Signed by Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes utility companies to make capital investments without requesting or obtaining approval from state regulators in Arkansas.

Highlights:

• Authorizes utility companies to make capital investments without requesting or obtaining approval from state regulators in Arkansas (Sec. 1-30).

• Authorizes utility companies to increase rates on consumers and remove limits on the amount by which electric co-ops could raise rates (Sec. 1-30).

• Authorizes utility companies to raise rates until they are no more than 10% below the national average for all sectors (Sec. 1-30).

• Authorizes utility companies to charge customers and recoup costs even if their investments offer customers nothing of value. Utilities could abandon projects before completion and still seek recovery of their costs from consumers, even if those customers would see no benefit from the utility’s spending (Sec. 1-30).

• Limits the ability of the Public Service Commission to reject a request to pass these costs to consumers unless there was outright fraud or other illegal activity on the part of the utility (Sec. 1-30).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect immediately upon passage and approval by the Governor (Sec. 31).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes utility companies to make capital investments without requesting or obtaining approval from state regulators in Arkansas.

Highlights:

• Authorizes utility companies to make capital investments without requesting or obtaining approval from state regulators in Arkansas (Sec. 1-30).

• Authorizes utility companies to increase rates on consumers and remove limits on the amount by which electric co-ops could raise rates (Sec. 1-30).

• Authorizes utility companies to raise rates until they are no more than 10% below the national average for all sectors (Sec. 1-30).

• Authorizes utility companies to charge customers and recoup costs even if their investments offer customers nothing of value. Utilities could abandon projects before completion and still seek recovery of their costs from consumers, even if those customers would see no benefit from the utility’s spending (Sec. 1-30).

• Limits the ability of the Public Service Commission to reject a request to pass these costs to consumers unless there was outright fraud or other illegal activity on the part of the utility (Sec. 1-30).

• Specifies that the provisions of this bill shall take effect immediately upon passage and approval by the Governor (Sec. 31).

Full Bill Text