Nebraska Public Service Commission
| Nebraska Public Service Commission | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Office Type: | Partisan |
| Office website: | Official Link |
| 2012-13 FY Budget: | $2,359,563 |
| Total Seats: | 5 |
| Term limits: | None |
| Structure | |
| Length of term: | 6 years |
| Authority: | Nebraska Constitution, Article IV, Section 20 |
| Leadership: | Tim Schram (R) |
| Selection Method: | Elected |
| Elections | |
| Next election: | November 4, 2014 |
| Last election: | November 6, 2012 |
| Other Nebraska Executive Offices | |
| Governor • Lieutenant Governor • Secretary of State • Attorney General • Treasurer • Auditor • Commissioner of Education • Agriculture Director • Insurance Director • Natural Resources Director • Labor Commissioner • Public Service Commission | |
Contents |
The Commission regulates railroads, household goods and passenger carriers, telephone companies, grain warehouses and construction of manufactured homes.
Current officeholder
The current Chairman is Tim Schram who represents District 3 and vice-chairman is Rod Johnson who represents District 4. Commissioners include: Frank E. Landis, Jr. (District 1), Anne C. Boyle (District 2) and Gerald L. Vap (District 5).
Authority
The state Constitution establishes the public service commission in Article IV, the Executive Department.
Under Article IV, Section 20:
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There shall be a Public Service Commission, consisting of not less than three nor more than seven members, as the Legislature shall prescribe, whose term of office shall be six years, and whose compensation shall be fixed by the Legislature. |
Not known as the Public Service Commission until 1972, the PSC's roots date back to the Railway Commission of 1885, created to regulate railroads. The Railway Commission lasted until 1887, when the Nebraska Legislature created a Board of Transportation. The law creating the Board was found unconstitutional by a 1901 Supreme Court ruling. The Legislature took over regulating railroads until the passage of a constitutional amendment in 1906 creating a three member elected Railway Commission, with members serving six-year terms. Membership was increased to five in 1964 and the state was divided into five districts, each to elect a commissioner. The name was changed to the current Public Service Commission by a general election vote in 1972.[1]
Qualifications
Qualifications for members of the Public Service commission are outlined in the revised state statutes:[2]
- Be resident citizens of the state
- Registered voters
- If members of or practitioners in any profession, in good standing according to the established standards of such profession
- Be a resident of the district from which he or she seeks election
- Be a resident of the district from which he or she is elected, removal from the district shall cause a vacancy in the office
- Cannot be directly or indirectly interested in any common carrier or jurisdictional utility in the state or out of it or who is in any way or manner pecuniarily interested in any common carrier
- Not hold any other office under the government of the United States, of this state, or of any other state and shall not, while such commissioner, engage in any other occupation
Elections
Public service commissioners are elected to six year terms.
2012
Incumbents Frank Landis (R) and Tim Schram (R) ran unopposed in both the primary election and in the November 6, 2012 general election.
| Nebraska Public Service Commission District 1 General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican |  Frank Landis Incumbent |
100% | 114,019 | |
| Total Votes | 114,019 | |||
| Election Results via Nebraska Secretary of State. | ||||
| Nebraska Public Service Commission District 3 General Election, 2012 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Tim Schram Incumbent |
100% | 127,390 | |
| Total Votes | 127,390 | |||
| Election Results via Nebraska Secretary of State. | ||||
Vacancies
In the event of a vacancy, the governor appoints a replacement to fill out the remainder of the unexpired term.[3]
Divisions
The Public Service Commission is composed of four departments: Transportation, Communications, Grain Warehouse, and Housing and Recreational Vehicles.[1]
Transportation Department
- The Transportation Department regulates railroads, household goods, and passenger carriers.[1]
Contact Transportation Department:
Mark Breiner, Director
Email: mark.breiner@nebraska.gov
Communications Department
- The Communications Department regulates telephone companies, engineering, and private water companies.[1]
Contact Communications Department:
M. Gene Hand, Director
Email: gene.hand@nebraska.gov
Grain Warehouse Department
- The Grain Warehouse Department regulates grain production.[1]
Contact Grain Warehouse Department:
John Fecht, Director
Email: john.fecht@nebraska.gov
Housing and Recreational Vehicle Department
- The Housing and Recreational Vehicle Department regulates mobile homes, modular housing units, and recreational vehicles.[1]
Contact Housing and Recreational Vehicles Department:
Mark Luttich, Director
Email: mark.luttich@nebraska.gov
Duties
Public service commissioners are responsible for regulating the following:[4]
- Telecommunication carriers
- Natural gas jurisdictional utilities
- Mayor oil pipelines
- Railroad safety
- Household goods movers and passenger carriers
- Grain warehouses and dealers
- Construction of manufactured and modular homes and recreational vehicles
- High voltage electric transmission lines
- Private water company rates
The Commission also oversees and administers the following statutorily created funds:
- The Nebraska Universal Service Fund
- The Enhanced Wireless 911 Fund
- The Nebraska Telecommunications Relay System Fund
State budget
The budget for the Public Service Commission in Fiscal Year 2012-13 was $2,359,563.[5]
Compensation
- See also: Compensation of state executive officers
In 2012, the Nebraska Public Service Commissioners were paid an estimated $120,164 according to the Council of State Governments.
The state Constitution addresses compensation for state executive officials in Article IV, Section 25.
|
The officers provided for in this article shall receive such salaries as may be provided by law. Such officers, or such other officers as may be provided for by law, shall not receive for their own use any fees, costs, or interest upon public money in their hands. |
Contact information
Chairman Tim Schram
Email: tim.schram@nebraska.gov
Phone: 1-800-526-0017
Nebraska Public Service Commission
1200 N Street, Suite 300, Lincoln, NE 68508
Phone: 402-471-3101
Toll Free: 1-800-526-0017 (Nebraska Only)
TDD: 402-471-0213
Fax: 402-471-0254
See also
- Public Services Commissioner
- Chairman Tim Schram
- Vice-chairman Rod Johnson
- Frank E. Landis, Jr.
- Anne C. Boyle
- Gerald L. Vap
External links
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Nebraska Public Service Commission, "History of the Commission," retrieved April 24, 2011
- ↑ Nebraska Revised Statutes, " Chapter 75-101 Public Service Commission," accessed December 22, 2012
- ↑ Nebraska Revised Statutes, " Chapter 75-103 Public Service Commission," accessed December 22, 2012
- ↑ Nebraska Public Service Commission, "Brief history of the commission," accessed December 22, 2012
- ↑ Nevada Legislative Counsel Bureau, "2011-2013 General Fund Appropriations Summary," accessed April 17, 2013
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