An Act Regarding the Duties of the Public Advocate

Sec. 1. 35-A MRSA §1702, sub-§5,  as amended by PL 1999, c. 398, Pt. A, §26 and affected by §§104 and 105, is further amended to read:

summary

This bill removes an exception to the Public Advocate's ability to petition to initiate, or intervene and appear in, any proceedings before the Public Utilities Commission, appeals from orders of the commission or proceedings before state and federal agencies and courts in which the subject matter of the action affects the customers of any utility or competitive service provider doing business in the State. The exception the bill removes is the prohibition against the Public Advocate's intervening in any proceedings in which commission staff is representing a position substantially similar to that of the Public Advocate.