2023 Tennessee Code › Title 65 - PUBLIC UTILITIES AND CARRIERS (§§ 65-1-101 — 65-37-104) › Chapter 1 - TENNESSEE REGULATORY AUTHORITY (§§ 65-1-101 — 65-1-116) › Part 1 - GENERAL PROVISIONS (§§ 65-1-101 — 65-1-116) › Section 65-1-109 - Executive director

(a)
The executive director shall be appointed by joint agreement among the governor, the speaker of the senate and the speaker of the house of representatives for the initial term. Thereafter, the commissioners of the commission shall appoint the executive director. The term of the executive director shall be three (3) years. The executive director shall have at a minimum a bachelor's degree and either a minimum of five (5) years' experience in the regulated utility industry or a minimum of five (5) years' experience in executive-level management, with a preference toward experience in economics, law, finance, accounting or engineering. The executive director shall not be a commissioner of the commission.
(b)
The commission may remove the executive director by a majority vote of the commissioners.
(c)
The executive director shall have the principal responsibility of implementing the broad strategies, goals, objectives, long-range plans and policies of the commission. Among the executive director's duties, which are not limited to the following list, are:
(1)
Serving as chief operating officer of the commission responsible for the day to day management of the commission and the supervision and hiring of all staff members within the limits of available funds authorized from time to time by the legislature;
(2)
Administering, monitoring, and reviewing the operating procedures of each division of the commission, ensuring that each employee and division of the commission fully executes in an efficient and economical manner, the separate duties assigned to each;
(3)
Submitting rules and policies for approval by the commission;
(4)
Implementing and administering rules and policies for the efficient and economical internal management of the commission;
(5)
Coordinating the preparation of the report to the general assembly as required by §
65-1-111
;
(6)
Supervising the expenditure of funds and being responsible for complying with all applicable state and federal law in the receipt and disbursement of funds; and
(7)
Performing such other duties as the commission may require, from time to time, or as may be required by statute.
(d)
The governor shall set the compensation of the executive director for the initial term of office of the executive director, which shall not exceed the compensation established for the commissioners of the claims commission. Thereafter, the commissioners of the commission shall set the compensation of the executive director.
(e)
The executive director shall submit an annual report to the general assembly comparing telecommunications, electricity, natural gas, water and wastewater utility rates between Tennessee and the southeastern states. For the purpose of reporting rates in the report, the Tennessee public utility commission shall make comparisons on the basis of market choices made by consumers without regard to whether the services chosen are regulated or non-regulated services.
Amended by 2017 Tenn. Acts, ch. 94,s 80, eff. 4/4/2017.
Acts 2012, ch. 1070, § 8.