[PARTII.]  CONSUMER ADVOCATE

 

§269-51  Consumer advocate; director ofcommerce and consumer affairs.  The director of commerce and consumeraffairs shall be the consumer advocate in hearings before the public utilitiescommission.  The consumer advocate shall represent, protect, and advance theinterests of all consumers, including small businesses, of utility services. The consumer advocate shall not receive any salary in addition to the salaryreceived as director of commerce and consumer affairs.

The responsibility for advocating the interestsof the consumer of utility services shall be separate and distinct from theresponsibilities of the public utilities commission and those assistantsemployed by the commission.  As consumer advocate, the director of commerce andconsumer affairs shall have full rights to participate as a party in interestin all proceedings before the public utilities commission. [L 1976, c 124, ptof §1; am L 1982, c 204, §6; am L 1986, c 52, §1]