§37-4-23. Inspection and supervision fees - Generally.

Each utility, as defined in this chapter, doing business in this state and subject to the control and jurisdiction of the commission with respect to its rates and service regulations, shall pay quarterly to the commission beginning November 1, 1985 and on each quarter thereafter February 1, May 1, August 1, and November 1 of each year, a fee for the inspection and supervision of such business. Such inspection and supervision fees shall be paid by such utilities in addition to any and all property, franchise, licence, intangible and other taxes, fees and charges now or hereafter provided by law. No similar inspection and supervision fees shall be levied or assessed by any county or municipality of the state, and no part of such inspection and supervision fees shall be allowed to any county or municipality of this state. Such inspection and supervision fee shall be measured by the amount of the gross receipts of each such utility for the fiscal year next preceding the dates fixed in this article for the payment of the same, except that in case of such utilities engaged in interstate business, the fees shall be measured by the gross receipts of such utilities from intrastate business only, for such preceding fiscal year, and not in any respect upon receipts derived wholly or in part from interstate business. Such fees shall be ascertained as follows: A fee of $2.85 per $1,000.00 for the first $100,000.00 or less of such gross receipts; a fee of $2.35 per $1,000.00 for each additional $1,000.00 of such gross receipts up to and including $1,000,000.00 thereof; and a fee of $1.85 per $1,000.00 for each additional $1,000.00 of such gross receipts over $1,000,000.00 thereof; but in no case shall said fee be less than $25.00, which shall be the minimum inspection and supervision fee to be paid by any utility. However, all utilities with gross intrastate receipts in excess of $60,000,000.00 per calendar year will continue to submit the quarterly payment of fees, as due on the intrastate gross receipts of the fiscal year ended September 30, 1984, through August 1, 1985. On September 1, 1985 such utilities shall pay fees due based on gross receipts for the calendar quarter ended December 31, 1984. Beginning November 1, 1985 such companies shall pay over on a quarterly basis fees based on gross receipts for the calendar quarter ended March 31, 1985 and henceforth for the calendar quarters ending June 30, September 30, December 31 and March 31 of each year on the following February 1, May 1, August 1 and November 1 of each year respectively. The commission shall keep a true record of all such amounts so paid to it, but said amounts when received by the commission shall be promptly paid over to the treasurer and shall be held in the commission's operating fund by him except those funds identified in Section 37-4-88 which are designated for the "gas pipeline safety fund," and shall be paid out by the treasurer in payment of expenses incurred by the commission under this title upon warrants drawn by the comptroller on the treasurer, and approved by said commission or a majority thereof. Subject to the provisions of the merit system, the commission shall have power to employ such assistants as may be found necessary to aid the commission in such regulation, and to make payment for any necessary traveling or incidental expenses incurred in connection with such regulation, which shall be paid out of said fund as aforesaid, so far as it may be available. Payment of the supervision and inspection fees provided for under this section shall in all respects be governed by the provisions of Section 37-4-24.

(Acts 1920, No. 37, p. 38; Code 1923, §9765; Acts 1932, Ex. Sess., No. 232, p. 233; Code 1940, T. 48, §327; Acts 1981, No. 81-718, p. 1210, §1; Acts 1985, No. 85-756, p. 1256, §2; Acts 1989, No. 89-943, p. 1852, §2; Acts 1991, No. 91-586, p. 1075, §1.)