69-8-501. Transition advisory committee. (1) A transition advisory committee on electric utility industry restructuring is created. The transition advisory committee is composed of twelve voting members who are appointed as follows:
     (a) The speaker of the house shall appoint six members from the house of representatives, not more than three of whom may be from one political party.
     (b) The president of the senate shall appoint six members from the senate, not more than three of whom may be from one political party.
     (2) The following entities shall appoint nonvoting advisory representatives to the transition advisory committee:
     (a) The director of the department of environmental quality shall appoint one department representative.
     (b) The legislative consumer committee shall appoint one representative.
     (c) One representative of the cooperative utility industry is appointed as designated by the Montana electrical cooperative association.
     (d) The public utilities in the state of Montana shall appoint one member.
     (e) The commission shall appoint one member.
     (f) The governor shall appoint the following nonvoting committee members:
     (i) one representative from the industrial community with an interest in the restructuring of the electric utility industry;
     (ii) one representative from the nonindustrial retail electric consumer sector;
     (iii) one representative from organized labor;
     (iv) one representative from the community comprising environmental and conservation interests;
     (v) one representative from a low-income program provider;
     (vi) one representative of Montana's Indian tribes; and
     (vii) one representative of the electric power market industry.
     (3) In case of a vacancy, a replacement must be selected in the manner of the original appointment.
     (4) Legislative members are entitled to salary and expenses as provided in 5-2-302.
     (5) The public service commission, legislative services division, and appropriate state agencies shall provide staff assistance as requested by the committee.
     (6) Transition advisory committee members must be appointed within 60 days of May 2, 1997, to an initial term expiring on December 31, 1999. Subsequent terms must be for up to 2 years expiring on January 1 of odd-numbered years.
     (7) The voting members shall select a transition advisory committee presiding officer.
     (8) The transition advisory committee on electric utility industry restructuring must dissolve on the earlier of either the date that full transition to retail competition is completed or December 31, 2004.
     (9) The transition advisory committee shall provide an annual report on the status of electric utility restructuring on or before November 1 to the governor, the speaker of the house, the president of the senate, and the commission and shall provide quarterly interim summary reports to the members of the legislature through January 1, 1999.
     (10) The transition advisory committee shall meet at least quarterly or as often as is necessary to conduct its business.
     (11) The transition advisory committee shall analyze and report on the transition to effective competition in the competitive electricity supply market. The annual report made in the year 2000 must evaluate specifically the pilot programs for customers with loads under 1,000 kilowatts and must include legislative recommendations, if it appears appropriate, about the best means to further encourage the development of customer choice and meaningful market access for the benefit of smaller customers. The annual report for the year 2000 must also address the need, if any, for additional consumer protection including protection from abusive or anticompetitive practices.
     (12) The criteria that the transition advisory committee must use to evaluate effective competition in the electricity supply market include but are not limited to the following:
     (a) the level of demand for power supply choice and the availability of market prices for smaller customers;
     (b) the existence of sufficient markets and bargaining power to the benefit of smaller customers and the best means to encourage and support the development of sufficient markets;
     (c) the level of interest among electricity suppliers and the opportunity for electricity suppliers to serve smaller customers; and
     (d) the existence of the requisite technical and administrative support that enables smaller customers to have choice of electricity supply.
     (13) The transition advisory committee shall recommend legislation if necessary to promote electric utility restructuring and retail choice of electricity suppliers.
     (14) The transition advisory committee shall make recommendations to the governor, regarding the implementation of statewide universal system benefits and universal energy assistance funds, in time to allow for those funds to be created on or before January 1, 1999. This may include recommendations regarding the assignment of an existing government agency or private, nonprofit entity as the fund administrator and administration guidelines for the funds, including the means by which funds may be made available for use.
     (15) The transition advisory committee shall monitor and evaluate the universal system benefits programs and comparable levels of funding for the region and make recommendations to the 58th legislature to adjust the funding level provided for in 69-8-402 to coincide with the related activities of the region at that time.
     (16) On or before July 1, 2002, the transition advisory committee, in coordination with the commission, shall conduct a reevaluation of the ongoing need for universal system benefits programs and annual funding requirements and shall make recommendations to the 58th legislature regarding the future need for those programs. The determination must focus specifically on the existence of markets to provide for any or all of the universal system benefits programs or whether other means for funding those programs have developed. These recommendations may also address how future reevaluations will be provided for, if necessary.
     (17) On or before November 1, 2001, the transition advisory committee shall collect information to determine whether Montana utilities or their affiliates have an opportunity to sell electricity to customers outside of the state of Montana comparable to the opportunity provided pursuant to this chapter to utilities or their affiliates located outside the state of Montana. That information must be included in the report to the 58th legislature.
     (18) On or before November 1, 1998, the transition advisory committee shall make recommendations to the governor and the legislature regarding the provision of low-income energy assistance programs in Montana by all energy providers.

     History: En. Sec. 29, Ch. 505, L. 1997; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 372, L. 1999.