South Carolina S 446: Safety and Security Dept within the Commission of Public Works of Spartanburg County

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 446 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 28, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 446

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Report

March 26, 2025

S. 446

Introduced 
by Senators Young and Elliott 

S. Printed 3/26/25--S. [SEC 
3/28/2025 2:36 PM]

Read the first time March 12, 2025

________

The committee on Senate Judiciary

To whom was referred a Bill (S. 446) to amend 
the South Carolina Code of Laws so as to enact the "electric rate stabilization 
act"; and by adding article 24 to chapter 27, title 58, so as to allow electric, 
etc., respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered 
the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

 Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 2, by 
striking Section 58-27-2760(2), (3), and (4) and inserting:

 (2) In cases where the monitoring report 
indicates rate adjustments are required, or where it otherwise appears to the 
commission or the Office of Regulatory Staff that an adjustment in rates may be 
warranted under this article, the commission shall issue a Notice of Filing 
annually on or before March 31 and require interested persons to file a 
petition to intervene annually on or before May 3115. The commission shall 
maintain a register of parties who have notified the commission in writing that 
they wish to be provided with any Notice of Filing related to specified 
utilities and the commission shall use reasonable efforts to provide such 
parties with Notices of Filing by such utilities, provided that the failure to 
do so shall not invalidate any subsequent proceedings. Intervenors shall have 
discovery rights related to the matters set forth in Section 58-27-2730.

 (3) The Office of Regulatory Staff shall conduct 
an audit of the monitoring report to ascertain the reasonableness and prudency 
of all matters contained therein and specify any changes that the Office of 
Regulatory Staff determines to be necessary to correct errors in the report or 
to otherwise bring the report into compliance with this article. The Office of 
Regulatory Staff's audit report shall be verified and provided to the 
commission and to the utility and made available annually to all parties of record 
no later than June 1. Other parties of record shall 
also be allowed until June 1 of each year to file verified written comments and 
submit documentary evidence to the commission and the Office of Regulatory 
Staff in response to the utility's monitoring report.

 (4) The utility and 
other parties of record shall be allowed until June 15 of each year to 
file verified written comments and submit documentary evidence to the 
commission and the Office of Regulatory Staff related to the Office of Regulatory Staff's audit report utility's monitoring report and may request a 
non-evidentiary hearing before the commission concerning the Office of Regulatory Staff's report utility's monitoring report.

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

LUKE RANKIN for Committee.

_______

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS SO AS TO ENACT 
THE "ELECTRIC RATE STABILIZATION ACT"; AND BY ADDING ARTICLE 24 TO CHAPTER 27, 
TITLE 58, SO AS TO ALLOW ELECTRIC UTILITIES TO REQUEST THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION 
TO ADJUST THEIR RATES ANNUALLY, ADJUST UTILITY RATES, ESTABLISH THE BASELINE 
RATE ORDER AND REQUIREMENTS FOR ADJUSTMENTS IN RATES, PROVIDE PROTECTIONS FOR 
CUSTOMERS, AND AUTHORIZE AN ADDITIONAL ELECTRIC UTILITY POSITION FOR THE OFFICE 
OF REGULATORY STAFF.

 Amend Title To Conform

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. This act may be cited as the "Electric Rate Stabilization Act".

SECTION 2. Chapter 27, Title 58 of the S.C. Code is amended by 
adding:

Article 24

Electric Rate Stabilization Act

 Section 
58-27-2700. A public utility providing retail electric service, in its 
discretion and at any time, may elect to have the terms of this article apply 
to its rates and charges for retail electric service, on a prospective basis, 
by filing a notice of the election with the commission and on the same day and 
by the same means serving a copy on the Office of Regulatory Staff. Upon 
receipt of notice of the election, the commission shall proceed to make the 
findings and establish the ongoing procedures required for adjustments in base 
rates to be made under this article. In carrying out the procedures established 
by this article with respect to such an election, the commission shall rely 
upon and utilize the approved rates, charges, revenues, expenses, capital 
structure, returns, and other matters established in the public utility's most 
recent general rate proceeding pursuant to Section 58-27-860; provided, 
however, that the most recen