reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MS Code § 77-1-17 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-17. Employment and duties of rate expert and assistant

 The commission is hereby authorized to employ for the term of the commissioners a competent rate expert at a salary fixed by the commission, and an assistant rate expert at a salary fixed by the commission, for the collection of data and evidence for the use of the state in protecting the interest of the state involving duties and obligations of all common carriers, all common carriers by motor vehicle, all restricted common carriers by motor vehicle, and all contract carriers by motor vehicle, and for the establishment of proof in litigation now pending or which may hereafter be instituted.   The rate expert and his assistant shall make all needed investigations affecting rates and rate making and shall perform such other duties as the commission may find necessary for them to do in the interest of the state.   Said duties shall also include the checking and investigating of the filing of rate schedules with the commission, and making of reports to the commission respecting tariffs filed by any of the above-mentioned carriers with the commission involving the increase of any rates for movements within the State of Mississippi, and the general checking and reports to the commission affecting any rates increased from points without the State of Mississippi to points within the State of Mississippi, and from points in the State of Mississippi to points without the State of Mississippi. Said rate experts may be discharged by the commission for incompetency or other good cause, but they shall have notice and an opportunity to be heard in respect to any charge for removal.
MS Code § 77-1-19 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-19. Employment of personnel to implement Motor Carrier Regulatory Law

 The commission is authorized to employ the following additional employees to carry out and enforce the provisions of the Motor Carrier Regulatory Law of 1938:   An assistant secretary and two (2) stenographer-clerks;   One (1) combined bookkeeper and stenographer;   One (1) stenographer competent to serve as a reporter of evidence taken before the commission; and   Twelve (12) additional employees, which includes seven (7) employees to be transferred from the utility department to the motor carrier department to perform the duties of the commission imposed upon it by the provisions of said Motor Carrier Regulatory Law.
MS Code § 77-1-21 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-21. Employment of enforcement officer and inspectors to implement Motor Carrier Regulatory Law

  For the purpose of enforcing the provisions of the Mississippi Motor Carrier Regulatory Law of 1938, the Mississippi Department of Transportation is authorized to employ, in addition to personnel already employed by the department, one (1) chief enforcement officer and twenty-one (21) inspectors, who shall be under the management of the department. The chief enforcement officer and the inspectors shall devote their full time to the performance of their duties and shall take an oath faithfully to perform the duties of their position. The department shall require bonds to be carried on such employees as the department may deem necessary, the cost thereof to be paid by the department. The chief enforcement officer and inspectors shall be qualified by experience and training in law enforcement or investigative work, and shall attend and satisfactorily complete an appropriate course of instruction established by the Commissioner of Public Safety at the Law Enforcement Officers Training Academy. The chief enforcement officer and the inspectors referred to in this section shall be selected after an examination as to physical and mental fitness. Such employees shall be citizens of the United States and the State of Mississippi, and of good moral character. All such members of staff shall be appointed by the Mississippi Department of Transportation and shall be subject to removal at any time by the department.   The Public Service Commission shall transfer all employees, equipment, inventory and resources of the commission employed and used to enforce the Motor Carrier Regulatory Law of 1938 to the Mississippi Department of Transportation on July 1, 2004. The transfer of personnel shall be commensurate with the number and classification of positions allocated to that law enforcement. The transfer also shall include direct support, clerical, data processing and communications positions allocated to that law enforcement.   The Public Service Commission shall transfer to the Mississippi Department of Transportation each year the amount of funds necessary to support the law enforcement functions being performed for the commission by the department, as specified in the appropriation bill for the Public Service Commission.   Any reference in any statute, rule or regulation to law enforcement duties being performed by the Public Service Commission shall be construed to mean law enforcement duties being performed for the commission by the Mississippi Department of Transportation.
MS Code § 77-1-25 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-25. Use of commission property and political activity regulated

 No member of the staff of the commission, or any other person, shall use uniforms, material, or equipment of the commission for private or political purposes. Members of the staff of the commission may be candidates for political office but must take a leave of absence to do so. Members of the staff of the commission may take part in political campaigns other than campaigns for Public Service Commission but may not solicit or receive campaign contributions from regulated utilities. Anyone violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, shall be punished as provided by law and shall be dismissed from the staff of the commission.
MS Code § 77-1-27 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-27. Payment of salaries

