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assessment charged to the utility on or before July 1st of each | | year. Any increase in the assessment that becomes effective | | subsequent to May 1st may be billed on the effective date of the | | act authorizing the increase. |
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| | | A. The assessments charged to utilities under this section | | are just and reasonable operating costs for rate-making | | purposes. |
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| | | B. For the purposes of this section, "intrastate gross | | operating revenues" means intrastate revenues derived from | | filed rates, except revenues derived from sales for resale. |
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| | | C. Gas utilities subject to the jurisdiction of the | | commission solely with respect to safety are not subject to | | any assessment. |
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| | | D. The commission may correct any errors in the assessments | | by means of a credit or debit to the following year's | | assessment rather than reassessing all utilities in the | | current year. |
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| | | E. The commission may exempt utilities with annual | | intrastate gross operating revenues under $50,000 from | | assessments under this section. |
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| | | Sec. 2. Use of unexpended funds. Notwithstanding the Maine Revised | | Statutes, Title 35-A, section 116, subsection 5, the Public | | Utilities Commission may expend in fiscal year 2001-02 and fiscal | | year 2002-03, for the purposes specified in Title 35-A, section | | 116, subsection 4, 100% of any unexpended funds remaining at the | | end of the prior fiscal year. Treatment of funds not expended at | | the end of fiscal year 2002-03 is governed by Title 35-A, section | | 116, subsection 5. |
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| | | Sec. 3. Allocation. The following funds are allocated from Other | | Special Revenue funds to carry out the purposes of this Act. |
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| | | PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION |
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| | | Public Utilities Commission |
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| | | Personal Services | | ($300,000) |
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| | | Transfers unexpended funds allocated for | | personnel salary to All Other account. |
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| | | PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION | | __________ |
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| | | Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, | | this Act takes effect when approved. |
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| | | This bill authorizes the Public Utilities Commission to | | release funds designated for salaries and use them for other | | commission expenses and to make all funds that were budgeted but | | unused in fiscal year 2000-01 available for use in the subsequent | | 2 fiscal years. This bill allows the commission to maintain all | | of its ongoing responsibilities, including protecting Maine's | | consumers in regional and national proceedings. The bill also | | increases the public utilities assessment for fiscal years 2001- | | 02 and 2002-03. |
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