AN ACT relating to the Energy Planning and Inventory Commission and declaring an emergency.

Amend KRS 164.2807 to provide for the administrative attachment of the Energy Planning and Inventory Commission (EPIC) to the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research, and the independent functions of EPIC; require EPIC to maintain separate accounts for all funds appropriated to it; provide the executive director of EPIC with the sole authority to hire staff and retain contractors; allow the commission in its sole discretion to set compensation for its professional employees; allow the commission to conduct its own procurements and perform its own bidding and negotiations under KRS Chapter 45A; limit the membership of the EPIC board to no more than 2 members who reside outside of the Commonwealth; amend the membership of the EPIC executive committee to consist of the EPIC commission board chair, the vice chair, 2 appointees made by the Attorney General, and 1 appointee elected by the membership of the board; require, instead of allow, EPIC to employ an executive director; allow the executive director to have the full authority to act on behalf of EPIC in all matters, with the advice of the commission; specify the termination and compensation adjustment procedures for the executive director; provide that all information, records, and data submitted by utilities and produced by EPIC members and staff shall be confidential and exempt from disclosure under KRS 61.870 to 61.884; establish the Energy Planning and Inventory Commission fund and specify the purposes of the fund; make conforming changes; require the Attorney General to make appointments to the EPIC executive committee on or before August 1, 2026, and terminate the terms of the current appointees for those positions on the effective date of the Act; EMERGENCY.