HOUSE BILL No. 6037


     September 28, 2000, Introduced by Reps. Cassis, Birkholz, Gosselin, Toy, Kowall and Richardville and referred to the
Committee on Energy and Technology.


        A bill to amend 1939 PA 3, entitled

   "An act to provide for the regulation and control of public util-
   ities and other services affected with a public interest within
   this state; to provide for alternative energy suppliers; to pro-
   vide for licensing; to include municipally owned utilities and
   other providers of energy under certain provisions of this act;
   to create a public service commission and to prescribe and define
   its powers and duties; to abolish the Michigan public utilities
   commission and to confer the powers and duties vested by law on
   the public service commission; to provide for the continuance,
   transfer, and completion of certain matters and proceedings; to
   abolish automatic adjustment clauses; to prohibit certain rate
   increases without notice and hearing; to qualify residential
   energy conservation programs permitted under state law for cer-
   tain federal exemption; to create a fund; to provide for a
   restructuring of the manner in which energy is provided in this
   state; to encourage the utilization of resource recovery facili-
   ties; to prohibit certain acts and practices of providers of
   energy; to allow for the securitization of stranded costs; to
   reduce rates; to provide for appeals; to provide appropriations;
   to declare the effect and purpose of this act; to prescribe reme-
   dies and penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,"

   (MCL 460.1 to 460.10cc) by adding section 9.

               THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:




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           SEC. 9.  (1) IF NATURAL GAS SERVICE IS DISRUPTED IN A

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      CLEARLY DEFINED AREA AFFECTING RESIDENTS OR BUSINESSES ANYWHERE

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      WITHIN THE SERVICE AREA OF A NATURAL GAS UTILITY OR NATURAL GAS

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      SUPPLIER FOR A PERIOD OF 12 CONSECUTIVE HOURS OR MORE, THE UTIL-

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      ITY OR SUPPLIER SHALL IMMEDIATELY NOTIFY THE APPROPRIATE FOLLOW-

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      ING ENTITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SERVICE AREA OF THE DISRUPTION

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      AND THE EXACT LOCATION OF THE CUSTOMERS WITHOUT SERVICE:

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           (A) THE 9-1-1 SERVICE RESPONSE AUTHORITY.

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           (B) THE POLICE OR SHERIFF DEPARTMENT.

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           (C) THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

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           (D) THE CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNING

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      UNIT.

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           (E) THE CHIEF ELECTED OFFICIAL FOR THE LOCAL GOVERNING

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      UNIT.

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           (2) IF AFTER NOTICE AND HEARING THE COMMISSION FINDS A UTIL-

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      ITY OR SUPPLIER HAS VIOLATED THIS SECTION, THE COMMISSION SHALL

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      ORDER THE UTILITY OR SUPPLIER TO PAY A FINE FOR THE FIRST OFFENSE

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      OF NOT LESS THAN $1,000.00 OR MORE THAN $20,000.00 PER DAY THAT

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      THE UTILITY OR SUPPLIER IS IN VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION, AND FOR

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      EACH SUBSEQUENT OFFENSE, A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN $2,000.00 OR

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      MORE THAN $40,000.00 PER DAY.

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           (3) FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, "NATURAL GAS UTILITY"

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      OR "UTILITY" INCLUDES A MUNICIPALLY OWNED UTILITY.











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