71st OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2001 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
 LC 688
 
                           A-Engrossed
 
                    House Joint Resolution 4
                   Ordered by the House May 14
             Including House Amendments dated May 14
 
Ordered printed by the Speaker pursuant to House Rule 12.00A (5).
  Presession filed (at the request of Governor John A. Kitzhaber,
  M.D., for Oregon Department of Administrative Services)
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
 
    { - Proposes amendment to Oregon Constitution to eliminate
provision requiring election or appointment of state printer. - }
 
    { - Refers proposed amendment to people for their approval or
rejection at special election held on same date as next biennial
primary election. - }
   { +  Creates Joint Interim Committee on Utilities. + }
 
                        JOINT RESOLUTION
  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,
Be It Resolved by the Legislative Assembly of the State of
  Oregon:
  (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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