 All commission employees provided for in this chapter, and the reasonable and necessary expenses of the administration of the duties imposed on the commission by the Motor Carrier Regulatory Law of 1938, shall be paid out of the appropriations made to defray the expenses of the commission, upon requisitions and warrants in the same manner provided by law for the disbursements of appropriations for the commission. An itemized account shall be kept of all receipts and expenditures and shall be reported to the Legislature by the commission.
MS Code § 77-1-29 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-29. Payments to and disbursements from Public Service Commission Regulation Fund; funding of agency expenses; deposit of monies into State General Fund

 On or before the twentieth day of each calendar month, the commission shall pay into the State Treasury to the account of the "Public Service Commission Regulation Fund" all monies collected by it during the preceding calendar month, showing from whom collected, when collected and for what purposes collected. All disbursements made by the commission or from the regulation fund for any purposes, other than for salaries provided by law, shall be supported by a detailed and itemized statement approved by the commission for commission disbursements. The commission shall not expend funds from the "Public Service Commission Regulation Fund" to employ personnel whose services would duplicate services provided by any employee of the Public Utilities Staff.   From and after July 1, 2016, the expenses of this agency shall be defrayed by appropriation from the State General Fund and all user charges and fees authorized under this section shall be deposited into the State General Fund as authorized by law.   From and after July 1, 2016, no state agency shall charge another state agency a fee, assessment, rent or other charge for services or resources received by authority of this section.
MS Code § 77-1-31 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-31. Docket of petitions and complaints

 The commission shall keep a docket of petitions and complaints, which shall be entered in regular order. The docket shall be called at each regular meeting of the board, and the cases thereon disposed of, or, if necessary, continued until the next meeting.
MS Code § 77-1-33 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-33. Process for witnesses; penalty for failure to testify

 In any matter of inquiry pending before the commission or any member thereof, subpoenas for witnesses, and subpoenas duces tecum, may be issued by the secretary, under seal, or by any member without the seal, and shall be executed and returned by any sheriff, constable, or marshal, under the like penalties of law for failure to execute and return the process of the circuit court. If any person duly summoned to appear and testify before the commission, or before any one or more of the commissioners, shall fail or refuse to appear and testify, or to bring and produce, as commanded, any book, paper, or document, without a lawful excuse, or shall refuse to answer any proper question propounded to him by the commission or any of the commissioners, or if any person shall obstruct the commission, or one or more of the commissioners in the discharge of duty, or shall conduct himself in a rude, disrespectful, or disorderly manner before the commission deliberating in the discharge of duty, such witness or person shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction, shall be fined not more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), or be imprisoned in the county jail for a period not exceeding six (6) months, or both.
MS Code § 77-1-35 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-35. Administration of oaths; taking of affidavits; examination of witnesses; perjury

 The several members of the commission and the secretary may, in the discharge of their duties, administer oaths and take affidavits. The commission and each member thereof may examine witnesses under oath in all matters coming before them. If any person shall testify falsely, or make any false affidavit or oath before the commission, or before any of the commissioners, or before any officer, to any matter coming before the commission, he shall be guilty of perjury, and, upon conviction, shall be punished according to law.
MS Code § 77-1-37 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-37. Payment of witnesses

 Witnesses summoned to appear before the commission shall be entitled to the same per diem and mileage as witnesses attending the circuit court. Witnesses summoned by the commission on its behalf shall be paid as are other expenditures of the commission, upon the certificate of the commission showing the amount to which such witness may be entitled. Witnesses summoned for any carrier shall be paid by it.
MS Code § 77-1-39 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-39. Transcripts of oral testimony

