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LAWS OF MARYLAND                                     Ch. 860

Public Service Commission - Citizens' Advisory Board

FOR the purpose of creating a Utility Consumer Advisory
Panel to advise and assist the Public Service
Commission and the people's counsel on certain problems
of certain utility consumers; and generally relating to
the creation of a Utility Consumer Advisory Panel.

BY adding to

Article 78 - Public Service Commission Law

Section 3A

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1975 Replacement Volume and 1977 Supplement)

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That section(s) of the Annotated Code of Maryland
be repealed, amended, or enacted to read as follows:

Article 78 -

Public Service Commission Law

3A.

(A)        (1) IN THIS SECTION THE TERMS "UTILITY" AND

"UTILITY COMPANY" MEAN ANY GAS COMPANY, ELECTRIC COMPANY,
GAS AND ELECTRIC COMPANY, OR TELEPHONE COMPANY.

(2) THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS THAT A MORE

FORMAL MECHANISM SHOULD BE CREATED TO INSURE THAT THE

UTILITY CONSUMERS' PROBLEMS, GOALS, AND OBJECTIVES ARE BEING

PROPERLY CONSIDERED BY THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.

THEREFORE, THERE IS A UTILITY CONSUMER ADVISORY PANEL IN THE

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.

(B)    THE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVISORY PANEL IS__CREATED

WITHIN THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AND SHALL ADVISE THE

COMMISSION ON GENERAL GOALS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF PROGRAMS,
UNDERTAKE STUDIES AND ISSUE REPORTS, AND FOSTER COOPERATION
AND UNDERSTANDING REGARDING UTILITY MATTERS AMONG FEDERAL,
STATE, AND LOCAL AGENCIES AS WELL AS PRIVATE GROUPS AND
CONSUMERS.

(C)    THE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVISORY PANEL SHALL ADVISE
THE PEOPLE'S COUNSEL ON GENERAL GOALS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF
PROGRAMS, AND SHALL ALSO RENDER ADVICE ON SPECIFIC CONSUMER
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES IN ORDER TO ASSIST THE PEOPLE'S COUNSEL
IN FORMULATING POLICY IN RATE CASES, INVESTIGATIONS, AND
OTHER MATTERS IN WHICH THE PEOPLE'S COUNSEL MAY FROM TIME TO
TIME BE INVOLVED.

(D) THE UTILITY CONSUMER ADVISORY PANEL MAY MEET AT
TIMES AS ITS MEMBERS MAY DECIDE. HOWEVER, THE PANEL SHALL
MEET AT LEAST ONCE EVERY THREE MONTHS WITH THE COMMISSIONERS
OF THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION AND THE PEOPLE'S COUNSEL TO
RENDER ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE TO THEM.