Opinion ID: 1752828
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: the puc's general powers

Text: As a state administrative agency, the PUC has those powers that the Legislature expressly confers upon it. [27] The PUC may also have implied powers necessary to accomplish the express duties that the Legislature gives to it. [28] But the PUC may not exercise what is effectively a new power, or a power contrary to a statute, on the theory that such a power is expedient for administrative purposes. [29] Further, we give weight to how the PUC interprets its own powers, but only if that interpretation is reasonable and not inconsistent with the statute. [30] To determine what powers the Legislature conferred on the PUC in evaluating section 58.058 rate-group reclassification requests, we first look to the pertinent statutes. [31] We begin with the words used. [32] We may also consider the object to be attained by the statutes, the circumstances surrounding the statutes' enactment, legislative history, former statutory and common law, and the consequences of a particular construction. [33] In this context, several principles guide us. Generally, we will accept the words used according to their ordinary meaning, unless given a specific statutory definition; [34] we will not give them an exaggerated, forced, or constrained meaning. [35] Also, we will presume that the Legislature used every word of a statute for a purpose. [36] Finally, we will try to avoid construing a statutory provision in isolation from the rest of the statute; we should consider the act as a whole, and not just single phrases, clauses, or sentences. [37]