Read the full stored bill text
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1715
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR MCCREERY .
5357S.01I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To amend chapter 386, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to public utilities
employees' whistleblower protections.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 386, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto 1
one new section, to be known as section 386.1150, to read as 2
follows:3
386.1150. 1. For purposes of this section, the 1
following terms mean: 2
(1) "Commission", the Missouri public service 3
commission; 4
(2) "Public counsel", the Missouri office of the 5
public counsel; 6
(3) "Protected person", an employee of a public 7
utility, who has reported to the proper authorities an 8
unlawful act, serious misconduct that violates public 9
policy, or any other violation promulgated by a statute, 10
rule, regulation, or any other provision of law by a public 11
utility; or an employee of the public utility who refused to 12
carry out a directive by the public utility that if 13
completed would be a violation of the law, rule, or 14
regulation of the commission. "Protected person" includes 15
any person serving on a board of directors, any person 16
serving in leadership roles, such as executives, managers, 17
SB 1715 2
supervisors, or any employee, applicant, former employee, or 18
contractor subject to the authority of the commission; 19
(4) "Public utility", the same as defined in section 20
386.020. 21
2. The commission and public counsel shall each 22
designate counsel to stand as ombudsman who shall accept any 23
complaint or information provided by a protected person as 24
to any act or omission by a public utility that violates 25
current law or any rule or regulation promulgated by the 26
commission under this chapter. 27
3. Any information provided to the ombudsman under 28
this section pertaining to the identity of the protected 29
person shall be kept confidential and a closed record under 30
chapter 610. 31
4. Any information provided to the ombudsman 32
pertaining to a rate case shall be placed in an official 33
rate case file, but any information pertaining to the 34
identity of the protected person under this section shall be 35
redacted. 36
5. The commission and public counsel shall each have 37
the power to investigate or make an inquiry as to any act or 38
omission by a public utility based on a complaint or 39
information provided by a protected person under this 40
section. 41
6. After receiving the complaint or information by a 42
protected person, the commission and public counsel shall: 43
(1) Both confirm receipt of the complaint or 44
information to the protected person; 45
(2) Provide an opportunity for the protected person to 46
meet with an investigator investigating or making an inquiry 47
as to any act or omission by the public utility under 48
subsection 5 of this section; 49
SB 1715 3
(3) Provide an opportunity for the protected person to 50
rebut any denial by the public utility pertaining to any act 51
or omission by the public utility that is being 52
investigated; and 53
(4) Provide an opportunity for the protected person to 54
comment on a preliminary investigative report pertaining to 55
any act or omission by the public utility, if any, that has 56
been investigated under subsection 5 of this section. 57
7. Any rebuttal, denial, or any comments under 58
subsection 6 of this section shall be included in the record 59
of the complaint. 60
8. The commission and public counsel shall both send 61
notification to the protected person of the final result of 62
the investigation pertaining to any act or omission by the 63
public utility under this section. 64
9. A protected person under this section shall have 65
the same remedies as a protected person under section 66
285.575. 67
10. The commission shall promulgate rules to enforce 68
the provisions of this section. Any rule or portion of a 69
rule, as that term is defined in section 536.010, that is 70
created under the authority delegated in this section shall 71
become effective only if it complies with and is subject to 72
all of the provisions of chapter 536 and, if applicable, 73
section 536.028. This section and chapter 536 are 74
nonseverable and if any of the powers vested with the 75
general assembly pursuant to chapter 536 to review, to delay 76
the effective date, or to disapprove and annul a rule are 77
subsequently held unconstitutional, then the grant of 78
rulemaking authority and any rule proposed or adopted after 79
August 28, 2026, shall be invalid and void. 80
✓