AN ACT REQUIRING LEGISLATIVE APPROVAL FOR COMPONENTS OF THE COMBINED PUBLIC BENEFITS CHARGE.

HB 5397 requires the Connecticut General Assembly to approve any charge included in the "Combined Public Benefits Charge" on electric bills before it can be applied. This bill directly affects electric distribution companies and their end-use customers, as it would remove any existing charge not approved by the legislature and prevent future charges from being implemented without the General Assembly's affirmative vote. The key mechanism is a statutory change that eliminates automatic inclusion of these charges and mandates legislative approval for both current and future components. The bill aims to ensure that all public benefits charges on electricity bills have explicit legislative authorization.