously appropriates money in the fund. Requires the utility regulatory commission to adopt guidelines to assist electricity suppliers that participated in the CEPS program in complying with the new renewable energy standards. Repeals IC 8-1-37 (voluntary clean energy portfolio standard (CEPS) program).
Utility facility relocation. Makes changes to the statutes concerning: (1) emergency repairs to the state highway system by the department of transportation; and (2) utility facility relocations necessitated by projects on the state highway system; to allow communications service providers to recover certain costs incurred toward the cost of relocation of utility facilities necessitated by state highway projects.
IURC approval of substitute natural gas contracts. Requires the Indiana finance authority (authority) to submit the following to the utility regulatory commission (commission) for approval: (1) A contract for the purchase of substitute natural gas (purchase contract). (2) An amendment to a purchase contract. (Current law requires the authority to submit the following to the commission for approval: (1) A purchase contract submitted before January 1, 2012, for approval and amendments. (2) A purchase contract entered into after December 31, 2012. (3) Amendments made at any time to any purchase contract. (4) Any other agreements between the authority and a
Utility easements. Defines "utility" for purposes of IC 14-18-10 (the law concerning utility easements) to include a communications service provider. Provides that the director of the department of natural resources may not impose a charge to issue a permit to erect or construct a utility line upon or across a public highway right-of-way that passes through state land.
Nuclear energy projects. Provides that projects involving the construction of nuclear energy production or generating facilities qualify for the financial incentives available for clean energy projects. (Current law provides that only projects involving the life cycle management of such facilities qualify for the incentives.) For purposes of the statute governing the incentives, amends the definition of: (1) "nuclear energy production or generating facility" to include a facility constructed in Indiana after June 30, 2015; and (2) "qualified utility system expenses" to specify that the term includes preconstruction costs and applies to a new energy production or generating facility or a
Estimated utility bills. Establishes requirements for estimated bills issued by a utility to an Indiana customer for retail: (1) electric; (2) gas; (3) water; or (4) wastewater; utility service.
Underground utility facilities. Provides that the statute concerning the locating and marking of underground utility facilities (Indiana's 811 law) does not apply to the practice of surveying, except with respect to certain specified activities. Makes a technical change.
Pipeline construction. Makes the following changes to the statute concerning voluntary pipeline construction guidelines for pipeline companies proposing to construct an interstate pipeline in Indiana: (1) Specifies that certain duties in administering the statute are the responsibility of the Indiana utility regulatory commission (IURC) instead of the IURC's pipeline safety division. (2) Requires pipeline companies to notify the IURC within a specified time before proposing to construct a pipeline in Indiana. (3) Requires the pipeline's notice to the IURC to include the proposed route of the pipeline and the designation of at least one project coordinator who will communicate with
Demand side management programs.
Allows the owner of a private generation project to sell excess electric output generated by the project to an electric utility.
Certificates of need for utilities.
Underground utility facilities.
Municipal utilities.
A SENATE RESOLUTION urging the legislative council to assign the topic of service areas of electric utilities to the appropriate committee.
Supporting North American energy independence.
Private fire extinguishing resources.
Utility system improvement program.
Pipeline safety.
Service areas of electric utilities.
Nuclear energy projects.
Underground utility plant protection.
Infrastructure improvement costs.
Regional district trustees.
Municipally owned utilities.
IURC review of extraterritorial water rates.
Electric transmission owners.
Various telecommunications matters.
Utility transmission.
Utility facility relocation.
Utilities; economic development.
Video service providers.
Study committee on the topic of wind farms.
Substitute natural gas (SNG) contracts.
Study committee on the topic of tree trimming.
Substitute natural gas contract.
Nuclear energy facilities.
IURC and consumer counselor appointments.