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Bill

S 5518

Makes all costs and expenses of the department of public service and public service commission subject to appropriation by the legislature; repealer

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Jake Ashby

Requires all DPS and PSC costs to be funded by annual legislative appropriations, repealing any non-appropriated funding, giving the Legislature firm control over agency budgets.

REFERRED TO ENERGY AND TELECOMMUNICATIONS
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Bill Summary · S 5518

Summary of Bill S 5518

Overview

Bill S 5518 would require that all costs and expenses of the Department of Public Service and the Public Service Commission be funded through legislative appropriations. The bill is a repealer, removing any existing authority that allows these costs to be incurred outside the appropriation process. Introduced February 24, 2025, and referred to the Energy and Telecommunications committee.

What the bill would do

  • Make every cost and expense of the Department of Public Service (DPS) and the Public Service Commission (PSC) subject to annual legislative appropriation.
  • Repeal current provisions authorizing non-appropriated funding or costs incurred outside the appropriations process for DPS and PSC.
  • Place funding decisions for DPS and PSC squarely within the legislative budget process, subject to annual review and approval.

Key provisions (as implied by the title)

  • Scope: All costs and expenses of DPS and PSC, including operating expenses, salaries, programs, and possibly debt service or administrative costs, would require appropriation.
  • Repealer: Any statutory authority permitting non-appropriated financing or funding mechanisms for these agencies would be repealed.

Fiscal and budgetary impact

  • Shifts funding control to the Legislature, increasing legislative oversight over DPS and PSC expenditures.
  • Requires explicit annual appropriations for all agency costs, potentially impacting budgeting cycles and timelines.
  • Could affect flexibility in responding to emergent needs if appropriations are not timely enacted.

Affected entities

  • Primary: Department of Public Service.
  • Primary: Public Service Commission.
  • Secondary: State budget offices and legislative appropriations committees overseeing the DPS/PSC budgets.

Legislative status and timeline

  • Introduced: February 24, 2025.
  • Current status: Referred to Energy and Telecommunications (two identical referrals noted in the record).
  • Next steps: Committee hearings, potential amendments, and votes; possible alignment with companion bills and related legislation.

Related bills

  • S 8577 (prior-session) — related/previous version or concept.
  • A 2470 (companion) — companion bill in the Assembly (noted twice in the record).

Potential implications

  • Pros: Enhanced accountability and transparency through direct legislative control of DPS/PSC funding.
  • Cons: Increased potential for budgetary delays or constraints affecting agency operations; greater sensitivity of departmental activities to annual appropriations cycles.
  • Implementation would depend on the exact statutory language and how the repeal interacts with existing funding mechanisms and mandated program costs.

Note: This summary reflects the information provided. The full impact will become clearer with access to the bill’s text and any fiscal notes or committee analyses.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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