2005 Legislation
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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 10 – Energy, study committee

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 10

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Bill Status



HCR010................................by ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY
ENERGY STUDY COMMITTEE - Stating findings of the Legislature and
authorizing the Legislative Council to appoint a committee to study energy
related issues.
                                                                        
02/09    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/10    Rpt prt - to Env

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ]]]]              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ]]]]
 Fifty-eighth Legislature                   First Regular Session - 2005
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 10
                                                                        
                      BY ENVIRONMENT, ENERGY AND TECHNOLOGY COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                               A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
  2    STATING LEGISLATIVE  FINDINGS  AND  AUTHORIZING  THE  LEGISLATIVE  COUNCIL  TO
  3        APPOINT A COMMITTEE ON ENERGY.
                                                                        
  4    Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  5        WHEREAS,  there  were  numerous  bills  introduced  in  Congress from 1996
  6    through 2004 which would have provided for the restructuring of  the  electric
  7    utility  and energy industries in this country; and
  8        WHEREAS, Idaho currently enjoys low electric rates compared to the rest of
  9    the nation, mainly because of our hydropower base; and
 10        WHEREAS,  while there may be some benefits to a competitive electric util-
 11    ity industry, there have  been  some  large  unintended  consequences  to  the
 12    ratepayers  and  the  citizens of the state given the California energy crisis
 13    and the Enron collapse; and
 14        WHEREAS, on July  31,  2002,  the  Federal  Energy  Regulatory  Commission
 15    announced  a  series  of broad proposals to reform the wholesale power genera-
 16    tion, trading and transmission markets known as Standard Market Design; and
 17        WHEREAS, the Standard Market Design proposal has been  repudiated  and  is
 18    opposed  in  most  southern and western states and fails to recognize the dis-
 19    tinct nature of the Northwest  electricity  grid,  including  the  significant
 20    reliance  on coordinated hydro operations that are subject to various nonpower
 21    obligations; and
 22        WHEREAS, Idaho's water rights system is a complex  system  of  management,
 23    and  electric  utility restructuring or the Standard Market Design rules could
 24    affect demand loads and river flows and  have  some  large  unintended  conse-
 25    quences if not managed properly.
 26        NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the First Regular Session
 27    of  the  Fifty-eighth  Idaho Legislature, the House of Representatives and the
 28    Senate concurring therein, that  the  Legislative  Council  is  authorized  to
 29    appoint a Committee to undertake and complete a study of energy related issues
 30    from  both the statewide perspective and the national perspective. The Commit-
 31    tee is directed to involve representatives of industry,  agricultural  groups,
 32    small  businesses,  consumers  of  electricity and conservation interests. The
 33    Committee is also authorized to retain the services of  a  consultant,  within
 34    appropriated moneys, who is familiar with the energy industry and who can pro-
 35    vide  necessary  economic  or other research that can assist the Committee and
 36    the Legislature in making an informed decision on this most important topic.
 37        BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Committee shall make a progress report  to
 38    the  Second  Regular  Session  of the Fifty-eighth Idaho Legislature and shall
 39    make a report detailing its findings, recommendations  and  proposed  legisla-
 40    tion,  if  any, to the First Regular Session of the Fifty-ninth Idaho Legisla-
 41    ture.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE

                             RS 14583

The purpose of this legislation is to allow the Legislative
Council to appoint a committee to study the subject of energy
related issues.  From 1996 through 2004, numerous pieces of
legislation have been introduced in the United States Congress to
provide for restructuring the electric utility industry and
energy issues in this country.  The committee would be authorized
to meet until November 30, 2006.  There is a companion piece of
legislation appropriating monies to allow the committee to retain
the services of a consultant to assist it and the Legislature in
its deliberations regarding this most complex and far reaching
subject.


                           FISCAL NOTE

The cost of the meetings for the Committee would be expected not
to exceed $10,000.  It would be paid from the Legislative
Account.  The cost of the consultant is contained in the
legislation.


Contact
Name:  Representative George Eskridge 
       Senator Brent Hill
Phone: 332-1000



STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                    HCR 10