 In all cases where the testimony of witnesses is given orally before the commission any interested party or the commission shall have the right to have said testimony taken down and transcribed by a stenographer or court reporter, who is not an employee of the commission, to be agreed upon by the parties or appointed by the commission. The stenographer or court reporter so employed shall be duly sworn and his or her certificate that the transcript of such evidence is correct together with the official certificate of any one (1) of the commissioners that he has read the same and that it is in his opinion correct shall entitle such transcript or a certified copy thereof to be received in evidence on any appeal or in any court in this state subject only to any objection that the same is not relevant or material. The stenographer or court reporter shall be paid in accordance with the provisions of Section 9-13-33. The commission shall have the right to require any party demanding an official stenographer to guarantee or prepay the costs thereof in all proper cases.
MS Code § 77-1-41 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-41. Findings and determinations shall be in writing; proof and effect thereof

 All findings of the commission and the determination of every matter by it shall be made in writing and placed upon its minutes. Proof thereof shall be made by a copy of the same duly certified by the secretary under the seal of the commission. Whenever any matter has been determined by the commission, in the course of any proceeding before it the fact of such determination, duly certified, shall be received in all courts and by every officer in civil cases as prima facie evidence that such determination was right and proper. The record of the proceedings of the commission shall be deemed a public record, and shall at all reasonable times be subject to the inspection of the public.
MS Code § 77-1-43 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-43. Enforcement of laws and orders, decisions and determinations of commission

 The commission may apply to the circuit or chancery court, by proper proceeding, for aid in the enforcement of obedience to its process, and to compel compliance with Title 77, Mississippi Code of 1972, and its lawful rules, regulations, orders, decisions, and determinations. Said courts shall have jurisdiction to grant aid and relief in such cases, subject to the right of appeal to the Supreme Court by the party aggrieved. The commission itself may, by order after notice and hearing, institute such proceedings or, at the request of the commission by order after notice and hearing, the Attorney General, or district attorney in his district, shall institute such proceedings in the name of the commission.
MS Code § 77-1-47 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-47. Appeal bonds; supersedeas bonds

 Appeals from any final finding, order or judgment of the commission shall be taken and perfected by the filing of a bond in the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) with two (2) sureties, or with a surety company qualified to do business in Mississippi as the surety, conditioned to pay the cost of such appeal. Said bond shall be approved by the chairman or secretary of the commission, or by the judge of the court to which such appeal is taken in case the chairman or secretary of the commission refuses to approve a proper bond tendered to them within the time limited for taking appeals. The commission may grant a supersedeas bond on any appeal, in such penalty and with such surety thereon as it may deem sufficient, and may, during the pendency of any appeal, at any time, require the increase of any such supersedeas bond or additional securities thereon. The judge of the Circuit Court of Hinds County may on petition therefor by any party entitled to an appeal, presented to him within six (6) months of the date of the final finding, order, or judgment of the commission appealed from, award a writ of supersedeas to any such final finding, order, or judgment of the commission, upon the filing of a supersedeas bond in an amount to be fixed by said judge. All appeal bonds for the payment of costs, and all supersedeas bonds, shall be made payable to the state and may be enforced in the name of the state by motion or other legal proceedings or remedy in any circuit court of this state having jurisdiction of a motion or action on such bond, and the process and proceedings thereon shall be as provided by law upon bonds of like character required and taken by any court of this state. Such circuit court may render and enter like judgments upon such bonds as may, by law, be rendered and entered upon bonds of like character, and process of execution shall issue upon such judgments, and may be levied and executed as provided by law in other cases.
MS Code § 77-1-49 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-49. Annual reports of the commission

 The commission shall make a report every year to the Legislature of all its acts and doings for the preceding fiscal year.
MS Code § 77-1-51 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-51. Repeal of §§ 77-1-1 through 77-1-49

 Sections 77-1-1 through 77-1-49, Mississippi Code of 1972, which create the Public Service Commission and prescribe its powers and duties, shall stand repealed as of December 31, 2020.
MS Code § 77-1-55 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 1 - Public Service Commission|§ 77-1-55. Commission authorized to hire attorneys or consultants to monitor, investigate and seek relief from existing or proposed interstate rates, charges, etc.

