Sec. 3. 35-A MRSA §116, sub-§8, as amended by PL 2005, c. 3, Pt. J, §1, is further amended to read:

8. Public Advocate assessment. Every utility subject to assessment under this section is subject to an additional annual assessment on its intrastate gross operating revenues to produce sufficient revenue for expenditures allocated by the Legislature for operating the Office of Public Advocate, excluding amounts allocated for the full cost of the State Nuclear Safety Advisor established pursuant to Title 25, section 52. The portion of this assessment applicable to each category of public utility is based on an accounting by the Public Advocate of resources devoted to matters related to each category.__The Public Advocate shall develop a reasonable and practicable method of accounting for resources devoted by the Public Advocate to matters related to each category of public utility.__Assessments on each public utility within each category must be based on the utility's gross intrastate operating revenues. The revenues produced from this assessment are transferred to the Public Advocate Regulatory Fund and may only be used to fulfill the duties specified in chapter 17. The assessments charged to utilities under this subsection are considered just and reasonable operating costs for rate- making purposes. The Public Advocate shall develop a method of accounting for staff time within the Office of Public Advocate. All professional and support staff shall account for their time in such a way as to identify the percentage of time devoted to public utility regulation and the percentage of time devoted to other duties that may be required by law.

A. The Public Advocate shall submit its budget recommendations as part of the unified current services budget legislation in accordance with Title 5, sections 1663 to 1665. The assessments and expenditures provided in this section are subject to legislative approval. The Public Advocate shall make an annual report of its planned expenditures for the year and on its use of funds in the previous year. The Public Advocate may also receive other funds as appropriated by the Legislature.

B. The Public Advocate may use the revenues provided in accordance with this section to fund the Public Advocate and 9 employees and to defray the costs incurred by the Public Advocate pursuant to this Title, including administrative expenses, general expenses, consulting fees and all other reasonable costs incurred to administer this Title.