71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session
 
HA to HJR 4
 
LC 688/HJR 4-1
 
                       HOUSE AMENDMENTS TO
                    HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION 4
 
             By COMMITTEE ON ADVANCING E-GOVERNMENT
 
                             May 14
 
  After line 1 of the printed joint resolution, insert:
  ' Whereas Oregon's demand for energy has grown due to
population growth and energy intensive industries, yet the state
has built few power generation facilities over the past decade;
and
  ' Whereas the Pacific Northwest is facing an energy crisis; and
  ' Whereas the pressure on energy supplies has had the effect of
dramatically increasing electricity and natural gas prices; and
  ' Whereas the Legislative Assembly believes that the State of
Oregon must take steps now to encourage adequate energy supplies
and services for the future; and
  ' Whereas Oregon has not reviewed its energy policy in recent
years; and
  ' Whereas in 1999 the Legislative Assembly adopted legislation
establishing a task force to review the structure of the Public
Utility Commission and the task force submitted a number of
recommendations in their report to the Legislative Assembly,
which the commission will consider during the interim; and
  ' Whereas members of the task force that reviewed the Public
Utility Commission recommended that the commission report back to
the Legislative Assembly on the disposition of the
recommendations; and
  ' Whereas previous Legislative Assemblies have added statutes
to ORS chapters 756, 757, 758 and 759 modifying the regulation of
utilities; and
  ' Whereas Congress adopted the federal Telecommunications Act
of 1996 altering the regulatory process of telecommunications;
and
  ' Whereas the statutes governing the commission have not been
comprehensively reviewed in decades; now, therefore,'.
  Delete lines 3 through 8 and insert:
  ' (1) There is created a Joint Interim Committee on Utilities
consisting of five members. The members of the interim committee
shall be:
  ' (a) Two members of the Senate appointed by the President of
the Senate; and
  ' (b) Three members of the House of Representatives appointed
by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.
  ' (2) The interim committee shall review:
  ' (a) Oregon's energy policy.
  ' (b) The statutes governing the regulation of public utilities
and telecommunications utilities to ensure they take into account
the current state of the industries regulated by the Public
Utility Commission. The interim committee shall identify statutes
that are out of date or no longer necessary.
  ' (3) The interim committee shall monitor the implementation of
the recommendations presented to the Seventy-first Legislative
Assembly by the task force created pursuant to section 3, chapter
1102, Oregon Laws 1999 (House Bill 3615). In performing this
 
function, the interim committee may seek the assistance of the
members of the task force that prepared the report.
  ' (4) The interim committee shall report its recommendations to
the Seventy-second Legislative Assembly not later than December
31, 2002.
  ' (5) The Legislative Administration Committee shall provide
staff necessary to assist the interim committee in performing its
functions. The Legislative Administrator may contract with or
cause to be employed persons necessary to assist the interim
committee in performing its functions and shall fix the duties
and amount of compensation of these employees.
  ' (6) Members of the Legislative Assembly appointed to the
interim committee shall be entitled to an allowance as authorized
by ORS 171.072 from moneys appropriated to the Legislative
Assembly for that purpose.
  ' (7) All agencies, departments and officers of this state are
directed to assist the interim committee in the performance of
its functions and to furnish such information, resources and
advice as the members of the committee consider necessary to
perform their functions.
  ' (8) Official action by the interim committee shall require
the approval of a majority of the members of the interim
committee. All legislation recommended by official action of the
interim committee must indicate that it is introduced at the
request of the interim committee. Such legislation shall be
prepared in time for presession filing pursuant to ORS 171.130.'.
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