SB 316

This bill provides deadlines for certain Public Service Commission actions after

a water public utility or a combined water and sewer public utility submits an

application for a certificate of authority and after a water public utility submits an

application for approval of lead service line financial assistance.

Current law generally requires public utilities to obtain a certificate of

authority from PSC before engaging in certain construction, installation, or

improvement projects. Also under current law, a water public utility seeking to

provide financial assistance to the owner of a property to which water utility service

is provided for the purpose of assisting the owner in replacing customer-side water

service lines containing lead (LSL assistance) must apply to PSC for approval.

Under this bill, no later than 45 days after a water public utility or a combined water

and sewer public utility files an application for a certificate of authority or after a

water public utility submits an application for approval of LSL assistance and no

later than 30 days after such an application is refiled, PSC must determine whether

the application is complete and notify the applicant in writing about that

determination. If PSC determines an application is incomplete, the notice must

identify any part of the application PSC has determined to be incomplete and state

the reasons for the determination. In that case, the applicant may supplement and

refile the application an unlimited number of times. If PSC fails to determine

whether an application is complete within the 45-day or 30-day time limit,

whichever applies, the bill provides that the application is considered complete. The

bill requires PSC to issue a notice opening a docket on an application as soon as

practicable but no later than 14 days after determining that the application is

complete.