State Sen. Clyde Chambliss (R-Prattville) joined Mobile radio FM Talk 106.5's "The Jeff Poor Show" on Wednesday to discuss recently filed legislation changing the Alabama Public Service Commission from three members to seven elected by the public.
According to SB360, a commissioner would be elected from each congressional district, ensuring local representation across the state.
"We want to return the power to the people to decide who the commissioners are," Chambliss said of the bill. "We want there to be representation on all four corners of the state and everywhere in between. That hasn't been the case, as far back as I have looked. Maybe there was at one time, but not in the last 20-30 years anyway. So, let's get representatives in each of the seven congressional districts."
"We're making it illegal for those rates to be raised until we have a majority who are elected," Chambliss continued. "It can be lowered, it cannot go up. It's illegal for it to go up."
According to Chambliss, the bill's sponsor, elections for an expanded commission would ideally be staggered to ensure "continuity."
"Long term, we would have two or three at a time being elected instead of the whole board," explained Chambliss. "We don't want that. We want that continuity. When you have new people coming in, you have some continuity in the short term. I'd prefer not to do it that way, but to get them staggered and everything where we need them to be."
Under the new legislation, the PSC would hold annual hearings for increased accountability.
"We've never had that before. I've been told we hadn't had a hearing like that since the 1980s," noted Chambliss. "This will be an annual requirement, and we've done that on some other things. Hearing from the people directly is never a bad thing. That's what we're here for, and this law will require that to happen annually."
"I liken it to another sensitive topic with the Department of Corrections, we started mandatory annual public hearings. I think it was three years ago, and that has made a difference, because we get to hear directly from those impacted, and that's what we'll have on the power side. We'll be hearing directly from the people, the ones who are paying the rates. In my opinion, that communication, that education of legislators, will have a positive effect over time."
The lawmaker is confident there is still ample time in the legislative session to pass SB360.
"We only have to have five legislative days to get a bill from introduction to final passage," said Chambliss. "We have twice that many days. But as we get toward the end of the session, there's a lot of sand trying to get through that hourglass, a lot of oil trying to get through the funnel. This is a big enough issue, though. Again, rate payers in Alabama are paying billions and billions of dollars. It's that important."
"I think we'll have a good hearing and expedite through the process, and we'll see if we can get it," he added.
If SB360 is passed and signed into law, it will take effect on June 1.
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