reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
MT Code § 69-2-202 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 2. General Regulatory Provisions|Part 2. Role of Consumer Counsel|69-2-202. Institution of and intervention in proceedings involving regulated companies

  69-2-202. Institution of and intervention in proceedings involving regulated companies. (1) The consumer counsel may institute proceedings before the commission against regulated companies.   (2) The consumer counsel may institute, intervene in, or otherwise participate in appropriate proceedings in the state and federal courts and administrative agencies in the name of and on behalf of the utility and transportation consuming public of the state of Montana or substantial elements thereof, including review of decisions rendered by or failure to act by the commission and applications for restraining orders pending the investigation of and decision upon a matter by the commission, pursuant to 27-19-203.   History: En. Sec. 7, Ch. 65, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 341, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 138, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 136, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 70-707(2), (5); amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 43, L. 1979.
MT Code § 69-2-203 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 2. General Regulatory Provisions|Part 2. Role of Consumer Counsel|69-2-203. Investigatory powers of counsel

  69-2-203. Investigatory powers of counsel. (1) The consumer counsel has all the investigatory powers necessary to perform the counsel's duties as provided in this section and all discovery powers sanctioned by the Montana Rules of Civil Procedure and the Montana Administrative Procedure Act. It is the specific intent of this section to provide the authority and availability of the process of discovery to the consumer counsel in administrative contested-case procedure. Violations of discovery procedure must be heard and administered by the district court. In the event of an appeal to district court for enforcement of discovery procedures, the time limits imposed by 69-3-302 and 69-3-303 are suspended pending order of the district court.   (2) The consumer counsel may examine in any commission proceedings, under oath, any officer, director, manager, or employee of any regulated company and may inspect the business and corporate records of any regulated company in accordance with the law to aid in the exercise of the consumer counsel's duties.   History: En. Sec. 7, Ch. 65, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 341, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 138, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 136, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 70-707(3), (4); amd. Sec. 1986, Ch. 56, L. 2009.
MT Code § 69-2-204 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 2. General Regulatory Provisions|Part 2. Role of Consumer Counsel|69-2-204. Representation of consuming public

  69-2-204. Representation of consuming public. (1) The consumer counsel shall meet and confer with members or representatives of the consuming public at times and places that the consumer counsel determines appropriate.   (2) The consumer counsel has other powers necessary to fully represent the interests of the consuming public before the commission as may be granted and promulgated by the committee in accordance with the provisions of the Montana Administrative Procedure Act.   History: En. Sec. 7, Ch. 65, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 341, L. 1974; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 138, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 136, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 70-707(6), (8); amd. Sec. 1987, Ch. 56, L. 2009.
MT Code § 69-2-205 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 2. General Regulatory Provisions|Part 2. Role of Consumer Counsel|69-2-205. Violations

  69-2-205. Violations. (1) Any regulated company or any officer or employee of any regulated company who, with intent to evade any fee or any requirement of this part or part 2 of chapter 1 or any lawful requirement of the commission thereunder, fails to pay the fee, to make, render, sign, or verify any statement, or to supply any information, within the time required by or under the provisions of this part or part 2 of chapter 1, or who, with like intent, makes, renders, signs, or verifies any false or fraudulent statement or supplies any false or fraudulent information:   (a) shall be liable to a penalty of not more than $1,000, to be recovered by the attorney general, in the name of the state, by action in any court of competent jurisdiction; and   (b) shall also be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall, upon conviction, be fined not to exceed $1,000 or be imprisoned in the county jail not to exceed 1 year or both, at the discretion of the court.   (2) The certificate of the department of revenue to the effect that a fee has not been paid, that a report has not been filed, or that information has not been supplied, as required by or under the provisions of this part or part 2 of chapter 1, shall be prima facie evidence that such fee has not been paid, that such statement has not been filed, or that such information has not been supplied.   History: En. Sec. 9, Ch. 65, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 319, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 70-709(5), (6).
MT Code § 69-2-206 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 2. General Regulatory Provisions|Part 2. Role of Consumer Counsel|69-2-206. through 69-2-210 reserved

  69-2-206 through 69-2-210 reserved.
MT Code § 69-2-211 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 2. General Regulatory Provisions|Part 2. Role of Consumer Counsel|69-2-211. Notice to consumer counsel

