Section 393.299

Title XXV INCORPORATION AND REGULATION OF CERTAIN UTILITIES AND CARRIERS

Chapter 393

Effective - 10 Jul 1998, see footnote   

  393.299.  Provision of energy services, limitations, exceptions — agreements with commission to pay business license taxes — nonseverability clause. — 1.  No person, other than a distributor or a political subdivision operating within its territorial limits, shall provide energy services in a political subdivision which has business license taxes in effect pursuant to section 66.300, section 71.610, section 92.045, section 94.110 or 94.360 on persons who sell energy services unless the person is certified by the commission as a seller and files its agreement with the commission to pay to the political subdivision all applicable business license taxes.  All retail sales of energy shall be made by a distributor, seller or a political subdivision operating within its territorial limits.  No distributor or political subdivision shall provide energy services to any person on behalf of any seller unless the seller has been certified as a seller and filed its agreement with the commission to pay all applicable business license taxes and the commission has furnished such distributor or political subdivision with evidence of such certification.

  2.  No person shall provide energy services in a political subdivision if a franchise agreement is in effect between a distributor and a political subdivision with respect to energy services, or if the political subdivision owns the distribution system, unless (1) that person enters into an agreement with the political subdivision to pay its proportionate share of the franchise fee or the PILOT, which agreement shall be supplied to the distributor, or (2) the person obtains certification from the commission as a seller and files its agreement to pay the seller's proportionate share of any franchise fee or PILOT.  No distributor or political subdivision shall provide energy services to any person on behalf of any seller if a franchise agreement is in effect between a distributor and a political subdivision for energy services, or if the political subdivision owns the distribution system, unless (1) that seller has entered into an agreement with the political subdivision to pay the seller's proportionate share of the franchise fee or the PILOT, or (2) the seller has obtained certification from the commission as a seller and files its agreement to pay the seller's proportionate share of any franchise fee or PILOT.

  3.  An agreement described in subsections 1 and 2 of this section shall expressly state that the seller waives (1) its right to challenge the validity of the agreement and (2) its right to the refund of amounts paid pursuant to the agreement.  Any person who otherwise has standing may challenge the validity of this section without signing such agreement by filing an action for a declaratory judgment in circuit court in the county in which the political subdivision is located.  The agreement filed with the commission under subsections 1 and 2 of this section shall be limited solely to the requirements of this subsection and the seller's agreement to pay its taxes, its proportionate share of franchise fees or PILOT's and provisions which require the seller to make available to the political subdivision or the commission its records, including the right to audit.

  4.  The commission shall establish procedures for certification pursuant to chapter 536.

  5.  Nothing in this section shall be construed to give any seller the right to use the rights-of-way, utility easements or the distribution system of any distributor or political subdivision for any purpose other than to provide energy services  to the seller's retail customers.

  6.  Any agreement described in subsection 1 or 2 of this section shall cease to be effective upon the failure of the seller to fulfill any material obligation under the agreement.  The appropriate political subdivision shall notify the commission of any failure to pay any amount required by any agreement described in subsection 1 or 2 of this section.  Upon such notification, the commission shall immediately notify the seller which shall cease to provide energy services unless it requests a hearing with the commission within fifteen days of the date the notice is filed with the commission.  Upon receiving notice from the seller requesting a hearing, the commission shall conduct a hearing to determine whether all material obligations under an agreement have been satisfied.  If the commission determines that material obligations have not been satisfied, it shall notify the distributor, and the seller shall thereafter be prohibited from providing energy services from the date set forth in the notice, which shall not be less than thirty days after the commission makes its determination.  The distributor shall not provide energy services to the seller if the distributor does not request a hearing after being notified of its material fault or if the commission determines that the seller has failed to satisfy a material obligation of the agreement and thirty days have expired from the date of the commission notification of a breach of a material obligation of any agreement authorized by subsection 1 or 2 of this section.

  7.  A seller shall be required to pay a political subdivision at a rate equal to but not greater than the rate paid by a distributor for business license taxes, franchise fees or PILOT's as provided for in an ordinance or order of the political subdivision or in a franchise agreement.

  8.  This section shall not be construed as conferring any rights on any seller to provide energy services within a political subdivision in the state of Missouri.  No seller may provide energy services unless it does so in accordance with all applicable laws and in accordance with the applicable rules of the commission.  Any seller of natural gas shall file its agreement with the commission within thirty days from the passage of this section.

  9.  Any person liable for the tax under this section, upon proof that such person has paid a tax in another state or political subdivision with respect to a charge for the sale or transfer of such gas, electricity or energy services, shall be allowed a credit against the tax authorized by this section, to the extent of the amount of the tax legally due and paid in the other state or political subdivision with respect to such charge.

  10.  Notwithstanding the provisions of section 1.140 to the contrary, the provisions of this section shall be nonseverable, and if any provision is for any reason held to be invalid, such decision shall invalidate all of the remaining provisions of this section.

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(L. 1998 S.B. 627 §§ 393.299, 393.300)

Effective 7-10-98