Ohio Revised Code Search

...The public utilities commission may adopt and publish rules to govern its proceedings and to regulate the mode and manner of all valuations, tests, audits, inspections, investigations, and hearings relating to parties before it. All hearings shall be open to the public.

...Any person who is a citizen of the United States who is a regular salaried employee of the person, firm, or corporation directly concerned, or a chamber of commerce in matters of a general character in which the majority of its members are directly concerned, and who manifests to the satisfaction of the public utilities commission that he possesses the necessary qualifications to enable him to render valuable service...

...The public utilities commission shall, whenever called upon by any officer, board, or commission of this state or any political subdivision of this state, furnish any data or information to such officer, board, or commission and shall aid or assist any such officer, board, or commission in performing official duties. All officers, boards, or commissions of this state or any political subdivision of this state s...

...Except in his report to the public utilities commission or when called on to testify in any court or proceeding of the public utilities commission, no employee or agent referred to in section 4905.13 of the Revised Code shall divulge any information acquired by him in respect to the transaction, property, or business of any public utility, while acting or claiming to act as such employee or agent. Whoever violates th...

...The attorney general shall be the legal adviser of the public utilities commission, but he shall designate, subject to the approval of the governor, one or more of his assistants to perform the services and discharge the duties of attorney to the commission. Such specially designated counsel shall receive a salary which shall be paid in the same manner as that of the members of the commission.

...The public utilities commission shall appoint one or more examiners for the purpose of making any investigation or holding any inquiry or hearing which the commission is required or permitted to make or hold. Such examiners may administer oaths, take depositions, issue subpoenas, compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of books, accounts, papers, records, documents, and testimony, examine witnesses, re...

...The public utilities commission may appoint a secretary, attorney examiners, experts, engineers, accountants, and such other officers as it considers necessary, who shall be in the classified civil service except for persons in attorney examiner or supervisory policy-making positions, who shall serve at the pleasure of the commission. The commission's discretion as to whether or not a position is an attorney examiner...

...In the employment of engineers, experts, or other assistants the public utilities commission may make use of engineers and experts employed in the Ohio state university in such manner as is provided by mutual arrangement between the commission and the trustees and faculty of such university. Any information, data, and equipment of such university shall be placed at the disposal of the commission.

...Each of the public utilities commissioners, for the purposes mentioned in Chapters 4901., 4903., 4905., 4907., 4909., 4921., 4923., and 4927. of the Revised Code, may administer oaths, certify to official acts, issue subpoenas, and compel the attendance of witnesses and the production of papers, waybills, books, accounts, documents, and testimony.

...The public utilities commissioners and the attorney, secretary, other officers, and employees of the public utilities commission may, when in the performance of their official duties, pass free of charge on all railroads, cars, vessels, and other vehicles of every common carrier, subject to control or regulation by the commission, between points within this state, and such persons shall not be denied the right to tra...

...No public utilities commissioner, attorney to the public utilities commission, secretary to the commission, or person employed or appointed to office by the commission or by its attorney shall accept any gift, gratuity, emolument, or employment from any public utility or railroad or any officer, agent, or employee of a public utility or railroad or solicit, suggest, request, or recommend, directly or indirectly, to a...

...(A) Whoever violates section 4901.16 of the Revised Code shall be fined not less than fifty nor more than one hundred dollars.

...As used in sections 4903.01 to 4903.25 of the Revised Code: (A) "Public utility" has the same meaning as in section 4905.02 of the Revised Code. (B) "Railroad" has the same meaning as in section 4907.02 of the Revised Code.

...The public utilities commission may, either through the public utilities commissioners or by inspectors or employees authorized by it, examine under oath, at any time and for assisting the commission in the performance of any powers or duties of the commission, any officer, agent, or employee of any public utility or railroad or any other person, in relation to the business and affairs of such public utility or railr...

...The public utilities commission may, through the public utilities commissioners or by inspectors or employees authorized by it, examine all books, contracts, records, documents, and papers of any public utility, and by subpoena duces tecum may compel the production thereof, or of verified copies of the same or any of them. The commission may compel the attendance of such witnesses as it requires to give evidence...

...If a person disobeys an order of the public utilities commission or a public utilities commissioner, or a subpoena, or if a witness refuses to testify to any matter regarding which he may be lawfully interrogated, the court of common pleas of a county or a judge of such court, on application of a commissioner, shall compel obedience by attachment proceedings for contempt, as in the case of disobedience of the require...

...Each witness who appears before the public utilities commission by its order shall receive the fees and mileage provided for under section 119.094 of the Revised Code, which shall be audited and paid by the state as other expenses are audited and paid, upon the presentation of proper vouchers sworn to by such witnesses and approved by the chairperson of the commission. No witness subpoenaed at the instance of...

...In an investigation, the public utilities commission or any party to the investigation may cause the depositions of witnesses residing within or without the state to be taken in the manner prescribed for depositions in civil actions in the court of common pleas.

...A transcribed copy of the evidence and proceedings on an investigation, or a specific part thereof, taken by a stenographer appointed by the public utilities commission, certified by such stenographer to be a true and correct transcript of such evidence and proceedings, and carefully compared by him with his original notes, shall be received in evidence as if such stenographer was present and testified to the facts a...

...No person shall be excused from testifying or from producing accounts, books, and papers, in any hearing before the public utilities commission any public utilities commissioner, or any person appointed by the commission to investigate any matter under its jurisdiction, on the ground or for the reason that the testimony or evidence might tend to incriminate him, or subject him to a penalty or forfeiture. No such per...

...After a case has been assigned a formal docket number neither a member of the public utilities commission nor any examiner associated with the case shall discuss the merits of the case with any party or intervenor to the proceeding, unless all parties and intervenors have been notified and given the opportunity of being present or a full disclosure of the communication insofar as it pertains to the subject matter...

...All parties and intervenors shall be granted ample rights of discovery. The present rules of the public utilities commission should be reviewed regularly by the commission to aid full and reasonable discovery by all parties. Without limiting the commission's discretion the Rules of Civil Procedure should be used wherever practicable.

...(A) For all cases involving applications for an increase in rates pursuant to section 4909.18 of the Revised Code the public utilities commission shall hold public hearings in each municipal corporation in the affected service area having a population in excess of one hundred thousand persons, provided that, at least one public hearing shall be held in each affected service area. At least one such hearing shall...

...In all contested cases heard by the public utilities commission, a complete record of all of the proceedings shall be made, including a transcript of all testimony and of all exhibits, and the commission shall file, with the records of such cases, findings of fact and written opinions setting forth the reasons prompting the decisions arrived at, based upon said findings of fact.

...After any order has been made by the public utilities commission, any party who has entered an appearance in person or by counsel in the proceeding may apply for a rehearing in respect to any matters determined in the proceeding. Such application shall be filed within thirty days after the entry of the order upon the journal of the commission. Notwithstanding the preceding paragraph, in any uncontested proceeding o...