A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT creating the municipal electric power study commission to study the electric rates charged and service provided by the cities and towns in eastern north carolina that comprise the North carolina Eastern municipal power agency.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  Commission Established. – There is created the Municipal Electric Power Study Commission ("Commission").  The Commission shall consist of 16 voting members appointed as follows:
(1)	Eight members appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, to include the following:
a.	Four members of the Senate.
b.	Four members of the general public, one of whom shall have experience or expertise in the operations of an electric utility owned by a city or town that is a member of the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA); one of whom shall be a customer of an electric utility owned by a city or town that is a member of NCEMPA; and one of whom shall represent a city or town that operates an electric utility and is a member of NCEMPA.
(2)	Eight members appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, to include the following:
a.	Four members of the House of Representatives.
b.	Four members of the general public, one of whom shall have experience or expertise in the operations of an electric utility owned by a city or town that is a member of the North Carolina Eastern Municipal Power Agency (NCEMPA); one of whom shall be a customer of an electric utility owned by a city or town that is a member of NCEMPA; and one of whom shall represent a city or town that operates an electric utility and is a member of NCEMPA.
Vacancies on the Commission shall be filled by the appointing authority. The Commission shall choose from among its membership a chair and two vice‑chairs. A quorum of the Commission shall be nine members.
The Commission, while in the discharge of its official duties, may exercise all powers provided for under G.S. 120‑19 and G.S. 120‑19.1 through G.S. 120‑19.4, including the power to request all officers, agents, agencies, and departments of the State to provide any information, data, or documents within their possession, ascertainable from their records, or otherwise available to them, and the power to subpoena witnesses.
The Commission may meet at any time upon call of the chairs. The Commission may meet in the Legislative Building or the Legislative Office Building. The Commission may contract for professional, clerical, or consultant services as provided by G.S. 120‑32.02.
The Legislative Services Commission, through the Legislative Services Officer, shall assign professional staff to assist the Commission in its work. The House of Representatives' and Senate's Directors of Legislative Assistants shall assign clerical staff to the Commission, and the expenses relating to the clerical employees shall be borne by the Commission. Members of the Commission shall receive subsistence and travel expenses at the rates set forth in G.S. 120‑3.1, 138‑5, or 138‑6, as appropriate.
SECTION 2.  Duties. – The Commission shall study the electric rates charged and service provided by the towns and cities in eastern North Carolina that own an electric utility and are members of NCEMPA.  In its study, the Commission may also examine any issues or matters that affect directly or indirectly the rates charged and services provided by the NCEMPA member cities and towns.
SECTION 3.  Report. – The Commission shall submit a final report, including any proposed legislation, to the 2012 Regular Session of the 2011 General Assembly and may submit interim reports as it deems necessary. The Committee shall terminate upon filing its final report or upon the convening of the 2012 Regular Session of the 2011 General Assembly, whichever comes first.
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.