  69-2-211. Notice to consumer counsel. In addition to all other forms of notice of hearings conducted by the commission provided for in this title, notices of all hearings shall be served upon the consumer counsel.   History: En. 70-710 by Sec. 1, Ch. 212, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 70-710.
MT Code § 69-2-212 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 2. General Regulatory Provisions|Part 2. Role of Consumer Counsel|69-2-212. Notice to advise public of availability of consumer counsel

  69-2-212. Notice to advise public of availability of consumer counsel. All forms of notice of public hearings conducted by the commission under this title, including all notices posted in public places or published in the legal advertising sections of newspapers, shall advise members of the consuming public of the existence of the office of the consumer counsel and its availability to function on behalf of members of the consuming public.   History: En. 70-711 by Sec. 2, Ch. 212, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 70-711.
MT Code § 69-2-213 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 2. General Regulatory Provisions|Part 2. Role of Consumer Counsel|69-2-213. through 69-2-215 reserved

  69-2-213 through 69-2-215 reserved.
MT Code § 69-2-216 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 2. General Regulatory Provisions|Part 2. Role of Consumer Counsel|69-2-216. Customer fiscal impact analysis -- requirements

  69-2-216. Customer fiscal impact analysis -- requirements. (1) Within 10 days of receiving an application pursuant to subsection (1)(a) or (1)(b), the department of environmental quality shall notify the office of consumer counsel that it is in receipt of:   (a) a permit application pursuant to Title 75, chapter 2, 5, or 10, for a new electrical generation facility; or   (b) an application for a certificate under the Montana Major Facility Siting Act for a new facility or upgrade, as defined in 75-20-104.   (2) The office of consumer counsel shall complete an analysis outlining the fiscal impacts of the project on electricity customers in Montana. The analysis must include an estimation of how customers' rates may be impacted.   (3) (a) Except as provided in subsection (3)(b), the analysis must be completed within 30 days of receipt of the notice from the department.   (b) The department shall extend the 30-day deadline if compliance with the deadline is not necessary to comply with the requirements of subsection (4).   (4) The analysis must be provided to the department and incorporated into the department's environmental review, including draft documents released for public comment.   (5) (a) Within 5 days of the close of the public comment period for an application referred to in subsection (1)(a) or (1)(b), the department shall forward public comments related to the analysis to the consumer counsel.   (b) The consumer counsel shall respond to the comments and return the responses to the department within 30 days, and the responses must be included in the final environmental reviews.   History: En. Sec. 1, Ch. 469, L. 2007.
MT Code § 69-2-217 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 2. General Regulatory Provisions|Part 2. Role of Consumer Counsel|69-2-217. Exemptions -- definition

  69-2-217. Exemptions -- definition. (1) Projects proposed by utilities, as defined in 69-8-103, or their affiliates are exempt from the analysis required by 69-2-216 if the utility or affiliate files the necessary tariffs, rate schedules, and other requisite information with the commission or the federal energy regulatory commission.   (2) For the purposes of this section, "affiliate" means an entity wholly or partially owned by, closely connected to, or associated with a utility.   History: En. Sec. 2, Ch. 469, L. 2007; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 99, L. 2009.
MT Code § 69-3-101 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 1. Role of Commission and Power of Eminent Domain|69-3-101. Meaning of term "public utility"

  69-3-101. Meaning of term "public utility". (1) The term "public utility", within the meaning of this chapter, includes every corporation, both public and private, company, individual, association of individuals, and their lessees, trustees, or receivers appointed by any court that own, operate, or control any plant or equipment, any part of a plant or equipment, or any water right within the state for the production, delivery, or furnishing for or to other persons, firms, associations, or corporations, private or municipal:   (a) heat;   (b) street-railway service;   (c) light;   (d) power in any form or by any agency;   (e) except as provided in chapter 7, water for business, manufacturing, household use, or sewerage service, whether within the limits of municipalities or towns or elsewhere;   (f) regulated telecommunications service.   (2) The term does not include:   (a) privately owned and operated water, sewer, or water and sewer systems that do not serve the public;   (b) county or consolidated city and county water or sewer districts as defined in Title 7, chapter 13, parts 22 and 23;   (c) except as provided in chapter 7, municipal sewer or water systems and municipal water supply systems established by the governing body of a municipality pursuant to Title 7, chapter 13, parts 42, 43, and 44; or   (d) a person exempted from regulation as a public utility as provided in 69-3-111.   History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 52, L. 1913; re-en. Sec. 3881, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 3881, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 70-103(part); amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 631, L. 1979; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 607, L. 1981; amd. Secs. 4, 5, Ch. 588, L. 1983; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 195, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 11, Ch. 546, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 214, L. 2011.
MT Code § 69-3-102 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 1. Role of Commission and Power of Eminent Domain|69-3-102. Supervision and regulation of public utilities