  The Public Service Commission, with the aid and the assistance of the Public Utilities Staff, shall have the power to monitor, investigate, and seek relief in any appropriate federal forum from all existing or proposed interstate rates, charges, allocations and classifications, and all rules and practices in relation thereto promulgated and prescribed by or for any public utility as defined in Section 77-3-3(d)(i).   The Public Service Commission, with the aid and the assistance of the Public Utilities Staff, may seek relief from any proposed or final decision, order, regulation, rule or law that has an impact on any existing or proposed interstate rate, charge, allocation or classification.   For the purpose of this section, the Public Service Commission and the Executive Director of the Public Utilities Staff may each enter into professional services contracts with one or more attorneys or consultants from a competent, qualified and independent firm as may be required by the commission or the executive director. Costs associated with the professional service contracts shall not exceed One Million Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($1,500,000.00) for each agency with respect to each rate regulated affected utility in any twelve-month period. The consultants or counsel shall submit periodically, but no less frequently than once each calendar quarter, to the executive director or the commission, as applicable, for approval of payment, itemized bills detailing the work performed. The executive director or the chairman of the commission, as applicable, shall requisition the applicable public utility to make the requisite payments to such consultants. The commission shall allow the utility to recover both the total costs the utility incurred under this section and the carrying charges for those costs through a rate rider established to recover the costs incurred and carrying charges incurred. Such rider shall include a true-up provision to ensure actual recovery of costs paid or otherwise incurred by the utility.   This section shall stand repealed from and after July 1, 2020.
MS Code § 77-2-1 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 2 - Public Utilities Staff|§ 77-2-1. Public utilities staff created

 There is hereby established a Public Utilities Staff, which shall be completely separate and independent from the Public Service Commission and the Public Service Commission staff. Such staff shall consist of the personnel positions of the executive director, the economic and planning division, legal division, engineering division and accounting division with a State Personnel Board organizational code of twenty thousand (20,000) or larger which were formerly authorized and appropriated under the provisions of Section 77-3-8, Mississippi Code of 1972. The executive director shall establish the organizational structure of the staff, and shall have the authority to create units as deemed appropriate to carry out the responsibilities of the staff. The Public Utilities Staff shall represent the broad interests of the State of Mississippi by balancing the respective concerns of the residential, commercial or industrial ratepayers, and the state and its agencies and departments, and the public utilities. The staff shall consist of a sufficient number of professional, administrative, technical, clerical and other personnel as may be necessary for the staff to perform its duties and responsibilities as hereinafter provided. All such personnel shall be competitively appointed by the executive director and shall be dismissed only for cause in accordance with the rules and regulations of the State Personnel Board. All equipment, supplies, records and any funds appropriated by the Legislature to the Public Service Commission for and on behalf of the Public Utilities Staff shall be transferred to such staff on September 1, 1990. The Public Utilities Staff shall be funded separately from the Mississippi Public Service Commission. Any appropriated funds to the Public Utilities Staff shall be maintained in an account separate from any funds of the Public Service Commission and shall never be commingled therewith.   Notwithstanding any provision of this chapter to the contrary, the personnel positions of the data processing division and the gas pipeline safety division of the Public Utilities Staff shall be the Public Service Commission staff positions authorized under Section 77-3-8, and shall be under the control and supervision of the Public Service Commission from and after March 15, 1991. However, the Public Service Commission staff shall continue to provide at no cost administrative support in the nature of data processing and bookkeeping to the Public Utilities Staff in order to avoid duplication of services.
MS Code § 77-2-3 (2020)
2020 Mississippi Code|Title 77 - Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 2 - Public Utilities Staff|§ 77-2-3. Rights and powers of commission, its staff and public utilities staff; functions

  The public utilities staff created pursuant to Section 77-2-1 and the Public Service Commission and commission staff shall have and possess all of the rights and powers to perform all of the duties vested by this chapter.   The functions of the commission, with the aid and assistance of its staff, shall be regulatory and quasi-judicial in nature. It may make such investigations and determinations, hold such hearings, prescribe such rules and issue such orders with respect to the control and conduct of the businesses coming within its jurisdiction. It may adjudicate all proceedings brought before it in which the violation of any law or rule administered by the commission is alleged.   The primary functions of the public utilities staff shall be investigative and advisory in nature.