SB 378 Summary

• Creates an Underground Technical Committee with 17 members representing commercial excavators, utilities, pipelines, telecommunications, locators, government entities, and the general public to review compliance failures and make enforcement recommendations.

• Establishes a complaint and inquiry process allowing aggrieved persons to request investigations into alleged violations of underground utility protection laws within 90 days of discovery, with staff conducting inquiries and the Technical Committee reviewing findings.

• Authorizes fines up to $2,500 for first-time compliance failures and up to $5,000 for subsequent failures, with additional fines up to $10,000 for persistent noncompliers, plus non-monetary penalties such as training or education requirements.

• Creates two funds: the Underground Facilities Protection Fund (for damage prevention grants) and the Underground Facilities Protection Administrative Fund (for committee operations and commission duties), with required annual public reporting.

• Grants the Public Utilities Commission exclusive jurisdiction to enforce underground utility protection laws and requires the commission to adopt rules governing the committee's operations, fine applications, grant programs, and inquiry procedures.