Chapter 183, Laws of 1931, renamed the Railroad Commission as the Public Service Commission. Comprehensive motor carrier regulation was added by Chapter 488, Laws of 1933. Securities regulation was transferred to the Banking Department in 1937. The Reorganization Act of 1967 continued the commission as an independent regulatory agency. Chapter 29, Laws of 1977, transferred transportation regulation to the Transportation Commission. The commission is responsible for the regulation of the public utilities as defined in Section 196.01, Wis. Stat., including those municipally owned and operated. The commission must review and evaluate the advance plans for proposed facilities filed biennially by all electric utilities (including cooperatives), and conduct research and sponsor demonstration projects relating to the forecasting of demand, pricing structure and power operation and supply. The commission reviews environmental impact statements and conducts studies of long-range energy requirements and supply. The commission also has responsibility in the areas of telecommunications and natural gas and electric power with respect to emergency resource management.
