Iowa Code § 474.1 (2026)

1. A utilities commission is created. The commission shall consist of three members appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by the senate, not more than two of whom shall be from the same political party. Each member appointed shall serve for six-year staggered terms beginning and ending as provided by section 69.19. Vacancies shall be filled for the unexpired portion of the term in the same manner as full-term appointments are made.

2. a. Subject to confirmation by the senate, the governor shall appoint a member as the chairperson of the commission. The chairperson shall be the administrator of the utilities commission. The appointment as chairperson shall be for a two-year term which begins and ends as provided in section 69.19.

b. The commission shall appoint a chief operating officer to manage the operations of the utilities commission. The commission shall set the salary of the chief operating officer within the limits of the pay plan for exempt positions provided for in section 8A.413, subsection 3, unless otherwise provided by the general assembly. The commission may employ additional personnel as it finds necessary.

3. The utilities commission shall regulate and supervise public utilities operating in the state. The commission shall enforce and implement chapters 476, 476A, 477C, 478, 479, 479A, and 479B and shall perform other duties assigned to it by law.

4. As used in this chapter and chapters 475A, 476, 476A, 477A, 477C, 478, 479, 479A, and 479B, “commission” and “utilities commission” mean the Iowa utilities commission. [C97, §2111; C24, 27, 31, 35, 39, §7866; C46, 50, 54, 58, 62, 66, 71, 73, §474.2; C75, 77, 79, 81, §474.1] 83 Acts, ch 127, §6; 86 Acts, ch 1245, §740; 89 Acts, ch 296, §70; 95 Acts, ch 192, §3; 2003 Acts, ch 145, §265; 2008 Acts, ch 1031, §115; 2018 Acts, ch 1160, §1; 2023 Acts, ch 19, §2668; 2024 Acts, ch 1108, §6; 2024 Acts, ch 1170, §369 Referred to in §34A.15, 437A.3, 437B.2, 477C.2 Confirmation, see §2.32 \n