reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
NE Code § 66-1823 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1823 - Criminal and civil proceedings to compel compliance.

66-1823.  Criminal and civil proceedings to compel compliance.The commission may compel compliance with the State Natural Gas Regulation Act and compel compliance with the orders of the commission by proceeding in mandamus, injunction, or other appropriate civil remedies or by appropriate criminal proceedings in any court of competent jurisdiction.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 23.
NE Code § 66-1824 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1824 - Federal actions; commission; powers.

66-1824.  Federal actions; commission; powers.(1) The commission shall have power to intervene in any case pending before the relevant federal agency in which interstate rates, service, or safety issues affecting the interest of Nebraska residents, ratepayers, or natural gas public utilities are involved, and the commission is hereby empowered and authorized to pay all expenses of investigation and prosecution of litigation instituted under this section.(2) If any interstate rate, toll, charge, term or condition of service, classification, or schedule of rates or tolls is found to be unjust, unreasonable, excessive, unjustly discriminatory, unduly preferential, in violation of interstate commerce law, or in conflict with the rules, regulations, or orders of a federal agency, the commission may apply by petition or other proper method to the relevant federal agency for relief.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 24.
NE Code § 66-1826 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1826 - Payment of dividends; limitation.

66-1826.  Payment of dividends; limitation.If the commission determines on complaint or upon its own initiative, and after hearing on due notice in accordance with rules and regulations adopted and promulgated pursuant to section 75-110, that the payment of any dividend by a jurisdictional utility will impair the financial condition of such company so that such utility cannot maintain its property in a safe operating condition and render adequate service to its ratepayers, the commission shall enter an order prohibiting the payment of such dividends until such time as such company has shown to the commission that the conditions upon which such order was based have ceased to exist.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 26.
NE Code § 66-1827 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1827 - Encumbrance of property; limitation.

66-1827.  Encumbrance of property; limitation.(1) A jurisdictional utility shall not subject property used in its intrastate natural gas utility business in this state to an encumbrance for the purpose of securing the payment of any new indebtedness or replacement indebtedness in an amount exceeding one hundred million dollars attributable to this state unless first approved by the commission. Approval or disapproval by the commission shall be by formal written order, which shall be issued within forty-five days of the filing of the application.(2) Upon the application of a jurisdictional utility for approval of and prior to the encumbrances, the commission may make such inquiry or investigation, hold such hearings, and examine such witnesses, books, papers, documents, or contracts as in its discretion it may deem necessary. If the commission finds that the proposed financing is reasonable and proper and in the public interest and will not be detrimental to the interests of the ratepayers affected thereby, the commission shall by written order grant its permission for the proposed financing.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 27.
NE Code § 66-1828 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1828 - Reorganization or change of control; approval required.

66-1828.  Reorganization or change of control; approval required.(1) No reorganization or change of control of a jurisdictional utility shall take place without prior approval by the commission. The commission shall not approve any proposed reorganization or change of control if the commission finds, after public notice and public hearing, that the reorganization or change of control will adversely affect the utility's ability to serve its ratepayers.(2) For purposes of this section, reorganization or change of control means any transaction which, regardless of the means by which it is accomplished, results in a change in the ownership of a majority of the voting capital stock of a jurisdictional utility and does not include a mortgage or pledge transaction entered into to secure a bona fide borrowing by the party granting the mortgage or making the pledge.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 28.
NE Code § 66-1829 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1829 - Disclosure of information; limitations.

66-1829.  Disclosure of information; limitations.(1) The commission shall not disclose to or allow inspection by anyone, including, but not limited to, parties to a regulatory proceeding before the commission, any information of a jurisdictional utility that qualifies as a record which may be withheld from the public upon request of the party submitting such record if the information qualifies under subdivision (3) of section 84-712.05, unless the commission finds that disclosure is warranted after consideration of the following factors:(a) Whether disclosure will significantly aid the commission in fulfilling its functions;(b) The harm or benefit which disclosure will cause to the public interest;(c) The harm which disclosure will cause to the utility; and(d) Alternatives to disclosure that will serve the public interest and protect the utility.(2) If the commission finds that disclosure is warranted pursuant to subsection (1) of this section, the commission shall give the utility notice before disclosing such information.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 29.
NE Code § 66-1830 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1830 - Office of public advocate; created; duties; appointment; qualifications.

