Bill Text: MI SB0915 | 2025-2026 | 103rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Public utilities: public service commission; competitive bidding for certain utility contracts; require. Amends 1939 PA 3 (MCL 460.1 - 460.11) by adding sec. 6bb.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3)
Status: (Introduced) 2026-04-22 - Referred To Committee On Energy And Environment [SB0915 Detail]
Download: Michigan-2025-SB0915-Introduced.html
SENATE BILL NO. 915
A bill to amend 1939 PA 3, entitled
"An act to provide for the regulation and control of public and certain private utilities and other services affected with a public interest within this state; to provide for alternative energy suppliers and certain providers of electric vehicle charging services; to provide for licensing; to include municipally owned utilities and other providers of energy under certain provisions of this act; to create a public service commission and to prescribe and define its powers and duties; to abolish the Michigan public utilities commission and to confer the powers and duties vested by law on the public service commission; to provide for the powers and duties of certain state governmental officers and entities; to provide for the continuance, transfer, and completion of certain matters and proceedings; to abolish automatic adjustment clauses; to prohibit certain rate increases without notice and hearing; to qualify residential energy conservation programs permitted under state law for certain federal exemption; to create a fund; to encourage the utilization of resource recovery facilities; to prohibit certain acts and practices of providers of energy; to allow for the securitization of stranded costs; to reduce rates; to provide for appeals; to provide appropriations; to declare the effect and purpose of this act; to prescribe remedies and penalties; and to repeal acts and parts of acts,"
(MCL 460.1 to 460.11) by adding section 6bb.
the people of the state of michigan enact:
Sec. 6bb. (1) Beginning on the effective date of the amendatory act that added this section, before entering into a contract for any construction, operations, maintenance, or capital improvement work, an electric utility or natural gas utility shall implement a competitive procurement process for the work.
(2) Beginning on the effective date of the amendatory act that added this section, the commission shall not allow an electric utility or natural gas utility to recover any expenses for a contract for work that was not subject to a competitive procurement process under subsection (1).
(3) A bidder or ratepayer may bring a civil action for appropriate injunctive relief, declaratory relief, or damages to enforce compliance with the competitive procurement process under this section. A prevailing plaintiff in an action under this subsection is entitled to recover actual damages or $1,000.00, whichever is greater, plus reasonable attorney fees and costs. This subsection does not limit any other remedies available under law.
(4) All bids to an electric utility or natural gas utility are considered public records. An electric utility or natural gas utility shall make all bids and supporting documentation open to public inspection and copying in accordance with procedures substantially similar to those provided under the freedom of information act, 1976 PA 442, MCL 15.231 to 15.246.
(5) As used in sections 6s, 6t, and this section, "competitive procurement process", "competitively bid", or "competitive solicitation" means a bidding or procurement process that is consistent with the requirements for local governments under 2 CFR 200.319, 200.320, and 200.326.
