reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MT Code § 69-3-910 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 9. Rate Regulation of Small Telecommunications Providers|69-3-910. Regulatory flexibility upon petition by small telecommunications provider

  69-3-910. Regulatory flexibility upon petition by small telecommunications provider. (1) Upon application by a small telecommunications provider, the commission shall forebear from applying any regulation or any provision of this chapter to a small telecommunications provider in all or some of the small telecommunications provider's geographic markets, as stated in the application, if the commission determines that:   (a) enforcement of a regulation or provision is not necessary to ensure:   (i) that the charges, practices, or classifications are just and reasonable; or   (ii) that regulations by, for, or in connection with the small telecommunications provider are just and reasonable;   (b) enforcement of a regulation or provision is not necessary for the protection of consumers; or   (c) forbearance from regulation is consistent with the public interest.   (2) (a) A small telecommunications provider providing regulated telecommunications services may submit an application to the commission requesting that the commission exercise the authority granted in this section with respect to that small telecommunications provider or any service offered by that small telecommunications provider.   (b) A petition must be considered granted within 90 days if the commission does not deny the petition upon making specific findings under subsection (1).   (c) The commission may extend the initial 90-day period if the commission finds that the extension is necessary in order to make the findings required in subsection (1).   (3) The commission may not forbear from applying the requirements of 69-3-831 through 69-3-840.   History: En. Sec. 6, Ch. 154, L. 1999.
MT Code § 69-3-1001 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 10. Telephone Low-Income Assistance Program|69-3-1001. Creation of program -- amount of assistance

  69-3-1001. Creation of program -- amount of assistance. (1) There is a telephone low-income assistance program to provide an eligible subscriber with a discount in the monthly charge for local exchange service in the telephone network.   (2) The commission shall set the discount in the charge for local exchange service that is at least $3.50 a month for each eligible subscriber but not more than the amount that is the difference between the otherwise applicable current rate for local exchange service and the rate as it was on April 22, 1997.   History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 391, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 34, Ch. 349, L. 1997.
MT Code § 69-3-1002 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 10. Telephone Low-Income Assistance Program|69-3-1002. Eligibility -- rules

  69-3-1002. Eligibility -- rules. (1) A residential subscriber with single telephone line service at the subscriber's principal residence is eligible for low-income telephone assistance if the subscriber is certified by the department of public health and human services as a recipient of medicaid benefits.   (2) The department shall periodically certify and verify the eligibility of a subscriber to receive low-income telephone assistance.   (3) The department may adopt rules to establish procedures for the certification and verification of eligible subscribers.   History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 391, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 519, Ch. 546, L. 1995.
MT Code § 69-3-1003 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 10. Telephone Low-Income Assistance Program|69-3-1003. Reimbursement for discounts

  69-3-1003. Reimbursement for discounts. (1) The public service commission shall authorize an additional monthly charge for each residential access line to fully reimburse providers of local telecommunications services for discounts given eligible subscribers.   (2) The additional monthly charge for local exchange service applies to residential subscribers of providers of local telecommunications services that participate in the low-income telephone assistance program.   (3) Participation of each provider in the low-income telephone assistance program must be administered separately by the public service commission.   History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 391, L. 1987.
MT Code § 69-3-1004 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 10. Telephone Low-Income Assistance Program|69-3-1004. Administration -- rules

  69-3-1004. Administration -- rules. (1) The public service commission shall monitor the effectiveness of the low-income telephone assistance program and issue annual reports as provided in 69-3-1005.   (2) The commission may adopt rules necessary to administer and implement the low-income telephone assistance program and to receive matching federal low-income telephone assistance.   History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 391, L. 1987.
MT Code § 69-3-1005 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 10. Telephone Low-Income Assistance Program|69-3-1005. Annual reports

  69-3-1005. Annual reports. The commission shall, if necessary, provide the federal communications commission with annual reports containing the following information:   (1) a description of qualification and verification procedures and other assistance measures;   (2) the costs of the low-income telephone assistance program;   (3) the number of households receiving low-income telephone assistance;   (4) the number of eligible subscribers receiving low-income telephone assistance, including subscribers who switched from other telephone services to low-income telephone service and new subscribers of low-income telephone service; and   (5) all other information requested by the federal communications commission concerning the effect of the low-income telephone assistance program on eligible subscribership levels.   History: En. Sec. 5, Ch. 391, L. 1987.
MT Code § 69-3-1006 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 10. Telephone Low-Income Assistance Program|69-3-1006. Federal requirements

