AN ACT CONCERNING ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PUBLIC UTILITIES REGULATORY AUTHORITY.

SB 318 reorganizes the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA) by moving it out of the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection. It requires appointments to fill vacancies within 90 days, limits members to three terms, and mandates legislative approval for any policy changes affecting ratepayers. The bill also requires PURA to conduct more frequent rate analyses, publish a public dashboard tracking unpaid utility bills monthly, and provide simplified fiscal reports for rate cases before decisions are made. These changes aim to increase transparency and accountability for how utility rates are set and managed.