1.1.................... moves to amend H.F. No. 863, as amended by the delete everything
1.2amendment (A09-0329), as follows:
1.3Page 16, after line 29, insert:

1.4    "Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2008, section 216C.052, subdivision 2, is amended to
1.5read:
1.6    Subd. 2. Administrative issues. (a) The commissioner may select the administrator.
1.7The administrator must have at least five years of experience working as a power systems
1.8engineer planner or transmission planner, or in a position dealing with power system
1.9reliability issues, and may not have been a party or a participant in a commission energy
1.10proceeding for at least one year prior to selection by the commissioner. The commissioner
1.11shall oversee and direct the work of the administrator, annually review the expenses of the
1.12administrator, and annually approve the budget of the administrator. The administrator
1.13may hire staff and may contract for technical expertise in performing duties when existing
1.14state resources are required for other state responsibilities or when special expertise is
1.15required. The salary of the administrator is governed by section 15A.0815, subdivision 2.
1.16    (b) Costs relating to a specific proceeding, analysis, or project are not general
1.17administrative costs. For purposes of this section, "energy utility" means public utilities,
1.18generation and transmission cooperative electric associations, and municipal power
1.19agencies providing natural gas or electric service in the state.
1.20    (c) The Department of Commerce shall pay:
1.21    (1) the general administrative costs of the administrator, not to exceed $1,000,000
1.22in a fiscal year, and shall assess energy utilities for those administrative costs. These
1.23costs must be consistent with the budget approved by the commissioner under paragraph
1.24(a). The department shall apportion the costs among all energy utilities in proportion to
1.25their respective gross operating revenues from sales of gas or electric service within
1.26the state during the last calendar year, and shall then render a bill to each utility on a
1.27regular basis; and
2.1    (2) costs relating to a specific proceeding analysis or project and shall render a bill to
2.2the specific energy utility or utilities participating in the proceeding, analysis, or project
2.3directly, either at the conclusion of a particular proceeding, analysis, or project, or from
2.4time to time during the course of the proceeding, analysis, or project.
2.5    (d) For purposes of administrative efficiency, the department shall assess energy
2.6utilities and issue bills in accordance with the billing and assessment procedures provided
2.7in section 216B.62, to the extent that these procedures do not conflict with this subdivision.
2.8The amount of the bills rendered by the department under paragraph (c) must be paid by
2.9the energy utility into an account in the special revenue fund in the state treasury within
2.1030 days from the date of billing and is appropriated to the department for the purposes
2.11provided in this section. The commission shall approve or approve as modified a rate
2.12schedule providing for the automatic adjustment of charges to recover amounts paid by
2.13utilities under this section. All amounts assessed under this section are in addition to
2.14amounts appropriated to the commission and the department by other law."
2.15Renumber the sections in sequence and correct the internal references
2.16Amend the title accordingly