Senate bill NO. 109

INTRODUCED BY K. Regier

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REVISING PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION DISTRICTS; CREATING PROCEDURES FOR COMMISSION DISTRICT ADJUSTMENT; AMENDING SECTION 69-1-104, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN IMMEDIATE EFFECTIVE DATE.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

Section 1. Section 69-1-104, MCA, is amended to read:

"69-1-104. Public service commission districts. (1) In this state there are five public service commission districts, with one commissioner elected from each district,. Districts are based on the house districts submitted as part of the redistricting plan to the secretary of state pursuant to Article V, section 14, of the Montana constitution. The house districts are distributed as follows:

(1)        first district: Blaine, Cascade, Chouteau, Daniels, Dawson, Fergus, Garfield, Hill, Judith Basin, Liberty, McCone, Petroleum, Phillips, Richland, Roosevelt, Sheridan, Toole, Valley, and Wibaux Counties;

(2)        second district: Big Horn, Carbon, Carter, Custer, Fallon, Powder River, Prairie, Rosebud, Treasure, and Yellowstone Counties;

(3)        third district: Beaverhead, Broadwater, Deer Lodge, Gallatin, Golden Valley, Jefferson, Madison, Meagher, Musselshell, Park, Silver Bow, Stillwater, Sweet Grass, and Wheatland Counties;

(4)        fourth district: Granite, Lincoln, Mineral, Missoula, Powell, Ravalli, and Sanders Counties;

(5)        fifth district: Flathead, Glacier, Lake, Lewis and Clark, Pondera, and Teton Counties.

(a)        first district: 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38, 43, 44, 45;

(b)        second district: 39, 40, 41, 42, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62;

(c)        third district: 37, 60, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 77, 78, 79, 85, 86;

(d)        fourth district: 1, 2, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 87, 88, 89, 90, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 100; and

(e)        fifth district: 3, 4, 5, 7, 11, 15, 16, 17, 18, 24, 25, 76, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 91, 92, 99.

(2)        During a legislative session and following the receipt of the latest official final decennial census data, the legislature:

(a)        shall evaluate existing commission districts;

(b)        may adjust commission boundaries to comply with the United States constitution;

(c)        shall prepare and adopt a final commission district map; and

(d)        shall file the final commission district map with the secretary of state."

Section 2. Effective date. [This act] is effective on passage and approval.