66-1830.  Office of public advocate; created; duties; appointment; qualifications.(1) The office of public advocate is created as a separate and independent division within the commission. The public advocate shall represent the interests of Nebraska citizens and all classes of jurisdictional utility ratepayers, other than high-volume ratepayers, in matters involving jurisdictional utilities and shall act as trial staff before the commission. In the exercise of his or her powers, the public advocate shall consider all relevant factors, including, but not limited to, the provision of safe, efficient, and reliable utility services at just and reasonable rates.(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 75-105, the executive director of the commission, upon consultation with the members of the commission, shall appoint the public advocate. The public advocate shall serve a four-year term and shall be removed only for good cause. The executive director shall be responsible for reviewing the performance of the public advocate, for removing the public advocate in accordance with law, and for filling any vacancy in that position in the same manner as the original appointment.(3) The public advocate shall be an attorney and shall have experience in consumer-related utility issues or in the operation, management, or regulation of utilities. No person owning stocks or bonds in a corporation subject in whole or in part to regulation by the commission or who has any pecuniary interest in such corporation shall be appointed as public advocate.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 30.
NE Code § 66-1831 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1831 - Public advocate; powers.

66-1831.  Public advocate; powers.(1) The public advocate shall have the power to:(a) Investigate the legality and reasonableness of rates, charges, and practices of jurisdictional utilities except for tariffs subject to section 66-1868;(b) Petition for relief, request, initiate, and intervene in any proceeding before the commission concerning such utilities except for tariffs subject to section 66-1868;(c) Represent and appear for ratepayers and the public in proceedings before the commission and in any negotiations or other measures to resolve disputes that give rise to such proceedings except for tariffs subject to section 66-1868;(d) Represent and appear for ratepayers and the public in any negotiations or other measures to resolve disputes that give rise to proceedings before the commission and make and seek approval of agreements to settle such disputes except for tariffs subject to section 66-1868; and(e) Make motions for rehearing or reconsideration, appeal, or seek judicial review of any order or decision of the commission regarding jurisdictional utilities except for tariffs subject to section 66-1868.(2) The public advocate shall not advocate for or on behalf of any single individual, organization, or entity.(3) The public advocate may enter into stipulations with other parties in any proceeding to balance the interests of those it represents with the interests of the jurisdictional utilities as a means of improving the quality of resulting decisions in a highly technical environment and minimizing the cost of regulation.Source  Laws 2003, LB 790, § 31;  Laws 2012, LB1115, § 12.
NE Code § 66-1832 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1832 - Office of public advocate; administration.

66-1832.  Office of public advocate; administration.The office of the public advocate shall be located at the same location as the commission but shall be kept separate from the commission's other offices as provided by rules and regulations adopted and promulgated by the commission. The public advocate may hire or contract with attorneys, legal assistants, experts, consultants, secretaries, clerks, and such other staff necessary for the full and efficient discharge of the duties of the office as permitted by the budget of the public advocate as approved by the commission. The public advocate shall employ and supervise personnel as authorized by the budget approved by the commission. The employees of the public advocate shall not be supervised or directed by the commission. Funding for the office of public advocate shall be approved by the commission and collected through the assessment process as provided for in sections 66-1840 and 66-1841. The commission shall decide all matters of shared administrative and clerical personnel.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 32.
NE Code § 66-1833 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1833 - Public advocate; access to information; limitations.

66-1833.  Public advocate; access to information; limitations.The public advocate and his or her employees or agents shall have free access to all files, records, and documents of the commission except:(1) Personal information in confidential personnel records;(2) Records which represent the work product of legal counsel of the commission, and records of confidential or privileged communications between the members of the commission and its legal counsel, when the records relate to a proceeding before the commission in which the public advocate is, or is appearing for, a party; and(3) Records that are designated as confidential pursuant to commission rules and regulations, except as permitted by a nondisclosure agreement between a specified representative of the public advocate and the commission and the person who claims the records at issue are confidential.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 33.
NE Code § 66-1834 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1834 - Public advocate; records; how kept.

66-1834.  Public advocate; records; how kept.The files, records, and documents of the public advocate shall be separately kept, maintained, and controlled by the public advocate.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 34.
NE Code § 66-1835 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1835 - Public advocate; ex parte communications.

