Senate Sponsors: SULLIVAN-DUDYCZ. House Sponsors: MCAULIFFE-MULLIGAN-KRAUSE Short description: GAS UTILITY RATES ENVIRN COSTS Synopsis of Bill as introduced: Amends the Public Utilities Act. Provides that, before hiring an employee or independent contractor for work involving facilities used for the distribution of natural gas, a public utility must conduct a background check to determine the employee's or contractor's reliability and safety record. Provides that when a utility performs work on equipment that contains or may contain mercury or other hazardous material and is located on a customer's property the utility must provide notice to the customer and test for contamination. Provides that expenditures by a natural gas utility for fines and remediation and related activities in connection with mercury spills shall not be included in determining the rates for that utility. Effective immediately. SENATE AMENDMENT NO. 1. Replaces provisions requiring a background check with provisions requiring a proposed employee or contractor to complete a certificate listing previous violations of environmental or safety laws. In the provisions governing testing before and after work on natural gas regulators and manometers, deletes references to other devices. Last action on Bill: PUBLIC ACT.............................. 92-0071 Last action date: JUL-12-2001 Location: Senate Amendments to Bill: AMENDMENTS ADOPTED: HOUSE - 0 SENATE - 1 END OF INQUIRY Full Text Bill Status