relative to the allocation of public utility costs to ratepayers.

HB 1745 prohibits public utilities from including certain costs in customer bills. Specifically, it blocks recovery of legal fees from contested proceedings (like attorney costs), trade association dues (e.g., to groups under IRS 501(c)(6)), and marketing/promotional expenses unless the Public Utilities Commission confirms they directly benefit customers. This means utilities cannot pass these costs to ratepayers, potentially lowering bills for households and businesses. The fiscal note estimates the state could save up to $20,000 annually in a large rate case (e.g., $2 million in legal costs with state representing 1% of sales), though savings for local governments are expected to be smaller.