  69-3-1006. Federal requirements. The public service commission, the department of public health and human services, and participating providers of local telecommunications services shall comply with federal requirements for the receipt of matching federal low-income telephone assistance.   History: En. Sec. 6, Ch. 391, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 520, Ch. 546, L. 1995.
MT Code § 69-3-1007 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 10. Telephone Low-Income Assistance Program|69-3-1007. Applicability -- voluntary participation or withdrawal

  69-3-1007. Applicability -- voluntary participation or withdrawal. (1) Sections 69-3-1001 through 69-3-1006 apply to providers of regulated local telecommunications services with more than 50,000 subscribers.   (2) Regulated providers of local telecommunications services with fewer than 50,000 subscribers may petition the public service commission to participate in or withdraw from the low-income telephone assistance program. The public service commission shall grant a petition to participate in or withdraw from the low-income telephone assistance program unless federal requirements for obtaining matching federal low-income telephone assistance require otherwise.   History: En. Sec. 7, Ch. 391, L. 1987.
MT Code § 69-3-1101 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 11. Intrastate Consumer Protection|69-3-1101. Purpose

  69-3-1101. Purpose. The purpose of this part is to provide aggrieved customers and the commission a course of action against operator service providers that charge customers exorbitant rates for intrastate calls from a pay telephone or certain other telephones in commercial establishments and public facilities and to ensure that customers are fully aware of which charges on their monthly bill are owed to an operator service provider and of how a customer can reach the operator service provider for the purpose of contesting the amount charged.   History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 155, L. 1999.
MT Code § 69-3-1102 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 11. Intrastate Consumer Protection|69-3-1102. Definitions

  69-3-1102. Definitions. As used in this part, the following definitions apply:   (1) "Aggregator surcharge" means a charge to a customer by an entity that, in the ordinary course of its operations, makes telephones available to the public or to transient users of its premises for intrastate telephone calls using an operator service provider.   (2) "Customer" means a person who makes an intrastate telephone call through an operator service provider or the person accepting a collect telephone call made through an operator service provider.   (3) "Exorbitant rate" means a rate for an intrastate telephone call completed by an operator service provider that is greater than the allowable rate established by the commission. The allowable rate is inclusive of the call rate and any aggregator surcharge or other calling fee collected from a customer by the operator service provider.   (4) "Operator service provider" means any person, company, or entity that provides automated or live assistance to a customer to arrange for billing or completion, or both, of an intrastate telephone call through a method other than:   (a) automatic completion, with billing to the telephone from which the call originated; or   (b) completion through an access code used by the customer, with billing to an account previously established with a telecommunications carrier by the customer.   (5) "Telecommunications carrier" means the same as provided in 69-3-1302.   History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 155, L. 1999.
MT Code § 69-3-1103 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 11. Intrastate Consumer Protection|69-3-1103. Administrative rules

  69-3-1103. Administrative rules. The commission may adopt rules that it determines are necessary to implement this part.   History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 155, L. 1999.
MT Code § 69-3-1104 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 11. Intrastate Consumer Protection|69-3-1104. Disclosure requirements

  69-3-1104. Disclosure requirements. An operator service provider shall:   (1) identify itself, audibly and distinctly, to the customer at the beginning of each telephone call and before the customer incurs any charges. Each operator service provider shall also identify itself to the billed party when verifying third-party billed calls.   (2) disclose, audibly and distinctly to the customer, at no charge and before connecting any intrastate call, how to obtain the total cost of the call, including any aggregator surcharge, or the maximum possible total cost of the call, including any aggregator surcharge, before providing further advice to the customer on how to proceed to make the call. The voice disclosure required in this section must instruct each customer that the customer may obtain applicable rate and surcharge amounts by dialing not more than two digits or by remaining on the line.   (3) upon request, fully and immediately disclose to the customer, at no charge, the operator service provider's method of collecting its charges, a description of the operator service provider's method of resolving customer complaints, a toll-free telephone number that can be used to report complaints to or contest charges of the operator service provider, and all other requested information pertinent to the customer's use of the operator service provider's services. The provisions of this subsection apply to the called party on collect calls.   (4) permit the customer to terminate the telephone call at no charge before the call is connected to the called party.   History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 155, L. 1999.
MT Code § 69-3-1105 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 11. Intrastate Consumer Protection|69-3-1105. Operator service provider liability -- penalty -- costs and fees entitlement -- jurisdiction

