HB 18-1281

HB 18-1281, a Colorado bill that became law after being signed by the governor, aims to improve transparency and ethics at the Public Utilities Commission. It prevents individuals with ties to regulated utilities from serving on the commission starting July 1, 2018, ensuring commissioners have no conflicts of interest. Additionally, it requires the commission to keep detailed records of its meetings available online and allows for performance audits by the state auditor. This bill affects anyone involved in or interested in how Colorado's utility regulations are managed and enforced.

Official Summary

Section 2 of the bill prohibits a person from serving on the public utilities commission if, on or after July 1, 2018, he or she has or acquires any official relation to, or financial interest in, a regulated utility. Section 3 encourages the director of the commission to assign employees to temporary training and development sessions with other state agencies, particularly those with which the commission has frequent interaction, to improve the employees' substantive expertise and familiarity with the operations of those agencies. Section 3 also requires the director to keep written and audio records of the commission's proceedings and make them publicly available online. In addition, section 3 expressly authorizes the executive director of the department of regulatory agencies (of which the commission is a part) to request that the state auditor conduct performance audits of the commission and its staff and operations. Section 4 directs the commission to adopt rules concerning: Policies under which commissioners should recuse themselves from certain proceedings; Conflicts of interest; Activities and relationships that the commission deems incompatible with its policies concerning conflicts of interest; and Ex parte communications. Section 1 makes conforming amendments.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.) , Read More

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