SB 790: Requiring quarterly reporting by certain water and wastewater utilities - West Virginia

Engrossed Committee Substitute → sb790 sfa rucker _1 3-28 adopted.htm · 1 edit

MINOR

The bill text was completely replaced with a new version proposed by Senator Rucker. The substantive policy content regarding reporting and training requirements for water and wastewater utilities remains identical to the previous version, with only minor formatting adjustments such as capitalization and punctuation. No new requirements, funding, or eligibility criteria were introduced.

Scope change

The scope of the bill itself did not change; the legislative intent and specific obligations for municipalities and county commissions remain the same. The change is purely a procedural substitution of the bill text.

TECHNICAL

The entire bill text was replaced with a new version (Committee Substitute) that contains identical policy language but includes minor formatting improvements like capitalizing section titles and standardizing punctuation.

Committee Substitute → Engrossed Committee Substitute · 3 edits · Mar 31, 2025

MINOR

The bill was updated to reflect its current status as the 'Engrossed Committee Substitute' and corrected formatting inconsistencies in the chapter and article titles. The core policy requirements for quarterly reporting and annual continuing education remain substantively unchanged, though the text was slightly reworded to clarify that governing bodies must require these actions even if they do not directly operate the utility systems.

Scope change

The scope of applicability was clarified to include governing bodies that have 'oversight' of a system, not just those that directly 'operate' it, ensuring broader coverage of utility management.

REQUIREMENT

Replaced the term 'operating' with 'operating or has oversight of' in multiple sections to ensure reporting and training requirements apply to all governing bodies with authority over the utility, regardless of direct operational control.

TECHNICAL

Corrected the capitalization of 'CHAPTER 8' and 'ARTICLE 19' and 'ARTICLE 20' to use all capital letters for consistency with legislative style.

Adjusted the text of the 'Engrossed Version' link and the bill status header to accurately reflect the current legislative stage.

Introduced Version → Committee Substitute · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was significantly rewritten to shift oversight authority from the state Public Service Commission to local governing bodies (municipalities and county commissions). The original version expanded the state commission's power to regulate public service districts, while the new version requires local boards to enforce quarterly reporting and annual continuing education for their own utility systems.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from state-level regulation of public service districts to local-level regulation of municipal waterworks, combined water/sewer systems, and county public service districts.

REQUIREMENT

Removed provisions requiring the state Public Service Commission to oversee public service districts, conduct audits, and enforce compliance.

Added requirements for municipalities and county commissions to receive quarterly operational and financial reports from their utility systems.

Added a mandate for local governing bodies to require board members and senior managers to complete six hours of annual continuing education.

SCOPE

Changed the primary regulatory body from the state Public Service Commission to local governing bodies for water, sewer, and public service district utilities.

Requiring quarterly reporting by certain water and wastewater utilities

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