  69-3-1105. Operator service provider liability -- penalty -- costs and fees entitlement -- jurisdiction. (1) An operator service provider that charges a customer more than the allowable rate is liable:   (a) to the customer for three times the cost of the call charged to the customer or $500, whichever is greater; and   (b) to the state for the penalty prescribed in 69-3-206, for other commission enforcement actions pursuant to 69-3-110, and for a violation of applicable rules authorized by 69-3-1103.   (2) In a suit or enforcement action brought against an operator service provider, the prevailing party is entitled to recover costs and attorney fees in a sum that the court finds reasonable.   (3) A customer has the right to seek remedy in a Montana court.   History: En. Sec. 5, Ch. 155, L. 1999.
MT Code § 69-3-1106 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 11. Intrastate Consumer Protection|69-3-1106. Billing disclosure requirements

  69-3-1106. Billing disclosure requirements. A telecommunications carrier that enters into a contract with an operator service provider for the purpose of providing billing services for operator service providers shall include a disclosure in each customer's bill that:   (1) plainly and clearly identifies the operator service provider charges as distinct from those of the telecommunications carrier; and   (2) includes accurate information about the operator service provider so that the customer may contact the operator service provider by telephone for the purpose of contesting the charge or bringing an action against the operator service provider, or both. Upon request of the customer, the local service provider shall provide mailing address information about the operator service provider.   History: En. Sec. 6, Ch. 155, L. 1999.
MT Code § 69-3-1201 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 12. Integrated Least-Cost Resource Planning and Acquisition Act|69-3-1201. Short title

  69-3-1201. Short title. This part may be cited as the "Montana Integrated Least-Cost Resource Planning and Acquisition Act".   History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 157, L. 1993.
MT Code § 69-3-1202 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 12. Integrated Least-Cost Resource Planning and Acquisition Act|69-3-1202. Policy -- planning

  69-3-1202. Policy -- planning. (1) (a) It is the policy of the state to supervise, regulate, and control public utilities. To the extent that it is consistent with the policy and in order to benefit society, the state requires efficient utility operations, efficient use of utility services, and efficient rates.   (b) It is further the policy of the state to encourage utilities to acquire resources using a competitive solicitation process and in a manner that will help ensure a clean, healthful, safe, and economically productive environment.   (2) (a) The legislature finds that the commission may include in rates any costs that are associated with acquiring resources referred to in subsection (1) and that are consistent with this policy if the resources are actually used and useful for the convenience of the public.   (b) To advance this policy, the commission shall require long-range plans every 3 years from utilities that provide electric and natural gas service in a form and manner determined by the commission. The commission shall receive comments on the plans.   (3) This part does not constrain or limit the commission's existing statutory duties or responsibilities.   History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 157, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 10, Ch. 449, L. 2019.
MT Code § 69-3-1203 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 12. Integrated Least-Cost Resource Planning and Acquisition Act|69-3-1203. Definitions

  69-3-1203. Definitions. As used in this part, unless the context requires otherwise, the following definitions apply:   (1) "Abandonment costs" means the costs incurred for resources acquired and abandoned pursuant to a plan.   (2) "Consumer counsel" means the consumer counsel provided for in 5-15-201.   (3) "Demand-side management programs" means energy efficiency, energy conservation, load management, and demand response or any combination of these measures implemented by an electric utility.   (4) "Energy conservation" means the decrease in electricity requirements of specific customers during any selected time period, resulting in a reduction in end-use services.   (5) "Energy efficiency" means the decrease in electricity requirements of specific customers during any selected period with end-use services of those customers held constant.   (6) "Externalities" mean the impacts on society that are not directly borne by the producer in production and delivery activities, which due to imperfections in or the absence of markets are not accounted for in the producer's production and pricing decisions.   (7) "Plan" means an integrated least-cost resource plan submitted by a utility in accordance with this part and the rules adopted under this part.   (8) "Planning costs" means the costs of evaluating the future demand for services and of evaluating alternative methods of satisfying future demand.   (9) "Planning period" means the future period for which a utility develops its plan, and the period over which net present value of revenue requirements for resources is calculated. For purposes of this part, the planning period is a minimum of 20 years and begins from the date the utility files its plan with the commission.   (10) "Portfolio development costs" means the costs of preparing a resource in a portfolio for prompt and timely acquisition of the resource.   (11) "Public utility" means a public utility, as defined in 69-3-101, that provides electric or natural gas service. The term does not include municipal utilities.   History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 157, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 449, L. 2019.
MT Code § 69-3-1205 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 12. Integrated Least-Cost Resource Planning and Acquisition Act|69-3-1205. Public comment -- public meetings

