Relating to expenses incurred in the appeal of rates for water or sewer service charged to certain customers.

This bill (SB 2161) allows certain ratepayers to recover legal costs if they successfully challenge water or sewer rates set by a municipally owned utility. Specifically, it applies to customers living outside a municipality's corporate limits who hire an attorney and win an appeal proving the rate increase was unjustified. If the utility commission finds the rate hike lacked factual or legal basis, the successful ratepayer may recover reasonable attorney fees, expert witness costs, and other expenses incurred during the appeal. The law applies only to appeals filed on or after September 1, 2025, and does not change how pre-existing appeals are handled.