66-1835.  Public advocate; ex parte communications.In any proceeding before the commission in which the public advocate is a party or is appearing for a party, the public advocate shall be considered a party for purposes of the restrictions on ex parte communications set forth in sections 75-130.01 and 84-914.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 35.
NE Code § 66-1836 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1836 - Investigations; powers.

66-1836.  Investigations; powers.The commission is hereby authorized to designate or appoint, from among its employees, examiners and referees to make investigations that are required of the commission by law. Such investigations shall be made and conducted as and in the manner and at the place directed by the commission. The examiners and referees shall report their findings and recommendations to the commission.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 36.
NE Code § 66-1837 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1837 - Commission; contract for services.

66-1837.  Commission; contract for services.(1) The commission is hereby authorized to contract for professional services and expert assistance, including, but not limited to, the services of engineers, accountants, attorneys, and economists, to assist in investigations and appraisals.(2) Such contracts shall be negotiated by the chairperson of the commission, the executive director, or the designee of the executive director. The commission shall consider all proposals by persons applying to perform such contracts and shall award the contracts.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 37.
NE Code § 66-1842 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1842 - Public Service Commission Regulation Fund; created; use; investment.

66-1842.  Public Service Commission Regulation Fund; created; use; investment.The Public Service Commission Regulation Fund is created. Transfers may be made from the Public Service Commission Regulation Fund to the General Fund at the direction of the Legislature. The commission shall remit all money received by or for it in payment of the fees or assessments imposed by the State Natural Gas Regulation Act to the State Treasurer for credit to the fund. Any money in the fund available for investment shall be invested by the state investment officer pursuant to the Nebraska Capital Expansion Act and the Nebraska State Funds Investment Act.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 42. Cross References   Nebraska Capital Expansion Act, see section 72-1269.  Nebraska State Funds Investment Act, see section 72-1260.
NE Code § 66-1843 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1843 - Jurisdictional utility; failure to pay assessment; procedure.

66-1843.  Jurisdictional utility; failure to pay assessment; procedure.If any jurisdictional utility against which an assessment has been made pursuant to the State Natural Gas Regulation Act, within fifteen days after the notice of such assessment, (1) neglects or refuses to pay the same or (2) fails to file objections to the assessment with the commission as provided in section 66-1844, the commission shall transmit to the State Treasurer a certified copy of the notice of assessment, together with notice of neglect or refusal to pay the assessment, and on the same day the commission shall mail by registered mail to the utility against which the assessment has been made a copy of the notice which it has transmitted to the State Treasurer. If any such utility fails to pay such assessment to the State Treasurer within ten days after receipt of such notice and certified copy of such assessment, the assessment shall bear interest at the rate of fifteen percent per annum from and after the date on which the copy of the notice was mailed by registered mail to such utility.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 43.
NE Code § 66-1844 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1844 - Jurisdictional utility; objections to assessment; procedure.

66-1844.  Jurisdictional utility; objections to assessment; procedure.(1) Within fifteen days after the date of the mailing of any notice of assessment under sections 66-1840 and 66-1841, the jurisdictional utility against which such assessment has been made may file with the commission objections setting out in detail the ground upon which such objector regards such assessment to be excessive, erroneous, unlawful, or invalid. The commission, after notice to the objector, shall hold a hearing in accordance with rules and regulations adopted and promulgated pursuant to section 75-110. The commission shall determine if the assessment or any part of the assessment is excessive, erroneous, unlawful, or invalid and shall render an order upholding, invalidating, or amending the assessment. An amended assessment shall have in all respects the same force and effect as though it were an original assessment.(2) If any assessment against which objections have been filed is not paid within ten days after service of an order finding that such objections have been overruled and disallowed by the commission, the commission shall give notice of such delinquency to the State Treasurer and to the objector in the manner provided for in the State Natural Gas Regulation Act. The State Treasurer shall then collect the amount of such assessment. If an amended assessment is not paid within ten days after service of the order of the commission, the commission shall notify the State Treasurer and the objector as in the case of delinquency in the payment of an original assessment. The State Treasurer shall then collect the amount of such assessment as provided in the case of an original assessment.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 44.
NE Code § 66-1845 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1845 - Jurisdictional utility; assessment; action to recover.

