SB 336 — AN ACT CONCERNING THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT OF HARTFORD COUNTY'S INDEPENDENT CONSUMER ADVOCATE.

Senate GeneralBill Assembly File No.

388336 FebruaryPublic Session,Act 2024 Senate Bill No.

33624-98 Senate,AN AprilACT 10,CONCERNING 2024THE TheMETROPOLITAN CommitteeDISTRICT onOF PlanningHARTFORD andCOUNTY'S DevelopmentINDEPENDENT reportedCONSUMER throughADVOCATE. SEN.

RAHMAN of the 4th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on the part of the Senate, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT OF HARTFORD COUNTY'S INDEPENDENT CONSUMER ADVOCATE.

The annual amount of such costs shall not exceed seventy thousand dollars [for the first year and fifty thousand dollars for each year thereafter,] unless there is a demonstration of substantial need made by the Independent Consumer Advocate and approved by the [boardboard of directors of the district]district. Consumer Counsel appointed pursuant to section 16-2a.

SB336(b) /The FileIndependent No.Consumer Advocate may appear and participate in Metropolitan District of Hartford matters or any other federal or state regulatory or judicial proceeding in which consumers of the district are or may be involved.

388The 1Independent SB336Consumer FileSenate Bill No.

388336 (b)Advocate, The Independent Consumer Advocate may appear and participate in Metropolitancarrying Districtout ofhis Hartford matters or anyher otherduties, federalshall or[: state regulatory or judicial proceeding in which consumers of the district are or may be involved.

The Independent Consumer Advocate, in carrying out his or her duties, shall [:

(c) [(1)] The Independent Consumer Advocate shall be a member of the bar of this state and shall have private[private] legal experience in municipal, environmental or public utility law and policy but shall not be a member of the district's board of directors or a person who has or may have conflicts of interest, as defined by the Rules of Professional Conduct, in representing the district's consumers as a class.

[(2) Prior to November 1, 2017, and prior to November first in each odd-numbered year thereafter, the Consumer Counsel, appointed pursuant to section 16-2a,] The Consumer Counsel shall select the Independent Consumer Advocate to serve for atwo-yeara two-year term commencing on the [following] first day of January in each odd-odd-numbered numbered year, except that the length of any term and the dates of commencement and expiration of any term may be altered at the discretion of the Consumer Counsel in the event of a vacancy or in the best interests of the district's consumers.

SB336Public /Act File No.

38824-98 2 SB336of File3 Senate Bill No.

388336 (d) [(1)] The Independent Consumer Advocate shall prepare reports of his or her activities and submit such reports at the end of each calendar quarter to the district, the chief elected official of each [town] municipality receiving service from the district and to the Consumer Counsel.

ThisApproved actJune shall4, take2024 effectPublic asAct followsNo. and shall amend the following sections:

Section24-98 13 Julyof 1,3 2024 7-334a PD Joint Favorable SB336 / File No.

388 3 SB336 File No.

388 The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose.

In general, fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional knowledge.

Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note State Impact:

None Municipal Impact:

See Below Explanation The bill increases the maximum annual costs for the consumer advocate from $50,000 to $70,000 and makes changes to the advocate's term length.

This may result in a cost to the Metropolitan District Commission(MDS)ofupto $20,000inFY25andFY 26astheMDC pays the costs for the consumer advocate.

There is a potential cost to the MDC member and some non-member towns to the extent that the MDC increases water and sewer usage fees or imposes assessments on member towns to cover the additional costs.

2 The Out Years The annualized ongoing fiscal impact identified above would continue into the future subject to inflation.

MDC is a public non-profit municipal corporation established by the General Assembly.

2Member towns include Bloomfield, East Hartford, Hartford, Newington, Rocky Hill, West Hartford, Wethersfield, and Windsor.

Non-member towns that the MDC provides drinking water to include Farmington, Glastonbury, East Granby, and South Windsor.

SB336 / File No.

388 4 SB336 File No.

388 OLR Bill Analysis SB 336 AN ACT CONCERNING THE METROPOLITAN DISTRICT OF HARTFORD COUNTY'S INDEPENDENT CONSUMER ADVOCATE.

SUMMARY By law, the consumer counsel must appoint an independent consumer advocate to advocate for and represent Metropolitan District Commission (MDC) customers in matters that may affect them, (e.g., rates, water quality, water supply, and wastewater service quality) and MDC must pay the consumer advocate’s costs.

This bill increases, from $50,000 to $70,000, the maximum annual amount for these costs, unless the advocate demonstrates substantial need for additional funds.

The bill requires the consumer counsel, rather than MDC’s board, to approve these additional expenses.

The bill also removes the requirement that the consumer counsel appoint the advocate by November in advance of the advocate’s term, which under the bill starts January 1 in odd-numbered, rather than even-numbered, years.

The bill gives the consumer counsel discretion to change the advocate’s term length, start date, and expiration date if there is a vacancy or it is in MDC’s consumers’ best interests.

The bill also makes technical changes.

EFFECTIVE DATE: