Kentucky House Bill 594 (Prior Session Legislation)

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Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: Introduced on March 2 2020 - 25% progression, died in committee
Action: 2020-03-04 - to Natural Resources & Energy (H)
Pending: House Natural Resources & Energy Committee
Text: Latest bill text (Introduced) [PDF]

Create new sections of KRS Chapter 74 to define "appointing authority," "board," "commissioner," "governing body," "joint commissioner," "joint water commission," "public service commission," "public water or wastewater system," "water association", and "water district"; establish eligibility requirements for members of a water district, water association, and joint water commission; require online training and continuing education hours for water commissioners; require the Kentucky Public Service Commission to develop best management practices for governing bodies of public water and wastewater utilities; establish penalties for failure to meet training and eligibility requirements; create new sections of KRS 224.70 to establish the Public Water and Wastewater Working Group; identify the members and responsibilities of the working group; allow for the creation of stakeholder advisory groups; report to the Legislative Research Commission by November 1 of each year; develop methods to identify failing public water and wastewater utilities; create a Kentucky Public Water and Wastewater System Protection Panel and name executive branch members of the panel; require the panel to develop metrics to identify systems at risk of insolvency, develop a priority list for intervention by the panel, and promulgate administrative regulations to develop comprehensive criteria for sanctions against governing bodies at risk of failure; identify remedies for failing system and interventions; amend KRS 65.007 to add misfeasance and nonfeasance to reasons for removal by an appointing authority; amend KRS 74.012 to clarify entities and conform to definitions; amend KRS 74.020 to clarify definitions and require commissioners to comply with initial and continuing education; increase initial hours from six to nine; require twelve hours of continuing education every three years; amend KRS 74.025 to allow removal for failure to complete training; amend KRS 74.030 to change reference from commission to board to conform with chapter definitions; amend KRS 74.040 to establish requirements for the chief executive officer and update duties to include financial and water loss audit, rate and operations review, and infrastructure improvement plan and conform definitions; amend KRS 74.080 to update board duties and responsibilities regarding rates, procedures, audits, and planning; allow the commission to review rates on its own motion and require rate adjustment for full cost recovery; amend KRS 74.100 to require a comprehensive infrastructure improvement plan and conform definitions; amend KRS 74.110 to require notice to the commission when annexing or striking district territory; amend KRS 74.177 to clarify agricultural district; amend KRS 74.240 to update requirements of the district and require qualified infrastructure improvement plan filed and approved by the commission; amend KRS 74.050, 74.070,74.280, 74.090, 74.120, 74.130, 74.140, 74.150, 74.160, 74.180, 74.190, 74.200, 74.220 74.290, 74.300, 74.330 to conform definitions; amend KRS 74.361 to authorize the commission to investigate merger of water districts after repeated water loss or failure to perform audits; amend KRS 74.370 to clarify the commission's authority over water districts; amend KRS 74.395 to allow recovery through a surcharge for improvements designed to reduce water loss and specify range over 15 percent; require improvement plan and water loss audit be submitted for surcharge; amend KRS 74.430, 74.440, 74.460, 74.470, 74.480, 74.490, 74.500, 74.510, 74.520, and 74.990 to clarify distinction between joint water commissions and joint commissioners; amend KRS 74.450 to establish eligibility to serve as joint commissioner; amend KRS 91A.040 to require the auditor to obtain a copy of an audit performed on any public water or wastewater system owned by the city; include in the audit report whether the city is compliant in performing the audit and report to Department for Local Government and Kentucky Infrastructure Authority if noncompliant; amend KRS 96.172 to establish eligibility to serve on municipal board of public utilities; amend KRS 96.173 to require expenses incurred to be prudent and reasonable in order to be payable from revenues; amend KRS 96.176 to require financial practices be consistent with best management practices developed by the Kentucky Public Service Commission; amend KRS 96.181 to require board finances be consistent with best management practices and GAAP to facilitate audit; amend KRS 96.182 to restrict use of rate receipts for anything not related to the provision of service by the electric and water plant; amend KRS 96.190 to require initial training and continuing education; amend KRS 96.200 to require conformity to best management practices; amend KRS 96.240 to establish requirements for appointees to board of waterworks; amend KRS 96.320 to establish requirements for appointees to cities owning waterworks; amend KRS 96.351 to establish qualifications for members of waterworks commission and waterworks and sewerage commission.

AN ACT relating to public water and wastewater.

Rep. Joe Graviss [D]

Date	Chamber	Action
2020-03-04	House	to Natural Resources & Energy (H)
2020-03-02	House	introduced in House

Type	Source
Summary	https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/record/20RS/hb594.html
Text	https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/bill/20RS/hb594/orig_bill.pdf
Supplement	https://apps.legislature.ky.gov/recorddocuments/note/20RS/hb594/LM.pdf