Providing for nonpartisan election of commission members

SB 550 changes how West Virginia's Public Service Commission (PSC) members are selected by replacing appointments with nonpartisan elections. It requires all future PSC commissioners to be elected statewide on a nonpartisan ballot during primary elections, rather than appointed by the governor. The bill establishes staggered initial elections: three commissioners will be elected to five-and-a-half-year terms, followed by regular six-year terms for subsequent elections. This directly affects the PSC, which regulates utilities like electricity and gas, and sets new filing requirements for candidates seeking these elected positions.