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SA2TOSB60 • 2025

This amendment restricts a public utility from recovering from customers organizational or membership dues but only to the extent that the organization engages in lobbying or similar activities intended to influence the outcome of legislation, rules, ballot measures, or regulatory decisions.

This amendment restricts a public utility from recovering from customers organizational or membership dues but only to the extent that the organization engages in lobbying or similar activities intended to influence the outcome of legislation, rules, ballot measures, or regulatory decisions.

Elections
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Hansen
Last action
2025-03-20
Official status
Passed 3/20/25
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on how the Public Service Commission will review and approve additional expenses above the $125 million cap.

Restricting Public Utility Recovery of Dues

This amendment stops public utilities from charging customers for organizational or membership dues used for lobbying activities and adds exceptions to a $125 million annual capital expense cap for emergencies.

What This Bill Does

  • Prevents public utilities from collecting money from customers for dues that are spent on lobbying activities.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Public utilities and their customers

Terms To Know

Lobbying
Trying to influence decisions made by government officials or agencies.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if a utility company tries to charge customers for lobbying-related dues.
  • It is unclear how the Public Service Commission will review and approve additional expenses above the $125 million cap.

Bill History

  1. 2025-03-20 Delaware General Assembly

    Passed By Senate. Votes: 19 YES 2 ABSENT

  2. 2025-03-19 Delaware General Assembly

    Introduced and Placed With Bill

Official Summary Text

This amendment restricts a public utility from recovering from customers organizational or membership dues but only to the extent that the organization engages in lobbying or similar activities intended to influence the outcome of legislation, rules, ballot measures, or regulatory decisions. With respect to the $125 million dollar cap on annual capital expenses at lines 37 through 40 of the bill, this amendment adds an exception for emergency or extraordinary circumstances, including natural disasters and tariffs, that require the electric distribution company to incur greater capital expenses above the cap.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Hansen

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 2

TO

SENATE BILL NO. 60

AMEND Senate Bill No. 60 by deleting lines 10 through 12 and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

“

(2) Organizational or membership dues, or other contributions, to any organization, association, institution, corporation, or other entity to the extent that the dues or contributions are used for lobbying or other similar activities intended to influence the outcome of any local, state, or federal legislation, ordinance, resolution, rule, ballot measure, or regulatory decision.

”

FURTHER AMEND Senate Bill No. 60 by deleting lines 37 through 40 and substituting in lieu thereof the following:

“

(c) For the years 2026 through and including 2028, the Public Service Commission shall not allow an electric distribution company to recover in rates annual capital expenses in excess of $125 million dollars to maintain system reliability, absent emergency or extraordinary circumstances, including an inability to meet, but not exceed, Public Service Commission reliability standards, that require greater capital expenditures by the electric distribution company. The recovery of any capital expenses in excess of the $125 million dollar cap, arising from emergency or extraordinary circumstances, are subject to review and approval by the Public Service Commission, and the application to the Commission must be filed within six months of the incurring of the initial capital expenses sought to be recovered.

”

SYNOPSIS

This amendment restricts a public utility from recovering from customers organizational or membership dues but only to the extent that the organization engages in lobbying or similar activities intended to influence the outcome of legislation, rules, ballot measures, or regulatory decisions. With respect to the $125 million dollar cap on annual capital expenses at lines 37 through 40 of the bill, this amendment adds an exception for emergency or extraordinary circumstances, including natural disasters and tariffs, that require the electric distribution company to incur greater capital expenses above the cap.

Author: Senator Hansen