Section 4928.581. Report on universal service fund

(A) The public benefits advisory board shall conduct an independent investigation and analysis for the purpose of making the report required under division (B) of this section.

(B) With the approval of a majority of its voting members, the board shall prepare a written report containing all of the following:

(1) For each year since the establishment of the universal service fund and for each electric distribution utility, the annual amount of revenue collected from customers for the purpose of supporting the universal service fund and the low-income customer assistance programs.

(2) For 2016, 2017, and 2018, and for each electric distribution utility, a forecast of the annual amount of revenue that will be collected from customers for the purpose of supporting the universal service fund and the low-income customer assistance programs, assuming no changes are made to the programs. The forecast shall identify all assumptions, input variables, and values assigned to input variables. The forecast may include alternative outcomes based on variations in the assumptions, variables, and values, so as to show the sensitivity of the forecast to alternative inputs.

(3) A recommendation as to any changes that should be made to the design and implementation of the current universal service fund and the low-income customer assistance programs to ensure that energy services are provided to low-income and other consumers in this state in an affordable manner consistent with the policy specified in section 4928.02 of the Revised Code.

(C) The report required under division (B) of this section may include dissenting views and alternative recommendations.

(D) On or before December 15, 2015, the board shall submit the report required under division (B) of this section to the governor, the president of the senate, the speaker of the house of representatives, each member of the standing committees of both houses of the general assembly that have primary jurisdiction regarding public utility legislation, the director of development services, the chairperson of the public utilities commission, the Ohio consumers' counsel, and each member of the public benefits advisory board.

Added by 131st General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 64, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2015.