Bill 578

                    Current Status

Bill Number:                       578
Type of Legislation:               Joint Resolution JR
Introducing Body:                  Senate
Introduced Date:                   19970326
Primary Sponsor:                   Mescher
All Sponsors:                      Mescher and Giese 
Drafted Document Number:           res1359.wcm
Residing Body:                     Senate
Current Committee:                 Judiciary Committee 11 SJ
Subject:                           Electric Industry Deregulation
                                   Task Force created, Electricity,
                                   General Assembly, Commissions,
                                   Committees, Boards

Body    Date      Action Description                       Com     Leg Involved
______  ________  _______________________________________  _______ ____________
Senate  19970326  Introduced, read first time,             11 SJ
                  referred to Committee

TO CREATE AN ELECTRIC INDUSTRY DEREGULATION TASK FORCE TO STUDY AND REPORT ON ALL PHASES OF THE ELECTRIC UTILITY SYSTEM IN ORDER TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTIVENESS AND FAIRNESS OF ELECTRIC INDUSTRY DEREGULATION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. (A) There is hereby created an Electric Industry Deregulation Task Force for the purpose of studying the electric utility system in order to ensure effectiveness and fairness of electric industry deregulation. The study should embody all phases of the electric utility system and other factors and issues which impact upon homeowners and business owners throughout the State of South Carolina.

(B) The Task Force shall report its findings and recommendations to the Senate Judiciary Committee and the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee no later than January 30, 1998.

The Task Force shall consist of nineteen members as follows:

(1) the Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, or his designee, from the membership of that committee;

(2) the Chairman of the House Labor, Commerce and Industry Committee, or his designee, from the membership of that committee;

(3) six members, appointed by the Governor, representing each of the following:

(a) commercial (small) business consumers;

(b) industrial (large) business consumers;

(c) residential consumers;

(d) a registered municipal electric cooperative operating in South Carolina;

(e) an independent power marketer;

(f) an independent power producer;

(4) the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, or his designee

(5) the Director of the Department of Consumer Affairs, or his designee;

(6) the President of the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce, or his designee;

(7) the Secretary of the South Carolina Department of Commerce, or his designee;

(8) the chief operating officer or his designee from the following electric generating utilities:

(a) Carolina Power and Light;

(b) Duke Power;

(c) Piedmont Municipal Power Agency;

(d) South Carolina Public Service Authority;

(e) South Carolina Electric and Gas;

(9) the chief operating officer of the following electric transmission and/or distribution utilities:

(a) Central Electric Power Cooperative;

(b) Saluda River Electric Cooperative.

(C) A member appointed pursuant to subsection (B)(3) may not be a registered lobbyist or lobbyist's principal (as defined in Chapter 17, Title 2 of the 1976 Code) at the time of appointment or may not have been a lobbyist or lobbyist's principal within one year prior to the date of appointment. The office holder referenced in subsections (B)(4) through (B)(9) may serve notwithstanding whether the individual is a lobbyist or lobbyist's principal, but the office holder may not select a designee who is a lobbyist or lobbyist's principal at the time of appointment, or who was a lobbyist or lobbyist's principal one year prior to the date of appointment.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor and the Task Force shall dissolve upon the filing of the report referenced in Section 1(A).