About the KCC
Structure & Organization
The Commission consists of three members appointed by the Governor to overlapping four-year terms. No more than two members may be of the same political party. The Office of the Commission includes the Secretary of the Commission and the General Counsel. To carry out its multi-faceted mission, the Commission is financed from assessments, registration fees, operating charges, federal funds, and other sources. The Commission has five main divisions: Administration, Conservation, Utilities, Transportation, and Energy.
The Administrative Division includes the Office of the Commission and various supporting functions. These are: 1) legal; 2) public affairs and consumer protection; 3) human resources; 4) information technology; 5) docket management; and 6) fiscal management and support services.
The Conservation Division's mission is to protect correlative rights and environmental resources. This is done in part by preventing waste and by enforcing regulations that provide guidelines of producing resources efficiently. The Conservation office is located in Wichita and has four District Offices located in Dodge City, Wichita, Chanute, and Hays.
The Utilities Division establishes and regulates rates for public utilities, including electricity, natural gas, liquid pipelines, and telecommunications. The Division also houses the pipeline safety program, and administers the Kansas Universal Service Fund (KUSF) through a third party administrator pursuant to K.S.A. 66-2008 to 66-2010.
The Transportation Division ensures appropriate and effective regulatory oversight of motor carriers with the goal of protecting the public interest and promoting safety through comprehensive planning, licensing, and education and inspection. This includes licensing, auditing, inspections and other administrative procedures that promote efficient motor carrier operations, while balancing the public interest and safety, and minimizing the administrative burden to the extent possible.
The mission of the Energy Division is to promote energy conservation and efficiency in Kansas and to serve as a clearinghouse for information on alternative energy and other energy topics. In support of this mission, the Energy Division administers programs, promotes public education through outreach activities, coordinates government and private sector activities, and provides objective and up-to-date information on energy-related topics. It is also authorized to accept federal funds on behalf of the State of Kansas.
The authority of the Kansas Corporation Commission is derived from K.S.A. 74-601 to 74-631.
What is Not Regulated
The KCC does not regulate most electric cooperatives, water cooperatives, municipalities, wireless telephones, long distance service, cable companies, or the Internet.
History
The KCC was originally established in 1883 to regulate railroad activity. The KCC was one of the first state regulatory bodies in the nation. In 1911, the Kansas Legislature created a three member Public Utilities Commission to regulate telegraph and telephone companies, pipeline companies, common carriers, water, electric, gas, and all power companies with the exception of those owned by municipalities. The present regulatory body, the KCC, was established by the Legislature in 1933. Over the years, its jurisdiction was extended to include motor carriers, oil and gas conservation, and supervision of plugging abandoned wells to protect fresh and useable water from pollution.