Tennessee Regulatory Authority overhaul headed to Governor Haslam

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

photo Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam
Arkansas-Tennessee Live Blog

NASHVILLE - An overhaul of the Tennessee Regulatory Authority is on its way to Republican Gov. Bill Haslam after the House voted today to drop a provision objected to by the Senate.

The House voted 72-11 and passed the bill, which Haslam proposed, and he is expected to sign it.

It changes the current structure of the TRA, which regulates utilities such as the Tennessee-American Water Co. and Chattanooga. The bill goes from a four-member, full-time board into a five-member, part-time board with a full-time executive director.

Haslam says the TRA no longer needs a full-time board because the responsibilities of the agency, which hears contested rate-hike requests by utilities, have fallen dramatically as a result of telecommunications deregulation.

Changes would result in at least $350,000 in annual savings, according to a legislative analysis.

For complete details, see tomorrow's Chattanooga Times Free Press.