A bill

to amend the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 58-1-60 so as to PROHIBIT A PUBLIC UTILITY FROM INCLUDING IN ITS RATE BASE OR OTHERWISE RECOVER FROM ITS CUSTOMERS ANY LEGAL FEES PAID BY THE PUBLIC UTILITY FOR A MATTER IN WHICH THE PUBLIC UTILITY WAS FOUND TO HAVE VIOLATED A FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL STATUTE, REGULATION, OR ORDINANCE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Title 58 of the S.C. Code is amended by adding:

Section 58160. A public utility, as defined in Section 5835, that has rates subject to regulation by the Public Service Commission shall not be permitted to include as a part of its rate base nor otherwise recover from its customers any legal fees paid by the public utility for a matter in which the public utility was found to have violated a federal, state, or local statute, regulation, or ordinance.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

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