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Minutes for HB2145 - Committee on Utilities

Short Title

Exempting the retail sale of electricity by public utilities for electric vehicle charging stations from the jurisdiction of the state corporation commission.

Minutes Content for Mon, Mar 15, 2021

 

Matt Sterling, Office of the Revisor of Statutes, gave an overview of the bill. HB 2145 would amend K.S.A. 66-104 concerning the definition of public utilities that are subject to the jurisdiction of the Kansas Corporation Commission. HB 2145 would exempt from public utility regulation any activity of an otherwise jurisdictional entity as to the marketing or sale of electricity that is purchased through a retail electric supplier in the certified territory of such retail electric supplier for the sole purpose of the provision of electric vehicle charging service to end users. Under HB 2145, such vehicle charging services would not be regulated as a public utility.  Mr. Sterling stated HB 2145 is identical to SB133 that the committee heard earlier this session.

The Chairman called for proponent testimony.

Proponents, oral

Jeff McClanahan, Director, Utilities Division, Kansas Corporation Commission (KCC) provided proponent testimony.  Mr. McClanahan stated the KCC is in favor of the bill because it allows a competitive market to develop by allowing private individuals or entities an exemption from public utility status and an exemption for the Retail Electric Supplier Act. (Attachment 1)

John Federico, Federico Duerst Consulting Group, gave proponent testimony on behalf of ChargePoint.  ChargePoint provides electric vehicle (EV) charging stations and support for EV drivers.  Mr. Federico stated although there are some points outside the scope of the bill that merit discussion, all this bill does is exempt retail sales of electricity through electric vehicle charging stations from KCC jurisdiction, and those points should be considered under a separate bill.  (Attachment 2)

Following Mr. Federico's testimony, there was a period of questions and answers.

Written proponent testimony

Kelly Gilbert, Executive Director & KC Reg. Clean Cities Coordinator and Tami Alexander, Program Coordinator, Central Kansas Clean Cities (Attachment 3)

Laura Maag Lutz, Sr. Mgr., Governmental Affairs, Evergy (Attachment 4)

Doug Shepherd, Vice President of Management Consulting Services, Kansas Electric Cooperatives (Attachment 5)

Stanley Rasmussen, Regional Environmental Coordinator, Department of Defense (Attachment 6)

Written neutral testimony

David Nickel, Consumer Counsel, Citizens' Utility Ratepayers Board (Attachment 7)

Opponent testimony

None