CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions.





                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                        Bill No. SB 2454, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No.     (for drafter's use only)

                            CHAMBER ACTION
              Senate                               House
                                   .
                                   .
 1                                 .
                                   .
 2                                 .
                                   .
 3                                 .
                                   .
 4                                                                

 5                                           ORIGINAL STAMP BELOW

 6

 7

 8

 9

10                                                                

11  Representative(s) Miller offered the following:

12

13         Amendment (with title amendment) 

14  remove from the bill:  Everything after the enacting clause

15

16  and insert in lieu thereof:

17         Section 1.    Each residential electric utility

18  customer account of an "electric utility" as defined in s.

19  366.02(2), Florida Statutes, receiving active, residential

20  electric utility service on May 1, 1998, shall be provided

21  with a $25 credit, or an amount for which funds are equally

22  available from the General Revenue Fund, on their electric

23  utility service account in August of 1998. The method for the

24  award of this credit shall be as follows:

25         a)  Each electric utility shall file with the Florida

26  Public Service Commission by June 1, 1998 certification of the

27  total number of residential electric utility accounts

28  receiving active service on May 1, 1998.

29         b)  Upon receipt of the  certification of the total

30  number of residential electric utility accounts from the

31  utilities, the Commission shall calculate the amount of funds

                                  1

    File original & 9 copies    04/30/98
    hmo0008                     08:46 am         02454-0059-261881




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                        Bill No. SB 2454, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No.     (for drafter's use only)





 1  necessary for each electric utility to accomplish the

 2  provision of this section by multiplying the number of

 3  residential accounts active on May 1, 1998 by $25.

 4         c)  The Commission shall produce a list of the

 5  utilities detailing the calculated amount of funds necessary

 6  to provide the $25 credit and certify this list to the

 7  Comptroller of the State of Florida, the President of the

 8  Senate, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives by

 9  June 15, 1998. Upon any specific request of the Comptroller,

10  the President of the Senate, or the Speaker of the House of

11  Representatives, the Public Service Commission shall have the

12  authority to audit the total number of residential electric

13  utility accounts as filed pursuant to subsection (b) of this

14  act.

15         d)  The Comptroller shall distribute funds to each

16  individual electric utility  based on the list submitted by

17  the Commission on or before July 1, 1998. The Comptroller

18  shall make appropriate adjustments as funds are available to

19  ensure an equal credit to each specified electric utility

20  customer as provided by this section.

21         e)  The Florida Public Service Commission shall direct

22  each electric utility to provide the credit on the electric

23  service  account of the eligible residential electric service

24  customers on  August 1, 1998  as provided by this section,

25  without exception. The Commission shall develop the

26  appropriate language describing the credit on the bill and

27  notifying customers of the credit application process making

28  every effort to neutralize costs to the utilities. Credits

29  shall be reflected on the bills rendered by the utility

30  starting on August 1, 1998 for the applicable customer

31  accounts as they are subsequently billed according to the

                                  2

    File original & 9 copies    04/30/98
    hmo0008                     08:46 am         02454-0059-261881




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                        Bill No. SB 2454, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No.     (for drafter's use only)





 1  utility's standard billing cycles, said credits being applied

 2  to the bills up to the total amount owed each month for

 3  electric service. When bills for electric service do not have

 4  sufficient electric service amounts owed to utilize the entire

 5  amount of the credit, the remaining credit will be carried on

 6  the account for subsequent months billing until the total

 7  credit has been utilized or until October 31, 1998. Any

 8  customer receiving service on May 1, 1998 that is no longer

 9  receiving electric service from the electric utility on August

10  1, 1998, shall have the credit reflected on their prior

11  account until such time as the utility determines that such

12  customer has not requested or renewed service service from the

13  utility between August 1, 1998 and October 31, 1998. All

14  undistributed credits which have not been distributed for

15  whatever reason, shall be accounted for by the utility and

16  returned to the Comptroller of the State of Florida before

17  December 1, 1998. All disputes related to the distribution or

18  the amount of the credit shall be resolved by the Florida

19  Public Service Commission.

20

21  It is the intent of the Legislature that this one-time credit

22  not require any increase or decrease in current utility rates

23  as established at the effective date of this section. Prior to

24  the application of this credit, amounts owed by each customer

25  shall be calculated without regard to the existence of the

26  credit. As a result, the amounts due from each customer,

27  including but not limited to rates, state, and local taxes,

28  franchise fees, and any other applicable charges, shall not be

29  affected by the existence of this credit.

30         Section 2.    This act shall take effect upon becoming

31  law.

                                  3

    File original & 9 copies    04/30/98
    hmo0008                     08:46 am         02454-0059-261881




                                                   HOUSE AMENDMENT

                                        Bill No. SB 2454, 1st Eng.

    Amendment No.     (for drafter's use only)





 1  ================ T I T L E   A M E N D M E N T ===============

 2  And the title is amended as follows:

 3  remove from the title of the bill:  Everything before the

 4  enacting clause

 5

 6  and insert in lieu thereof:

 7         A bill to be entitled

 8         An act relating to financial matters; providing credits

 9  against electricity utility charges; establishing a procedure

10  for determining the credits; providing an effective date.

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

22

23

24

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

                                  4

    File original & 9 copies    04/30/98
    hmo0008                     08:46 am         02454-0059-261881