MI HB5194

Establishes a 180-day timeline for the Public Service Commission to rule on partial and immediate rate relief motions filed by gas utilities serving fewer than 1,000,000 customers, with a 12-month deadline for final orders in cases where such motions are filed.

Allows utilities to implement proposed rate increases automatically after 180 days if the Commission fails to issue a final order, with mandatory refunds plus interest (5% plus LIBOR, or the utility's authorized return on equity for amounts exceeding 25% of awarded increases) if final rates are lower.

Restricts utilities from filing new general rate case applications for 12 months after filing a complete prior application and prohibits multiple concurrent applications until the Commission issues a final order or rates are approved by operation of law.

Caps return on equity authorization at the national average of investor-owned gas or electric utilities' authorized returns over the most recent 12 months, and requires the Commission to issue show cause orders for rate reductions if actual returns exceed authorized returns by 20 basis points or more.

Requires the Commission to conduct a study by April 20, 2018, on appropriate tariffs for net metering and distributed generation program participants, with mandatory tariff approval in rate cases filed after June 1, 2018.