66-1845.  Jurisdictional utility; assessment; action to recover.Every jurisdictional utility against which an assessment is made shall pay the amount thereof and, after such payment, may under the conditions in the State Natural Gas Regulation Act, at any time within one year from the date the payment was made, sue the state in an action at law to recover the amount paid with legal interest thereon from the date of payment, upon the ground that the assessment was excessive, erroneous, unlawful, or invalid in whole or in part. If it is finally determined in such action that any part of the assessment, for which payment was made, was excessive, erroneous, unlawful, or invalid, the State Treasurer shall make a refund to the claimant as directed by the court.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 45.
NE Code § 66-1846 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1846 - Action to recover assessment; requirements.

66-1846.  Action to recover assessment; requirements.(1) No action for recovery of any amount paid pursuant to the State Natural Gas Regulation Act shall be maintained in any court unless objections have been filed with the commission as provided in section 66-1844. In any action for recovery of any payments made under the act, the claimant shall be entitled to raise every relevant issue of law, but the commission's findings of fact made pursuant to the act shall be prima facie evidence of the facts therein stated.(2) The following shall be deemed to be findings of fact of the commission within the meaning of the act: (a) Determinations of fact expressed in notices of assessments given pursuant to the act; and (b) determinations of fact set out in those minutes of the commission which record the action of the commission in connection with making the assessments and passing upon objections thereto.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 46.
NE Code § 66-1847 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1847 - Public natural gas utilities; requirements.

66-1847.  Public natural gas utilities; requirements.Natural gas utilities owned and operated by a city or a metropolitan utilities district shall establish rates and conditions of service for all residential ratepayers of each such utility in a nondiscriminatory manner.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 47.
NE Code § 66-1848 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1848 - Competitive natural gas providers and aggregators; terms, defined.

66-1848.  Competitive natural gas providers and aggregators; terms, defined.For purposes of this section and section 66-1849:(1) Aggregator means a person who combines retail end users into a group and arranges for the acquisition of competitive natural gas services without taking title to those services; and(2)(a) Competitive natural gas provider means a person who takes title to natural gas and sells it for consumption by a retail end user. Competitive natural gas provider includes an affiliate of a natural gas public utility.(b) Competitive natural gas provider does not include the following:(i) A jurisdictional utility;(ii) A city-owned or operated natural gas utility or metropolitan utilities district in areas in which it provides natural gas service through pipes it owns; or(iii) A natural gas public utility that is not subject to the act as provided in section 66-1803 in areas in which it is providing natural gas service in accordance with section 66-1803.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 48.Annotations A metropolitan utilities district that intends to sell natural gas to distribution facilities it does not own falls under the certification provisions of this section and the Public Service Commission's jurisdiction. In re Application of Metropolitan Util. Dist., 270 Neb. 494, 704 N.W.2d 237 (2005).
NE Code § 66-1849 (2021)
2021 Nebraska Revised Statutes|Chapter 66 - Oils, Fuels, and Energy|66-1849 - Competitive natural gas providers and aggregators; certification by commission; costs and expenses; allocation.

66-1849.  Competitive natural gas providers and aggregators; certification by commission; costs and expenses; allocation.(1) The commission shall certify all competitive natural gas providers and aggregators providing natural gas services. In an application for certification, a competitive natural gas provider or aggregator shall reasonably demonstrate managerial, technical, and financial capability sufficient to obtain and deliver the services such provider or aggregator proposes to offer. The commission may establish reasonable conditions or restrictions on the certificate at the time of issuance. The commission shall adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to establish specific criteria for certification. The commission shall make a determination on an application for certification within ninety days after its submission unless the commission determines that additional time is necessary to consider the application. If the commission determines that additional time is necessary to consider the application, the commission may extend the time for making a determination for an additional sixty days.(2) The commission may resolve disputes involving the provision of natural gas services by a competitive natural gas provider or aggregator.(3) The commission shall allocate the costs and expenses reasonably attributable to certification and dispute resolution as authorized in this section to persons identified as parties to such proceeding who are engaged in or who seek to engage in providing natural gas services or other persons identified as participants in such proceeding. The funds received for the costs and expenses of certification and dispute resolution shall be remitted to the State Treasurer for credit to the Public Service Commission Regulation Fund.Source Laws 2003, LB 790, § 49.