Idaho Bills

Amends existing law to provide for civil penalties for violating public utilities law.

Currently Idaho Code 61-7 l 2(A) authorizes a civil penalty of $2,000 per pipeline violation, and for each day the violation persists with a maximum of $200,000. This subsection of code only applies to pipeline safety violations, and there are no other penalties included in this legislative proposal. The proposed legislation references the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Titk_ 49. Section1_90)._:ZJ (December 28, 2023) and reflects the amounts the federal Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) program has directed state programs to adopt. PHMSA has advised the Idaho Public Utilities Commission (PUC) that starting January 1, 2025 they will be taking over enforcement actions of the PU C's pipeline safety program. By adopting the CFR, the PUC will keep State Primacy over the federal government on its pipeline safety and inspection program.

Relates to the appropriation to the Public Utilities Commission for fiscal year 2026.

This bill is a trailer to Senate Bill 1183 and provides an additional 2.00 FTP and $187,000 to the Public Utilities Commission from the Commission's dedicated fund. Senate Bill 1183 directed the Public Utilities Commission to enact the Wildfire Standard of Care Act, with the associated workload requiring two full time positions to create standards of care regarding operations, maintenance, repair, upgrades, and the outlining of liabilities for an expected minimum of twelve wildfire mitigation plans.

Provides appropriations for a statutory increase to commissioner salaries of the Public Utilities Commission, Industrial Commission, and State Tax Commission.

This bill is a trailer to Senate Bill 1148 and provides appropriations to the Public Utilities Commission, State TaxCommission, andIndustrialCommission. Theseappropriationsprovidefundingfora$1.55perhoursalary increase for each of the Commissioners of these agencies, as provided for in Senate Bill 1148. Senate Bill 1148 provided an equivalent Change in Employee Compensation (CEC) as received by other state employees.

Amends existing law to increase the salaries of commissioners of the Public Utilities Commission, State Tax Commission, and Industrial Commission.

This legislation provides a $1.55 per hour increase, similar to other state employees, for each of the Public Utilities Commissioners, State Tax Commissioners, and Industrial Commissioners effective July 1, 2025. The salary of each of the three Public Utilities Commissioners is statutorily raised from $126,424 to $129,648. The salary of each of the four State Tax Commissioners is statutorily raised from $117,396 to $120,620. The salary of each of the three Industrial Commissioners is statutorily raised from $123,126 to $126,350.