TN Code § 65-1-101 (2021)
2021 Tennessee Code|Title 65 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Tennessee Public Utility Commission|Part 1 - General Provisions|§ 65-1-101. Creation — Commissioners — Qualifications — Appointments — Vacancies — Term of Office

  There is created the Tennessee public utility commission consisting of five (5) part-time commissioners. The commissioners shall be appointed as follows: one (1) commissioner shall be appointed by the governor, one (1) commissioner shall be appointed by the speaker of the senate, one (1) commissioner shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and two (2) commissioners shall be appointed by joint agreement among the governor, the speaker of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives. In making the appointments pursuant to this subsection (a), the governor, the speaker of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives shall strive to ensure that the Tennessee public utility commission is composed of commissioners who are diverse in professional or educational background, ethnicity, geographic residency, perspective and experience.   Each commissioner of the commission shall have at a minimum a bachelor's degree and at least three (3) years' experience in a regulated utility industry, in executive level management, or in one (1) or more of the following fields:  Economics;   Law;   Finance;   Accounting; or   Engineering.     The commissioners of the commission shall be state officers and, except for the staggered terms provided in subsection (h), shall serve six-year terms.   The governor, the speaker of the senate, and the speaker of the house of representatives shall make appointments by April 1, prior to the expiration of the terms of office of the commissioners.   The term of office of each commissioner shall commence on July 1, following such commissioner's appointment.   All appointments of the commissioners shall be confirmed by joint resolution adopted by each house of the general assembly within thirty (30) days after the appointment.   Any vacancy on the commission shall be filled by the original appointing authority for such position to serve the unexpired term and each appointment shall be confirmed in the same manner as the original appointment. If, however, the general assembly is not in session and a vacancy occurs, the appropriate appointing authority shall fill such vacancy by appointment and the appointee shall serve the unexpired term, unless the appointment is not confirmed within thirty (30) days after the general assembly convenes following the appointment to fill such vacancy.   The terms of current commissioners appointed during 2008 and commissioners appointed during 2012 shall be staggered and shall expire as follows:  The terms of the existing commissioners appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and the speaker of the senate shall expire on June 30, 2014;   The term of the existing commissioner appointed by the governor shall expire on June 30, 2017;   The terms of the joint commissioners commencing on July 1, 2012, shall expire on June 30, 2018.     A commissioner shall continue to serve until the commissioner's successor is appointed.