Ch. 413                                    2003 LAWS OF MARYLAND

4. all other direct and indirect costs of the Office of People's
Counsel.

(2)     Based on the estimate, the Chairman shall determine the amount to
be paid by each public service company.

(3)     The Commission shall send a bill to each public service company on
or before May 1st of each year.

(4)     The bill shall equal the product of:

(i) the estimated total costs and expenses of the Commission and
the Office of People's Counsel during the next fiscal year; multiplied by

(ii) the ratio of the gross operating revenues for the public service
company derived from intrastate utility and electricity supplier operations in the
preceding calendar year, or other 12-month period as the Chairman determines, to
the total of the gross operating revenues derived from intrastate utility and electricity
supplier operations for all public service companies that are billed under this section
over that period.

(5)     The minimum bill for a public service company shall be $10.

(6)     The public service company:

(i) shall pay the bill on or before the next July 15th; or

(ii) may elect to make partial payments on the 15th days of July,
October, January, and April.

(7)     A partial payment shall equal 25% of the bill and may not be less
than $10.

(8)     During any State fiscal year, the Chairman may change the estimate
of costs and expenses of the Commission and the estimate of costs and expenses of the
Office of People's Counsel, as changed by the People's Counsel.

(9)     (i) If the estimate is changed, the Commission shall send a revised
bill to each public service company that has elected to make partial payments.

(ii) The change shall be apportioned equally against the remaining
payments for the fiscal year.

(10)   (i) On or before September 15th of each year, the Chairman shall
compute the actual costs and expenses of the Commission, and the actual costs and
expenses of the Office of People's Counsel, as provided by the People's Counsel for the
preceding fiscal year.

(ii) [After] IF THE AMOUNTS COLLECTED ARE LESS THAN THE
ACTUAL COSTS AND EXPENSES OF THE COMMISSION AND THE OFFICE OF THE
PEOPLE'S COUNSEL, AFTER deducting the amounts recovered under §§ 2-111(a) and
2-123 of this subtitle, on or before October 15th, the Chairman shall send to any

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