  69-3-102. Supervision and regulation of public utilities. The commission is hereby invested with full power of supervision, regulation, and control of such public utilities, subject to the provisions of this chapter and to the exclusion of the jurisdiction, regulation, and control of such utilities by any municipality, town, or village.   History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 52, L. 1913; re-en. Sec. 3881, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 3881, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 70-103(part).
MT Code § 69-3-103 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 1. Role of Commission and Power of Eminent Domain|69-3-103. General powers and rulemaking authority of commission

  69-3-103. General powers and rulemaking authority of commission. (1) In addition to the modes of procedure hereinafter prescribed in particular cases and classes of cases, said commission shall have power to prescribe rules of procedure and to do all things necessary and convenient in the exercise of the powers conferred by this chapter upon the commission; provided that nothing in this chapter shall be construed as vesting judicial powers on said commission or as denying to any person, firm, association, corporation, municipality, county, town, or village the right to test in a court of competent jurisdiction the legality or reasonableness of any fixed order made by the commission in the exercise of its duties or powers.   (2) The commission shall have the power to:   (a) adopt reasonable and proper rules relative to all inspections, tests, audits, and investigations;   (b) adopt and publish reasonable and proper rules to govern its proceedings; and   (c) regulate the mode and manner of all investigations and hearings of public utilities and other parties before it.   History: (1)En. Sec. 4, Ch. 52, L. 1913; re-en. Sec. 3882, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 3882, R.C.M. 1935; Sec. 70-104, R.C.M. 1947; (2)En. Sec. 14, Ch. 52, L. 1913; re-en. Sec. 3894, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 3894, R.C.M. 1935; Sec. 70-116, R.C.M. 1947; R.C.M. 1947, 70-104, 70-116(part).
MT Code § 69-3-104 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 1. Role of Commission and Power of Eminent Domain|69-3-104. Hearings to be open

  69-3-104. Hearings to be open. All hearings shall be open to the public.   History: En. Sec. 14, Ch. 52, L. 1913; re-en. Sec. 3894, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 3894, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 70-116(part).
MT Code § 69-3-105 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 1. Role of Commission and Power of Eminent Domain|69-3-105. Access to commission records and reports -- protective order

  69-3-105. Access to commission records and reports -- protective order. (1) Except as provided in subsection (2), the reports, records, accounts, files, papers, and memoranda of every nature in the possession of the commission are open to the public during regular business hours, as defined in 2-16-117.   (2) The commission may issue a protective order when necessary to preserve trade secrets, as defined in 30-14-402, or other information that must be protected under law, as required to carry out its regulatory functions.   History: En. Sec. 9, Ch. 52, L. 1913; re-en. Sec. 3889, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 3889, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 29, Ch. 93, L. 1969; amd. Sec. 7, Ch. 315, L. 1974; R.C.M. 1947, 70-111; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 77, L. 1987; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 144, L. 2005.
MT Code § 69-3-106 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 1. Role of Commission and Power of Eminent Domain|69-3-106. Supervision of management of public utilities

  69-3-106. Supervision of management of public utilities. (1) The commission has the authority to inquire into the management of the business of all public utilities, shall keep itself informed as to the manner and method in which the business is conducted, and has the right to obtain from any public utility all necessary information to enable the commission to perform its duties.   (2) The commission, any commissioner, or any person or persons employed by the commission for that purpose, upon demand, has the right to inspect the books, accounts, papers, records, and memoranda of any public utility and to examine, under oath, any officer, agent, or employee of the public utility in relation to its business and affairs. Any person, other than one of the commissioners, who makes the demand shall produce the person's authority to make the inspection.   (3) The commission may require by order or subpoena, to be served on any public utility in the same manner that a summons is served in a civil action in the district court, the production, within this state and at a time and place that it may designate, of any books, accounts, papers, or records kept by a public utility in any office or place outside of the state or verified copies in lieu of the books, accounts, papers, or records, if the commission orders, so that that an examination of the books, accounts, papers, or records may be made by the commission or under its direction. Any public utility failing or refusing to comply with any an order or subpoena is subject to the liability provided for in 69-3-206.   History: En. Sec. 15, Ch. 52, L. 1913; re-en. Sec. 3895, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 3895, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 70-117; amd. Sec. 1988, Ch. 56, L. 2009.
MT Code § 69-3-107 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 1. Role of Commission and Power of Eminent Domain|69-3-107. Investigation and reports of accidents

