,,ii  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session    
,s4 #bgga  ,,9 ,,! ,,s5ate ,,( ,,!      
,,unit$ ,,/ates  ,novemb] #e1 #bjai,mr4 
,blum5?al 7= himself & ,mr4 ,burr7      
introduc$ ! foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 read     
twice & ref]r$ to ! ,committee on ,en]gy
 & ,natural ,res\rces  ,a ,,bill  ,to   
am5d ! ,natural ,gas ,act to protect    
consum]s f excessive rates1 & = o!r     
purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is ,act may
 be cit$ z ! ,mak+ ,pipel9es ,acc\ntable
 to ,consum]s & ,taxpay]s ,act or !     
,,mpact ,act4  #b4 ,he>+ on *ang$ rates 
or *>ges ,section #d7;e7 ( ! ,natural   
,gas ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #gag;c7e77 is  
am5d$ by /rik+ ! ?ird & f\r? s5t5ces &  
ins]t+ ! foll[+3 ,:]e *anges 9 rates or 
*>ges are ?us made effective1 !         
,commission may1 by ord]1 require !     
natural-gas company to furni% a bond1 to
 be approv$ by ! ,commission1 to refund 
any am\nts ord]$ by ! ,commission1 to   
keep accurate acc\nts 9 detail ( all    
am\nts receiv$ by reason ( ^? *anges1   
specify+ by :om & 9 ^: behalf ^? am\nts 

7 paid1 &1 on completion ( ! he>+ &     
decision1 to ord] ! natural-gas company 
to refund1 ) int]e/1 ! portion ( ^?     
rates or *>ges by its decision f\nd n   
ju/ifi$4 ,at any he>+ involv+ a rate or 
*>ge s\ght to be *ang$1 ! burd5 ( pro(  
to %[ t ! *ang$ rate or *>ge is j &     
reasonable %all be on ! natural-gas     
company1 & ! ,commission %all give to ! 
he>+ & decision ( su* que/ions pref]5ce 
ov] o!r que/ions p5d+ be=e ! ,commission
 & decide ! same z spe$ily z possible44 
#c4 ,refunds ,section #e ( ! ,natural   
,gas ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #gag;d7 is     
am5d$-- 7#a7 by r$esignat+ subsection   
7b7 z subsection 7d72 &  7#b7 ins]t+    
aft] subsection 7a7 ! foll[+3  7b7      
,refunds  7#a7 ,9 g5]al ,at ! conclusion
 ( any he>+ "u ?is section 9 :i* refunds
 ( am\nts t h be5 paid are requir$1 !   
,commission %all ord] ! natural-gas     
company to make ^? refunds = ! p]iod    
beg9n+ on ! refund effective date       
e/abli%$ "u p>agraph 7#c7 & end+ on !   
date on :i* ! new rate e/abli%$ by !    

,commission "u subsection 7a7 takes     
effect 9 am\nts 9 excess ( ^? am\nts t  
w\ld h be5 paid "u ! j & reasonable     
rate1 *>ge1 classification1 rule1       
regulation1 practice1 or contract t !   
,commission ord]s to be obs]v$ & 9 =ce4 
7#b7 ,requirem5t ,! refunds requir$ "u  
p>agraph 7#a7 %all be made1 ) int]e/1 to
 ! p]sons :o h paid ! rates or *>ges t  
are ! subject ( ! he>+4  7#c7 ,effective
 date  7,a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,commission %all
 e/abli% ! refund effective date 9      
accordance ) ?is p>agraph4  7,b7 ,he>+s 
initiat$ on compla9t ,9 ! case ( a he>+ 
initiat$ on a compla9t1 ! refund        
effective date %all be--  7i7 n e>li]   
?an ! date on :i* ! compla9t 0 fil$2 &  
7ii7 n lat] ?an #aej days aft] t date4  
7,c7 ,he>+ initiat$ on motion (         
,commission ,9 ! case ( a he>+ initiat$ 
by ! ,commission on its own motion1 !   
refund effective date %all be--  7i7 n  
e>li] ?an ! date on :i* ! ,commission   
publi%es notice ( ! int5t to initiate ! 
he>+2 &  7ii7 n lat] ?an #aej days aft] 

t date4  7c7 ,no f9al decision ,if !    
,commission has n r5d]$ a f9al decision 
= a he>+ "u ?is section by ! end ( !    
#ahj-;day p]iod beg9n+ on ! date on :i* 
! he>+ is initiat$1 ! ,commission %all  
/ate--  7#a7 ! reasons :y ! ,commission 
has fail$ to r5d] a decision2 &  7#b7 ! 
be/ e/imate ( ! ,commission z to :5 !   
,commission reasonably expects to r5d] !
 decision4  4  #d4 ,effect  7a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,! am5dm5ts made by sections #b & #c   
%all n apply to any proce$+ "u !        
,natural ,gas ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #gag  
et seq47 comm5c$ be=e ! date ( enactm5t 
( ?is ,act4  7b7 ,refil+ )\t prejudice  
,a proce$+ "u ! ,natural ,gas ,act 7#ae 
,u4,s4,c4 #gag et seq47 comm5c$ be=e !  
date ( enactm5t ( ?is ,act may be )drawn
 & refil$ )\t prejudice4  #e4 ,/udy  7a7
 ,9 g5]al ,n e>li] ?an #c ye>s & n lat] 
?an #d ye>s aft] ! date ( enactm5t ( ?is
 ,act1 ! ,f$]al ,en]gy ,regulatory      
,commission %all conduct a /udy on !    
effect ( ! am5dm5ts made by sections #b 
& #c4  7b7 ,requirem5ts ,! /udy "u      

subsection 7a7 %all include an analysis 
(-- 7#a7 ! impact1 if any1 ( ! am5dm5ts 
made by sections #b & #c on ! co/ (     
capital paid by natural-gas companies 7z
 def9$ 9 section #b ( ! ,natural ,gas   
,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #gag;a772  7#b7 any 
*ange 9 ! av]age "t tak5 to resolve     
proce$+s "u sections #d & #e ( !        
,natural ,gas ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4       
#gag;c1 #gag;d72 &  7#c7 su* o!r matt]s 
z ! ,f$]al ,en]gy ,regulatory           
,commission may det]m9e to be           
appropriate & 9 ! public int]e/4  7c7   
,report ,on completion ( ! /udy "u      
subsection 7a71 ! ,f$]al ,en]gy         
,regulatory ,commission %all submit to !
 ,committee on ,en]gy & ,natural        
,res\rces ( ! ,s5ate & ! ,committee on  
,en]gy & ,comm]ce ( ! ,h\se (           
,repres5tatives a report describ+ !     
results ( ! /udy4