Reference is to Printer's Date 1/10/18-H.
Amend the bill, as and if amended, SECTION 1, by striking Section 1-7-1320 through Section 1-7-1350 and inserting:
Section 1-7-1320. For
purposes of this article, the term:
(1) 'Commission' and
'Regulatory Staff' have the same meaning as provided in Section
58-4-5.
(2) 'Consumer
interests' means interests the Utilities Consumer Advocate feels
are material, especially:
(a)
consumer interests in holding utility bills stable and to
the lowest reasonable level in the short and long term;
(b)
securing safe and reliable utility services at
nondiscriminatory rates; and
(c)
managing utility bills through conservation, efficiency,
and technologies that facilitate control over energy generation
and consumption.
(3) 'Public Utility'
has the same meaning as provided in Section 58-4-5, but also
shall include in the meaning those electric utilities which are
the under the jurisdiction of the Public Service Commission.
Section 1-7-1330. (A)
The Utilities Consumer Advocate must be
appointed by the Attorney General and may be removed from office
by the Attorney General for malfeasance, misfeasance,
incompetency, absenteeism, conflicts of interest, misconduct,
persistent neglect of duty in office, or incapacity to serve.
The Utilities Consumer Advocate must be an attorney qualified to
practice in all courts of this State. The Utilities Consumer
Advocate shall not report to the Office of Regulatory Staff but
may avail himself of the services of the Office of Regulatory
Staff as necessary in representing the public utility interests
of consumers. The Office of Regulatory Staff shall cooperate
with any and all requests by the Utilities Consumer Advocate and
Regulatory Staff and shall be available to provide research and
expertise to the Utilities Consumer Advocate as requested.
(B) Unless otherwise
provided by law, no person may serve as the Utilities Consumer
Advocate if the Public Service Commission regulates any utility
with which that person is associated. If the commission
regulates a business with which the Utilities Consumer Advocate
is associated, he must annually file a statement of economic
interests notwithstanding the provisions of Section
8-13-1110.
(C) No person may serve
as the Utilities Consumer Advocate if the Public Service
Commission regulates a business with which he is associated and
this relationship creates a continuing or frequent conflict with
the performance of his official responsibilities.
Section 1-7-1340. The Utilities Consumer Advocate must be provided office space and be otherwise equipped by the Office of the Attorney General to perform the functions prescribed in this article. Necessary expenses must be borne by regulated utilities, in a manner consistent with the provisions of Section 58-4-60. The Attorney General shall set the salary of the Utilities Consumer Advocate.
Section 1-7-1350. (A)
The duties and responsibilities of the
Utilities Consumer Advocate are:
(1)
to represent the public utility interests of consumers,
especially residential consumers who take public utility service
for domestic purposes, low income residential consumers, and
small business consumers, as defined in Section 1-23-270;
(2)
to provide legal representation of the consumer interests
before the state and federal regulatory agencies which undertake
to fix rates or prices for public utilities;
(3)
along with the Office of Regulatory Staff, to monitor
existing regulations, rate structures, and policies of those
agencies of special interest to utility consumers and report to
the public through the news media proposed changes under
consideration and the effect of those changes on the lives of
the citizens of the State; and
(4)
to evaluate and act upon requests from consumers
concerning the matters provided in items (1) through (3), except
that any proceedings initiated by the Utilities Consumer
Advocate must be brought on behalf of the public at large and
not for individuals; initiation or continuation of any
proceedings is in the sole discretion of the Utilities Consumer
Advocate.
(B) The Utilities
Consumer Advocate shall provide an annual report to the General
Assembly on January fifteenth of each year regarding the
previous year's activities on behalf of the interests of utility
consumers.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.