  69-3-1205. Public comment -- public meetings. (1) When developing a plan in accordance with this part and prior to submitting a plan to the commission, a public utility shall hold at least two public meetings in the utility's Montana service territory to ensure a plan best meets the diverse goals of shareholders, ratepayers, and society.   (2) After a plan is submitted, the commission shall conduct two public meetings for the purpose of receiving comment on a plan. The commission or the department of public service regulation may comment on the plan. A comment by the commission or the department may not be construed as preapproval by the commission of rate treatment for any proposed resource.   (3) The department of environmental quality:   (a) shall review a plan submitted to the commission and comment on the need for new resources, the alternatives evaluated to meet the need, the environmental implications of the resource choices, and other related issues that it considers important. The department shall coordinate and deliver all comments from other executive branch agencies.   (b) may use a plan in the development of studies for a specific energy facility for which an application for a certificate of compliance is submitted under Title 75, chapter 20.   (4) The consumer counsel shall review and may comment on a submitted plan.   History: En. Sec. 5, Ch. 157, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 174, Ch. 418, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 217, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 13, Ch. 449, L. 2019.
MT Code § 69-3-1206 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 12. Integrated Least-Cost Resource Planning and Acquisition Act|69-3-1206. Rate treatment

  69-3-1206. Rate treatment. (1) The commission may include in a public utility's rates:  (a) the cost of resources acquired in accordance with a plan;   (b) demand-side management programs established and implemented in accordance with 69-3-1209;   (c) the cost-effective expenditures for improving the efficiency with which the public utility provides and its customers use utility services;   (d) the costs of complying with the planning requirements of this part; and   (e) the costs of complying with a competitive solicitation process conducted in accordance with 69-3-1207.   (2) The commission may adopt rules establishing criteria governing the extent of recovery of abandonment costs.   (3) The commission may not approve a bonus or adder in the cost of a new resource acquired after April 28, 2021, to provide additional compensation for costs such as environmental externalities unless the bonus or adder is necessary to compensate for a real and actual cost required by existing regulation or existing law.   History: En. Sec. 6, Ch. 157, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 14, Ch. 449, L. 2019; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 300, L. 2021.
MT Code § 69-3-1208 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 12. Integrated Least-Cost Resource Planning and Acquisition Act|69-3-1208. Resource planning -- advisory committee

  69-3-1208. Resource planning -- advisory committee. (1) A public utility shall maintain a broad-based advisory committee to review, evaluate, and make recommendations on technical, economic, and policy issues related to a utility's electricity system.   (2) The committee may advise the utility on demand-side management, portfolio planning, and management and procurement completed in accordance with this part.   History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 449, L. 2019.
MT Code § 69-3-1209 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 12. Integrated Least-Cost Resource Planning and Acquisition Act|69-3-1209. Electric utility demand-side management programs

  69-3-1209. Electric utility demand-side management programs. (1) The commission may establish energy savings and peak demand reduction goals for an electric utility, taking into account the utility's cost-effective demand-side management potential and the need for electricity resources.  (2) The commission shall permit electric utilities to implement cost-effective electricity demand-side management programs and conservation in accordance with 69-3-701 through 69-3-712 and this part to reduce the need for additional resources.   (3) Every 3 years, an electric utility shall submit a report to the commission describing the demand-side management programs and conservation implemented by the electric utility in the previous year. The report must document:   (a) program expenditures, including incentive payments;   (b) peak demand and energy savings impacts and the techniques used to estimate those impacts;   (c) avoided costs and the techniques used to estimate those costs;   (d) the estimated cost-effectiveness of the programs;   (e) the net economic benefits of the programs; and   (f) any other information required by the commission.   History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 449, L. 2019; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 11, L. 2021.