(A) It is the duty and responsibility of the regulatory staff to:

(1) when considered necessary by the Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Staff and in the public interest, review, investigate, and make appropriate recommendations to the commission with respect to the rates charged or proposed to be charged by any public utility;

(2) when considered necessary by the Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Staff and in the public interest, make inspections, audits, and examinations of public utilities regarding matters within the jurisdiction of the commission. The regulatory staff has sole responsibility for this duty but shall also make such inspections, audits, or examinations of public utilities as requested by the commission;

(3) when considered necessary by the Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Staff and in the public interest, review, investigate, and make appropriate recommendations to the commission with respect to the service furnished or proposed to be furnished by any public utility;

(4) represent the public interest in commission proceedings, hearings, rulemakings, adjudications, arbitrations, and other regulatory matters unless the Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Staff chooses to opt out as a participant under the provisions of item 10;

(5) investigate complaints affecting the public interest generally, including those which are directed to the commission, commissioners, or commission employees, and where appropriate, make recommendations to the commission with respect to these complaints;

(6) upon request by the commission, make studies and recommendations to the commission with respect to standards, regulations, practices, or service of any public utility pursuant to the provisions of this title;

(7) make recommendations to the commission with respect to standards, regulations, practices, or service of any public utility pursuant to the provisions of this title;

(8) when considered necessary by the Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Staff and in the public interest, provide legal representation of the public interest before state courts, federal regulatory agencies, and federal courts in proceedings that could affect the rates or service of any public utility;

(9) to serve as a facilitator or otherwise act directly or indirectly to resolve disputes and issues involving matters within the jurisdiction of the commission;

(10) when considered appropriate by the Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Staff and not adverse to the public interest, choose to not participate in any commission proceeding; and

(11) when considered necessary by the Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Staff and in the public interest, educate the public on matters affecting public utilities which are of special interest to consumers.

Text of (A)(12) effective January 1, 2020.

(12) when considered necessary by the Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Staff and in the public interest, make inspections, audits, and examination of the compliance by electric cooperatives with the provisions of law specified in Section 33-49-150.

(B) Subject to the provisions of Section 58-3-260 and, upon request, the Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Staff must employ the resources of the regulatory staff to furnish to the commission, or its members, such information and reports or conduct such investigations and provide other assistance as may reasonably be required in order to supervise and control the public utilities of the State and to carry out the laws providing for their regulation.

(C) Each year, the Executive Director of the Office of Regulatory Staff and the regulatory staff employees must attend a workshop of at least six contact hours concerning ethics and the Administrative Procedures Act. This workshop must be developed with input from the review committee.

HISTORY: 2004 Act No. 175, Section 6, eff January 1, 2005; 2019 Act No. 56 (H.3145), Section 13, eff January 1, 2020.