Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking SECTION 2, beginning on line 32 on page 2 and ending on line 14 on page 3, and inserting:
/ "Section 33-49-150. The Office of Regulatory Staff under the provisions of this section is hereby vested with the authority and jurisdiction to make inspections, audits and examinations of electric cooperatives pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 4, Title 58 relating to the compliance of electric cooperatives with the provisions of Sections 33-49-255, 33-49-280, 33-49-420, 33-49-430, 33-49-440, 33-49-450, 33-49-610, 33-49-615, 33-49-620, 33-49-625, 33-49-630, 33-49-640, 33-49-645, 33-49-1410, 33-49-1420, 33-49-1430, 33-49-1440, 58-27-820 and 58-27-840. The Office of Regulatory Staff is granted authority and jurisdiction over electric cooperatives that provide only wholesale services with regard to any of the foregoing statutory provisions to the extent that those provisions are applicable to the wholesale electric cooperatives. The Office of Regulatory Staff does not have the authority or jurisdiction to make inspections, audits or examinations of subsidiaries of an electric cooperative provided that the subsidiary is not subsidized by, or any financial credit risk to, electric cooperative ratepayers and that the subsidiary has not taken action, on behalf of the electric cooperative, on any of the electric cooperative's duties as provided in the sections listed above. Where an electric cooperative board of trustees has exercised its business judgment in accordance with sound business and management practices and consistent with the long-term financial stability of the cooperative and the benefit of its members, the Office of Regulatory Staff is not authorized to disturb the resulting decisions of the electric cooperative board of trustees. Upon completion of an authorized inspection, audit or examination, the Office of Regulatory Staff must report its findings to the management and board of the electric cooperative and attempt to resolve with the management and board any compliance issues that are identified. The Public Service Commission is vested with the authority and jurisdiction to resolve any disputed issues arising from the inspections, audits or examinations." /
Amend the bill further, as and if amended, by striking lines 1-6 on page 4 and inserting:
/ (D) Any A person aggrieved by a violation of this section may petition the courts of this State must make a complaint to the Office of Regulatory Staff for redress in accordance with applicable law and notwithstanding Section 58-27-210, the Public Service Commission shall have no jurisdiction over an electric cooperative by reason of this section. If the matter is not resolved after making a complaint to the Office of Regulatory Staff, the person may petition the courts of this State for redress." /
Amend the bill further, as and if amended, by striking lines 16-23 on page 5 and inserting:
/ When at least one of the races for cooperative trustee is contested prior to the annual meeting, each cooperative must provide a method by which members of the cooperative may cast a ballot in an election for trustees on a day other than, and before, the annual meeting day. The method for this alternative early voting should allow for voting by cooperative members prior to and after regular working hours and should include reasonable accommodations for elderly, disabled, or infirmed members as permitted by this section." /
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.