Senate 50

SENATE RESOLUTION 50

(By Senators Roberts, Deeds, Fuller, Hamilton, Tarr, Thorne, and Weld)

[Originating in the Committee on the Workforce; reported February 24, 2026]

Requesting the Joint Committee on Government and Finance study the effectiveness and efficiency of the Public Service Commission in carrying out its statutory duties and exercising its legal authority.

Whereas, The West Virginia Senate has heard the call of residential, commercial, governmental, and industrial customers of public utilities in the state seeking relief from the ever-increasing costs of utility services; and

Whereas, The Public Service Commission of West Virginia is charged with regulating public utilities to ensure utility services are provided in a safe, reliable, and fairly priced manner for the benefit of the citizens and businesses of West Virginia; and

Whereas, The Legislature has vested the commission with broad statutory authority over the practices, services, and rates of public utilities; and

Whereas, Utility rates and service reliability have a direct and substantial impact on the economic well-being of West Virginia families, businesses, and local governments; and

Whereas, Ratepayer concerns have consistently been raised regarding whether the Public Service Commission is achieving its mission to ensure the fair and prompt regulation of public utilities while safeguarding the interests of the using and consuming public and providing for the availability of adequate, economical, and reliable utility services throughout the state; and

Whereas, A thorough study of the effectiveness and the efficiency of the Public Service Commission in fulfilling its duties under state law is necessary to ensure that the commission operates in a manner consistent with legislative intent and the public interest; therefore, be it

Resolved by the Senate:

That the Senate hereby requests the Joint Committee on Government and Finance to study the effectiveness and efficiency of the Public Service Commission in carrying out its statutory duties and exercising its legal authority; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the study shall include, but not be limited to, an examination of the following:

(1) Whether the Public Service Commission adequately regulates public utilities within its jurisdiction in a manner serving the interest of all West Virginia ratepayers;

(2) The effectiveness of the commission’s procedures for reviewing and approving rate increases, infrastructure improvements, and other utility cost-recovery requests;

(3) The timeliness, transparency, and overall consistency of the commission’s deliberative process;

(4) The extent to which the commission ensures the accountability of public utilities with respect to service quality, service reliability, and compliance with applicable state and federal law;

(5) The adequacy of the commission’s organizational structure, staffing levels, and other resources to abide by its regulatory responsibilities;

(6) Whether members of the commission would be more accountable to the public and better able to carry out their duties if they were elected by the voters of the state instead of being appointed by the Governor; and

(7) Any other statutory or administrative changes that may be necessary to improve the performance, efficiency, and public accountability of the commission; and, be it

Further Resolved, That the Joint Committee on Government and Finance is requested to report its findings, conclusions, and recommendations, including proposed legislation, to the Senate no later than January 1, 2027, so that any resulting legislation may be considered during the 2027 regular ression.