,i  #aafth ,,congress  #b;d ,session    
,h4 ,r4 #egah  ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of  
,,representatives  ,january #cj1        
#bjbj,mr4 ,butterfield 7for himself and 
,mr4 ,long7 introduced the following    
bill2 which was referred to the         
,committee on ,energy and ,commerce  ,a 
,,bill  ,to establish a refund effective
 date for rates and charges under the   
,natural ,gas ,act1 and for other       
purposes4  #a4 ,short title ,this ,act  
may be cited as the ,protecting ,natural
 ,gas ,consumers from ,overcharges ,act 
of #bjbj4  #b4 ,fixing rates and        
charges1 refund effective date ,section 
#e7;a7 of the ,natural ,gas ,act 7#ae   
,u4,s4,c4 #gag;d7a77 is amended--  7#a7 
by striking ,whenever and inserting 7#a7
 ,whenever2  7#b7 by striking had and   
inserting held2 and  7#c7 by adding at  
the end the following3  7#b7 ,any       
complaint or motion of the ,commission  
to initiate a proceeding under this     
subsection shall state the change or    
changes to be made to the rate1 charge1 

classification1 rule1 regulation1       
practice1 or contract in force1 and the 
reasons for any proposed change or      
changes therein4  7#c7 ,if1 after review
 of any motion or complaint and answer  
under this subsection1 the ,commission  
shall decide to hold a hearing1 it      
shall--  7,a7 fix by order the time and 
place of such hearing2 and  7,b7 specify
 the issues to be adjudicated4  7#d7    
,whenever the ,commission institutes a  
proceeding under this subsection1 the   
,commission shall establish a refund    
effective date as follows3  7,a7 ,in the
 case of a proceeding instituted on     
complaint1 the refund effective date    
shall not be earlier than the date of   
the filing of such complaint nor later  
than #e months after the filing of such 
complaint4  7,b7 ,in the case of a      
proceeding instituted by the ,commission
 on its own motion1 the refund effective
 date shall not be earlier than the date
 of the publication by the ,commission  
of notice of its intention to initiate  

such proceeding nor later than #e months
 after the publication date4  7#e7 ,upon
 institution of a proceeding under this 
subsection1 the ,commission shall give  
to the decision of such proceeding the  
same preference as provided under       
section #d and otherwise act as speedily
 as possible4  7#f7 ,if no final        
decision is rendered by the conclusion  
of the #ahj-;day period commencing upon 
initiation of a proceeding pursuant to  
this subsection1 the ,commission shall--
  7,a7 state the reasons why it has     
failed to render such decision2 and     
7,b7 state its best estimate as to when 
it reasonably expects to make such      
decision4  7#g7 ,in any proceeding under
 this subsection1 the burden of proof to
 show that any rate1 charge1            
classification1 rule1 regulation1       
practice1 or contract is unjust1        
unreasonable1 unduly discriminatory1 or 
preferential shall be upon the          
,commission or the complainant4  7#h7   
,at the conclusion of any proceeding    

under this subsection1 the ,commission  
may order refunds-- 7,a7 of any amounts 
paid1 for the period subsequent to the  
refund effective date through a date    
fifteen months after such refund        
effective date1 in excess of those which
 would have been paid under the just and
 reasonable rate1 charge1               
classification1 rule1 regulation1       
practice1 or contract which the         
,commission orders to be thereafter     
observed and in force3 ,provided1 ,that 
if the proceeding is not concluded      
within fifteen months after the refund  
effective date and if the ,commission   
determines at the conclusion of the     
proceeding that the proceeding was not  
resolved within the fifteen-month period
 primarily because of dilatory behavior 
by the natural gas company1 the         
,commission may order refunds of any or 
all amounts paid for the period         
subsequent to the refund effective date 
and prior to the conclusion of the      
proceeding2 and  7,b7 be made1 with     

interest1 to those persons who have paid
 those rates or charges which are the   
subject of the proceeding4  4