  69-3-107. Investigation and reports of accidents. (1) The commission, some member of the commission, or some person deputed by it shall investigate and make inquiry into every accident occurring in the operation of any public utility in this state resulting in death or injury to any person that requires 3 days or more of hospitalization. The report of the accident must be filed in the office of the commission.   (2) A public utility operating within this state shall promptly upon the occurrence of any accident in the public utility's operation and resulting in death or injury to any person that requires hospitalization report the accident within the next 2 business days, followed by a written report that states the time and place of the accident, the names of persons killed or injured, and in concise form the nature and cause of the accident. The commission shall prescribe forms for the purpose of making these written reports.   History: En. Sec. 27, Ch. 52, L. 1913; re-en. Sec. 3907, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 3907, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 472, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 70-129; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 81, L. 1999.
MT Code § 69-3-108 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 1. Role of Commission and Power of Eminent Domain|69-3-108. Standards for and examinations of products and services

  69-3-108. Standards for and examinations of products and services. (1) The commission shall ascertain and prescribe for each kind of public utility suitable and convenient commercial units of product or service. These are lawful units for the purposes of this chapter.   (2) The commission shall ascertain and fix adequate and serviceable standards for the measurement of quality, pressure, initial voltage, or other conditions pertaining to the supply of the product or service rendered by any public utility and establish reasonable standards for examination and testing of the product or service and for the measurement of the product or service.   (3) The commission shall provide for the examination and testing of appliances used for the measuring of any product or service of a public utility. A consumer or user may have appliances tested upon payment of the fees fixed by the commission. The commission shall establish reasonable fees to be paid for testing appliances on the request of the consumers or users, the fee to be paid by the consumer or user at the time of the request. These fees must be paid by the public utility and repaid to the complaining party if the quality or quantity of the product or the character of the service is found by the commission defective or insufficient in a degree to justify the demand for testing, or the commission may apportion the fees between the parties as justice may require.   (4) The commission may, in its discretion, purchase materials, apparatus, and standard measuring instruments for examinations and tests as it considers necessary.   (5) The commission or its agents, experts, or examiners may enter upon any premises occupied by a public utility for the purpose of making the examinations and tests provided in this chapter and set up and use on the premises any apparatus and appliances and occupy reasonable space for the examinations and tests. A public utility refusing to allow examinations to be made, as provided in this chapter, is subject to the penalties prescribed in 69-3-206.   (6) The standards and fees established by the commission pursuant to this section must be established through administrative rules or ordered tariff provisions, in accordance with the Montana Administrative Procedure Act.   History: En. Sec. 10, Ch. 52, L. 1913; re-en. Sec. 3890, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 3890, R.C.M. 1935; R.C.M. 1947, 70-112; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 117, L. 1993.
MT Code § 69-3-109 (2021)
2021 Montana Code Annotated|Title 69. Public Utilities and Carriers|Chapter 3. Regulation of Utilities|Part 1. Role of Commission and Power of Eminent Domain|69-3-109. Ascertaining property values

  69-3-109. Ascertaining property values. The commission may, in its discretion, investigate and ascertain the value of the property of each public utility actually used and useful for the convenience of the public. The commission is not bound to accept or use any particular value in determining rates. However, if any value is used, the value may not exceed the original cost of the property, except that the commission may include all or some of an acquisition adjustment for certain property purchased by a public utility in the purchasing utility's rate base if the transfer of the property to the purchasing utility is in the public interest. In making the investigation, the commission may avail itself of all information contained in the assessment rolls of various counties or in the public records of the various branches of the state government or of any other information obtainable, and the commission may at any time on its own initiative make a revaluation of the property.   History: En. Sec. 6, Ch. 52, L. 1913; re-en. Sec. 3884, R.C.M. 1921; re-en. Sec. 3884, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 28, L. 1975; R.C.M. 1947, 70-106; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 373, L. 1995.