Section 271G-14 - Transfer of certificates of public convenience and necessity, and carrier property(a) For the purpose of the administration and application of subsections (a) and (b), the term "carrier" includes any water carrier subject to this chapter, or any carrier subject to the act of any other state or any act of the Congress of the United States under which interstate or foreign commerce by land, sea, or air, is regulated.(b) No water carrier shall sell, lease, assign, mortgage, or otherwise dispose of, or encumber the whole or any part of its property necessary or useful in the performance of transportation services for the public or any certificate of public convenience and necessity; nor shall any water carrier, by any means, directly or indirectly, merge or consolidate its property, certificates of public convenience and necessity, or any part thereof, with any other carrier, without first having secured from the public utilities commission an order authorizing it so to do, unless the water carrier is either: (1) Disposing a fully depreciated asset or property with a zero net book value; provided that the disposal: (A) Is made to an unaffiliated entity; and(B) Results in a zero or net reduction to the water carrier's rate base; or(2) Donating a fully depreciated asset or property with zero net book value to a charitable or nonprofit organization.Every sale, lease, assignment, mortgage, disposition, encumbrance, merger, or consolidation that requires authorization from the public utilities commission under this subsection and is made other than in accordance with an order of the commission authorizing the same shall be void.
(c) No water carrier shall purchase or acquire, take or hold, any part of the capital stock of any other water carrier organized or existing under or by virtue of the laws of the State, without having been first authorized to do so by the commission. Every assignment or transfer of any stock by or through any person to any person, or otherwise, in violation of any of the provisions of this section is void and of no effect, and no transfer shall be made on the books of any water carrier. Nothing herein shall prevent the holding of stock heretofore lawfully acquired.(d) Whenever a transaction is proposed under subsection (b) or (c) of this section, the water carrier or water carriers, or person or persons, seeking approval thereof shall present an application to the commission in such form as the commission may require and the commission may thereupon act upon the application with or without first holding a public hearing; provided that if requested, it shall afford reasonable opportunity for interested parties to be heard. If the commission finds that subject to such terms and conditions as it shall find to be just and reasonable the proposed transaction will be consistent with the public interest, the commission shall enter an order approving and authorizing the transaction, upon the terms and conditions, and with the modifications, so found to be just and reasonable.(e) Pending the determination of an application filed with the commission for approval of a consolidation or merger of the properties of two or more water carriers, or of a purchase, lease, charter, or contract to operate the properties of one or more water carriers, the commission may, in its discretion and without hearings or other proceedings, grant temporary approval, for a period not exceeding one hundred twenty days or for such additional period as the determination of an application may require, of the operation of the water carrier properties sought to be acquired by the persons proposing in the pending application to acquire the properties, if it shall appear that failure to grant this temporary approval may result in destruction of or injury to such water carrier properties sought to be acquired, or to interfere substantially with their future usefulness in the performance of adequate and continuous service to the public.Amended by L 2023, c 178,§ 2, eff. 7/3/2023.L 1974, c 94, pt of §1; am L 1980, c 202, §3