News release [Mar. 20, 1998]

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GEORGIA PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION

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Commissioners:

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Mac Barber, Chairman Dave Baker Bobby Baker

Bob Durden

Stan Wise

NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: March 20, 1998
CONTACT: Shawn Davis Public Information Officer (404) 656-6558 or 1-800-282-5813

BILL PASSES REQUIRING PSC MEMBERS TO RUN FROM DISTRICTS

BOBBY BAKER AND DAVE BAKER ABLE TO SEEK RE-ELECTION

ATLANTA -- Beginning with the 2000 election, candidates for the state's Public Service Commission (PSC) will continue to be elected statewide but must qualify from one of five newly drawn districts as a result of legislation passed in the waning hours of the General Assembly. Despite early attempts to prevent Commissioners Bobby Baker and Dave Baker from seeking re-election, the bill's author conceded to a bipartisan Senate amendment.

-"" In its original form, H.B. 95 would have prevented Commissioners Bobby

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Baker and Dave Baker from seeking re-election. The Senate, in a

bipartisan effort authored by Senators Chuck Clay and Charles Walker,

amended the bill so as not to affect sitting Public Service

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Commissioners. Split along party lines, the House disagreed

With the implementation

with the Senate, but in the last hour of the session accepted the date of the bill delayed,

Senate version.

Public Service

Commissioner Bobby

"The House version was blatantly partisan. I still question district Baker will be able to

qualification for a statewide office, but at least this version is fair to all involved," said Commissioner Dave Baker.

qualify in 1998 from his home in Gwinnett.

Candidates for the PSC will now qualify from one of five newly drawn districts but will continue to be elected statewide under legislation passed by the General Assembly

The legislation was first introduced in 1996 - just one year after Republicans for the first time became the majority on the PSC.
Since the legislation doesn't take effect until the 2000 election, Commissioner Bobby Baker will be able to seek reelection in 1998 from his
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PSC Legislative Update Page 2 March 20, 1998

home in Gwinnett. However, when his seat comes up for re-election in 2004, candidates

for district 2 must qualify from Southwest Georgia. Commissioners Dave Baker and

Stan Wise can seek re-election in 2000 from their homes in Fulton County and Cobb

Counties respectively. Commissioners Bob Durden (R-Gwinnett) and Mac Barber (0-

Commerce) will have to face one another in 2002 or one will have to relocate to district

. , 1 in Southeast Georgia to seek re-election.

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Faced with the possibility of being drawn out of his seat on the PSC, Commissioner Dave Baker was "seriously considering" whether

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to run for Secretary of State's Office. He now

.....

plans to remain on the PSC.

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PSC Legislative Update Page 3 March 20, 1998
PSC '98 LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
Public Safety
GEORGIA'S HIGHWAYS SHOULD BE SAFER
The House and Senate have agreed to expand the number of truck enforcement officers in Georgia. Seven new officers will be hired this summer resulting in approximately seven thousand more truck inspections each year.
"Georgia continues to rank among the top ten states with the highest number of truck crash related fatalities," said Public Service Commissioner Bobby Baker. "By increasing our truck safety efforts by 25%, the legislature is now working with us to decrease the number of truck related crashes in Georgia."
The officers will be assigned to high commercial traffic areas in Atlanta, Savannah, Columbus and Augusta. Georgia's highways are made safer through truck inspections that check for road worthiness and driver sobriety and fatigue levels. The officers are 80% funded through a federal truck safety program with cost to the state being $106,650.
Consumer Protection
TELEMARKETING "NO CALL LIST" PASSES BOTH CHAMBERS
Consumers who wish to limit telemarketing calls will be able to place themselves on a "PSC No Call List" starting in July. For a one time $5.00 charge, consumers are placed on a list which telemarketers are banned from calling. Included in the definition of a telemarketer are persons or companies that "encourage the purchase or rental of, or investment in, property, goods or services... " House Bill 71, introduced by Speaker Tom Murphy last year, passed both chambers this session after excluding calls from political pollsters and candidates for public offices. Also exempt from the legislation are charitable or religious organizations and persons or entities that have a prior or current business or personal relationship with the subscriber.
"We are considering privatizing this effort to maximize the number of citizens who wish to subscribe to the no call list," said Public Service Commissioner Bobby Baker.
Telemarketers who fail to check their list against the "PSC No Call List" and call someone on the list can be subjected to a $2,000 fine per call.
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PSC Legislative Update Page 4 March 20, 1998
CONSUMERS GIVEN MORE POWER TO COMBAT PHONE SLAMMING
The General Assembly passed legislation imposing tougher penalties against telephone companies that switch consumers local and long distance phone services without their consent - the practice known as "slamming."
Under provisions of H.B.1130, telephone companies are given ninety days to resolve a consumer's slamming complaint. If the offending company has not issued a refund entitled to the consumer within that ninety day period, consumers can sue the company in their local courts for up to three times the amount the consumer lost in rate differences.
"We are supportive of any measure that gives consumers more power to combat the isolated companies who engage in this practice," said Public Service Commissioner Bobby Baker.
Slamming complaints at the PSC have escalated from nearly 200 in 1995 to nearly 2000 last year. As a result of legislation pushed by the PSC last year, telephone companies can now be fined up to $15,000 per slamming violation.
Consumers who believe they have been slammed should report the incident to the Georgia Public Service Commission by calling 1-800-282-5813.
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